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Eixample District -Essay-

Page history last edited by Muriel 15 years, 5 months ago

 

Eixample District -Essay-



 

 

Eixample District -Sound-

 

 

The Eixample District: A good example of urban expansion.

 

 

 

 

If we take a look around our cities we can figure out that they are always growing: the people, the activities and the size of the cities, increase every single day. Preparing to this growth is what urban planning does.  One of the best examples of how a city affords this growth is the Eixample District in Barcelona, Spain. This district shows us how to create a sustainable city, with equal walkable and active urban spaces.

The Eixample District is the result of the expansion of Barcelona city, after the walls that used to contain it were tear down. Its design was proposed by Idelfons Cerdá, an engineer that always took care about the health and efficient transportation inside the cities. The Plan for the expansion of Barcelona began in 1860, but it was in 1890 when the execution started.

 

 

 

 

 

The design is simple: a grid pattern with hollowed corners that smoothed the traffic pass; squared blocks with internal gardens to facilitate the house´s illumination and a good amount of public services located around the entire Eixample district.

All these principles, proposed in 1890, work today with a mixture of the ideals of Cerdá and the modifications made by the modern and global city that Barcelona has become: the mix of land uses especially around the main avenues Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes provides an active urban life; and the residential areas connected with a lot of public spaces create a neighborhood character, unique of Barcelona.

 

 

 

 

Therefore, Barcelona through the Eixample District has become one of the most influential cities of the world, with sustainable principles and a safe and active urban life despite the critics of most of its residents. The vision of one man, Idelfons Cerdá, was the principal key of this healthy construction that had survived through ages.

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