Team member(s): Jayashree Chandrappa, Roman Pomazan and Ruobing Chen
Modified by Jayashree Chandrappa on January 9, 2023

What is La Sagrada Familia neigborhood?

First of all, La Sagrada Familia cathedral is one of the most visited by tourists attractions in Spain.

History of La Sagrada Familia Quartier. Urban design issue

Initially, Antonio Gaudi, while in charge of designing La Sagrada, envisioned removing two inhabited blocks in front of the main facade of Gloria facing Carrer de Mallorca in order to provide space for a wide and sumptuous entrance with stairs and fountains.

5 more architects followed him and the construction is still ongoing not resolving the issues of the main entrance plaza.

Main entrance to La Sagrada Familia according to the initial design occupies 1/3 of the residential block across Carrer de Mallorca.

This issue still exists and is an object of wide urbanism discussion. Discussion on La Sagrada Familia Quartier. 8 options after completion- Discussion on the organization of the space around la Sagrada Familia goes on more than 100 years long. Alternative urban designs of La Sagrada Familia Quartier include 8 options and the subject of wide public discussion.

Discussion on the organization of the space around la Sagrada Familia goes on more than 100 years long. Alternative urban designs of La Sagrada Familia Quartier include 8 options and the subject of wide public discussion.

source: https://www.lavanguardia.com/listas/20131220/54398409369/ocho-opciones-acabar-sagrada-familia.html

Neighborhood area. Road network analysis

The neighborhood of La Sagrada Familia has the regular **rectangle block structure** of Eixample.
Road network hierarchy was developed along the main Barcelona’s **urban axis** of Avinguda Diagonal and the **collector street** Passeig de Sant Joan. All streets work as residential, and rare of them including Avinguda de Gaudi are **pedestrian**.

Neighborhood area. Public transportation

The neighborhood has **well developed accessibility** by public transportation due to the presence of **2 metro stations** just aside the cathedral, and four more stations around the neighborhood. **6 bus lanes** supplement the connectivity of the area with all parts of the metropolitan area. **Linea Azul** of Barcelona bus turistic adds 2 mln people more to local circulation per year.

Neighborhood area. Ground floor activities map

Voronoi pattern visualizes the variety and and dense spatial distribution of business typologies around La Sagrada Familia.

Site observation

While visiting the site we noticed more details, not obvious from the mode of online study. Pop-up retail, jaywalking, pedestrian congestion, and lost value of La Sagrada on the ground floor level, especially because of the fence, merchandise stalls, and cars. Some visitors use the cathedral as a scene for personal Instagram stories of success.

Identification of urban intervention area. Clipping frames for research

The part of Carrer Sardegna between La Sagrada cathedral and park Placa La Sagrada Familia contains the most complex situation. Considering issues of balancing car and pedestrian traffic, the potential value of new public space and the feasible frame for the case study this area fits the most for a future mobility project.

Identification of urban intervention area. Zoom in

The selected area of intervention aims to resolve existing pedestrian congestion, to transform the chaotic landscape organization, and to provide more pedestrian space with different scenarios of activities considering cycles of tourist flows, festivals and routine activities of local residents.
Key features of recreated pedestrian space consider:
1) Enhanced shadow design,
2) Reintroduction of visual points and enhance the value of space,
3) Provide scene for two and more scenarios for different types of activities.

Problem areas. Car traffic cuts off high density public spaces

Site analysis. Street sections

street section of existing traffic conditions

Problem Areas Identified

Jaywalking and pedestrian congestion
Tourist bus stops
Street pop-up retail
Insufficient shadow design
Lost value of public space

Jaywalking and pedestrian congestion

The first our observation unveiled the presence of urban guard at each corner of crossroads, and their manual regulation of bicycle traffic that overlapping the initial road markup. Considering the haphazard movement of the pedestrian flow, ubiquitous jaywalking, bicycle and motorized vehicle congestion, we selected this location in order to develop a feasibility study for the resolution of such complex traffic circumstances.

Tourist bus stops

Tourist bus stops generate flow of 2 mln passengers per year. 1 bus arrives every 5 minutes. Around 600 people circulate through the bus stop of Route Azul every 1 hour.