Eight urban development projects are expected to change Barcelona’s coastline in the following years. Regardless of the controversies surrounding the issue, their designs are based on the future project for tourism of the city.
Barcelona is facing one of its major urban transformations along its metropolitan coastline. These huge projects affect an area of more than 700,000 square metres and have caught the attention of many followers, as well as of those who want to keep the essence of the city.
Here is a summary of all the changes that will be introduced along Barcelona’s coastline:
New Besós’ coastline
The construction of Fórum area and Diagonal Mar has recovered a space that was not in use until then, just in front of Diagonal Avenue.
Diagonal-Besós Campus, run by Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), will provide a team of more than 200 professors to work on the rehabilitation project of the coastline of Barcelona and Sant Adrià del Besós. Moreover, the upcoming Ciutat de l’Economia del Coneixement is awaiting huge projects related to Biomedicine, design, social innovation and business, the so-called Barcelona KEY (Knowledge Economy Yard).
Sant Adrià beaches, located on both sides of the neighbourhood, are waiting for a totally different plan. It’s an urban development project related to nightlife that will probably be introduced at the end of 2015.
New and exclusive yacht club
Port Vell in Barcelona faces its largest transformation after the Olympic Games in the city.
The new luxury yacht club will make Barcelona one of the best ports for large yachts in the world. That includes the renewal of the current facade in order to build a luxury access area. The works in Port Vell yacht club are expected to be concluded for the summer of 2016.
Next to it, Marina Vela yacht club (Marina Bocana Nord) also awaits for a huge project. It’ll house a complex with 136 swing moorings plus other 222 dry dock spaces. Moreover, there will be 7 commercial buildings and 2 new 400-meter-long boulevards near W Hotel. This project is expected to be completed for mid 2017.
The legacy of Barcelona to sea lovers is a totally renewed Fishing Port. The rehabilitation plan contemplates the construction of an ice factory, a new fish market and the reurbanization of the well-known Moll de Pescadores. In its interior, there is the Clock Tower (Torre del Rellotge) dated back to 1772, which will be reopened to the public after its rehabilitation. These works are expected to be finished in 2017.
Barcelona’s coastline
Ronda Litoral has traditionally been seen as the thoroughfare that closed the natural access to the sea.
The area surrounded by Montjuïc Mountain, Ronda Litoral and the port is called Morrot Neighbouhood. The rehabilitation project for this area, developed by the former government, consisted mainly of opening the neighbourhood to the sea, by means of building a double entrance to Barcelona and a direct access to the port. But unfortunately, this project is currently inoperative.
Marina del Prat Vermell is the old industrial neighbourhood of Sants-Montjuïc district, an area featuring many expansion possibilities that today is experiencing a huge transformation. Its reurbanization will affect an area equivalent to 59 blocks of Eixample of Barcelona. This neighbourhood has called the attention of both public (Tax Agency) and private institutions.
The construction works in the area of Marina are based on a project developed by Consorci de la Zona Franca, which is investing in the urbanization of the area. The residential urbanization of Marina will affect a total of 40 blocks of buildings in Sants and Montjuïc Neighbourhoods.
The arrival of the Metro service to the airport and the construction of new buildings will open the neighbourhood to new residents, especially thanks to the closeness to Gran Via.
From one end to the other, the emblematic Barcelona’s coastline will soon face huge challenges as regards its rehabilitation.
