Project awarded in the AJAC XII Awards in the field of participatory processes.
The recovery of this unique space for Barcelona represents a great opportunity for urban regeneration. The goal is to transform an opaque site into a place that generates life around it. The participatory process was fundamental to jointly debate and establish the future of this space. Aspects such as the level of heritage protection, the uses and facilities it should accommodate, and the urban configuration it should have were taken into account. Through various activities, thematic workshops, and actions with community groups, a wide range of opinions was gathered. As a result, 23 criteria were drafted to serve as guidelines for the future transformation project.
The thematic workshops were an essential part of this process. With the aim of achieving maximum consensus on the most relevant aspects, four workshops were held open to the public. The first three focused on the key aspects of the transformation of La Model, and the fourth served to integrate the previous results into a general proposal. Each workshop offered a space for children, facilitating participation of their caregivers.
The first workshop, on heritage and memory, started from the historical study of La Model’s buildings. Using informative sheets, discussions were held on the potential of each part, the need to preserve them, or the possibility of demolition. The aim was not to reach closed consensus but to generate awareness and reasoned positions.
The second workshop focused on facilities and housing. After presenting the conclusions of the facilities study, the planned ones were validated and other needs not considered in the initial draft were identified. Work was also done on the location of uses, facilities, and social housing in relation to the surroundings.
The third workshop, on green spaces and streets, reflected on the integration of green space within La Model complex and its relation to the environment. Proposals were also made for new activities and uses, considering the diversity of people (children, elderly, people with reduced mobility, etc.), and criteria such as safety, accessibility, and sustainability of spaces were defined.
The fourth workshop served to share the most consensual criteria and debate three possible alternatives for the transformation of La Model. These alternatives were not closed proposals but ways to approach its future evolution.
Besides the workshops, actions with community groups were carried out to include those who often do not participate in such processes. One example was the Youth Day, aimed at young people, where needs for spaces and facilities for youth were discussed and a meeting space was created to share initiatives from different youth spaces in the city. The Camí Amic Day was also organized, where high school students participated in defining activities and characteristics for the future La Model park, after a visit to the site.
To encourage participation, a board was installed in the entrance courtyard of La Model with the question “How do you imagine the future of La Model?”, inviting people to share their opinions. Information about the process themes was also disseminated, and a guide was available during the open days to explain the project to visitors.
Process results: A total of 279 different people attended the thematic workshops, 27 people participated in Youth Day, and 190 students during the Camí Amic Day. You can consult the process results in the documents available on the Decidim Barcelona website:
