Barcelona's Urban Structure and Neighborhood Development

Barcelona's Geographic and Urban Layout

Barcelona is situated between the Mediterranean Sea (southeast) and the Serra de Collserola (northwest), which is part of the Catalan Coastal Range. The city is located by the sea in a small natural harbor, indicating its commercial origins, near a small mountain, Montjuïc.

The Historic Heart: Ciutat Vella

The historic center constitutes a very small part of the modern city. It is divided into two parts by a broad street, La Rambla, which marks the limit of the oldest section. It has a rather irregular flat plan, characterized by narrow streets, high building density, and clustered buildings. The part east of La Rambla is the location of monuments and cultural tourism attractions. The other side of La Rambla, the Raval district, mainly houses degraded housing and a significant immigrant population.

Eixample: Bourgeois Order and Business Hub

The Eixample district features its characteristic orthogonal grid plan, with large blocks featuring chamfers at the corners. This expansion reflects the space of the bourgeoisie and their values: order, cleanliness, business, and class separation. It boasts wonderful modernista buildings. The Eixample also hosts the offices of banks and enterprises, making a significant portion of it the city's primary business center.

Diverse Neighborhoods: Former Towns and New Areas

Other neighborhoods mostly correspond to former independent towns such as Sants, Les Corts, and Gràcia, or newer neighborhoods like Poble Sec at the foot of Montjuïc. These areas became settlements for the working class, and in some cases the bourgeoisie, during the nineteenth century and the first third of the twentieth century.

The Urban Fringe: Contrasting Districts

On the urban fringe, there are neighborhoods such as El Carmel or El Guinardó, developed for the working class with modest buildings. In other cases, more middle-class to affluent neighborhoods emerged, like Sarrià, or small estates with low-rise housing at the foot of the Sierra de Collserola.

Modern Transformation: Olympic Village and Poblenou

The Olympic Village and Poblenou are neighborhoods with a regular plan and a more open pattern, forming the modern part of Barcelona. These areas were the site of factories until the 1970s and were urbanized starting in 1992 to host the Olympic Games. This redevelopment features collective housing developments interspersed with open spaces. It also aims to establish a technology hub, home to a university campus and corporate research and advanced technology centers.