The Street furniture in Barcelona is managed by the Department of Ecology, Urban Planning and Mobility of the City Council of Barcelona. It developed in accordance with the progress made in urban planning of Barcelona as a whole and, in general, with the historical and territorial evolution of the city, and in line with other defining factors of public space such as architecture, urban infrastructures and the adaptation and maintenance of natural or construction spaces. Although their main characteristic has always been functionality, as a general rule they have often been objects of design and aesthetic consideration, since they furnish the public space where urban society develops.
The urban evolution of Barcelona has been constant since its foundation in Ancient Rome to the present day, although it has been since the 19th century when it was accentuated thanks to the Cerdá plan and the aggregation of neighboring municipalities. It was also by the end of that century when the street furniture began to have a special consideration and to be the object of design and planning, thanks to the work of the successive people in charge of Buildings and Ornamentation of the City Council such as Antoni Rovira i Trias and Pere Falqués.
It encompasses a series of elements for the urban management of the city and the planning and execution of all the factors related to the adaptability of the physical environment to human life and the development of society, such as street light, benches, waste container, post boxes, fountains, traffic lights, public transport stops, pavement, flower boxes, kiosks, parking meters, payphone among many other objects and elements of micro-architecture.
Urban elements
Barcelona has an area of 102.16 km2, 25.7% of which is public space (16.3% streets and the rest are green areas). In 2009, there were 703,540 urban elements in Barcelona's public spaces, one for every 8 m2 of sidewalk.
As a general rule, urban elements must meet certain criteria: design, based on aesthetic quality, authenticity and originality; functionality and ergonomics; easy maintenance and low cost; accessibility and safety; and social and environmental sustainability. For their installation and maintenance, a study must be made of the terrain and social needs, which is usually based on pre-established municipal regulations. Depending on the element to be installed, the ideal material must be studied (the most commonly used are wood, stone, concrete, metal, glass and plastic), its resistance, its maintenance –one factor to take into account is vandalism–, its placement and its use. Other factors that have been considered in recent times have been sustainability and multi-functionality. Its economic cost should also be considered in terms of its technical characteristics, the investment-amortization ratio, its purchase and manufacturing cost, its assembly and installation, its maintenance and its consumption of water, gas or electricity. Finally, a factor to take into account is its accessibility and ease of use, especially in consideration of people with reduced mobility or some type of physical or sensory disability.
There is a wide variety of urban elements, which can be classified according to their function:
Common urbanization elements:
Pavement: this is the floor covering, which can be made of stone, mortar, concrete, macadam or asphalt, with various models, such as 4 or 9 lozenges, flowers, roses, circles, concentric rings, bars, diagonal macaroni, Gaudi, etc. Curbs: separating barriers between sidewalk and roadway, made of stone or concrete. The most common are manual, mechanized granite and granite scuppers. Fords: spaces for pedestrian traffic (ford boat or depressed sidewalk) or vehicles (models V-20 and V-40/60). Tree grate: these are tree delimiting elements, made of concrete, iron or steel, with various models: Brico, Fiol, Ramla, Yarg or Carmel 160. Grates: they are used for the evacuation of rainwater from the ground to the sewers. They are generally made of iron, with models such as Ciutat Vella, Delta-BCN or Meridiana 30. Covers and manholes: these are the sewer and infrastructure closure elements (water, electricity, gas, telecommunications), usually made of cast iron. Stairs, ramps, elevators and escalators: these are used to bridge differences in level and can be made of stone or mechanized elements. Elements for pedestrian protection: