Barcelona’s Superblocks: All you need to know

Barcelona's Superblocks are an urban planning and design concept aimed at transforming the city's neighbourhoods by reorganising streets and public spaces into cohesive, pedestrian-friendly zones. They propose a change in the Barcelona grid, promoting a more people-centric layout. 

The primary aims of Barcelona's Superblocks are to improve the quality of urban life, enhance sustainability, and prioritise people over vehicles. This Barcelona city planning initiative has gained worldwide attention and recognition. 

By reconfiguring the layout of streets and public spaces, Superblocks aim to reduce air pollution, noise, and traffic congestion, thereby creating cleaner and quieter living environments. 

In this Masterclass you will understand all the details related to Barcelona’s Superblocks: Why is Barcelona built in squares? Why are superblocks important? What are their ecological and social impacts and current challenges? These issues are addressed giving real-world examples of different zones in the city of Barcelona. 

This masterclass is part of the Master's in Global Smart City Management. With this programme you will learn the strategic and managerial skills required to plan and develop smart, inclusive and resilient urban environments.