Ever since the 1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona has been admired as a model for urban revitalization through imaginative design and civic identity. Barcelona ’92 was designed with a TV audience in mind, with views of the diving finals from Montjuic hill offering Ildefons Cerdà’s gridded street-plan—vertically punctured by Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia and Norman Foster’s telecommunication’s tower—as a striking backdrop.
That global reach of Barcelona’s identity, forged through design, architecture, and Catalan culture, went on to fuel a tourist boom and a benchmark strategy for cities worldwide. The “Barcelona Model” offers an approach based around international events, neighborhood-based community-building, iconic design, the opening up and reimagining of urban spaces, and investment in public transport.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.