The perception of the quality of green and blue spaces can be key in the relationship between a community and its local landscape (i.e., place identification). The lack of transdisciplinary training and social-specific education of landscape architects regarding the complexity of landscape as a participative cultural artefact limits reaching the general population. Bridging this gap of landscape and place identification and evaluation by a local community was the main objective of the present case study conducted at an abandoned spring and seasonal stream area in Rubí (Spain). The “Steinitz method” of landscape evaluation was used as a participatory method to activate community members to learn about and express their visual preferences regarding this neglected landscape. Bottom-up interventions applying an “urban acupuncture” approach in the area identified as the least attractive by the residents were co-designed and combined with a top-down restoration of a nearby, existing but derelict and hidden, spring. In addition, before and after planning and implementing the intervention, we conducted surveys about the community perception, sense of belonging and use of the space. We observed that the lack of awareness of the inhabitants about this spring was an obstacle preventing the community from embracing the potential for health and wellbeing presented by the spring and adjacent landscape. Following the work, the landscape saw increasing use, and the historic spring was brought back to life as a resource to help people to improve their health and wellbeing.

The 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include ensuring universal and safe access to green spaces. Some cities feature extensive green areas on hills or elevated terrains integrated into the urban landscape. In such cases where the benefits for users are highly pronounced (e.g., views, isolation, etc.), it is challenging and particularly complex to design strategies to ensure accessible and spatial routes due to multiple slopes and a challenging topography. In Barcelona, the iconic Montjuïc mountain has been the focal point of a trail masterplan aimed at rethinking its various access points and internal network of routes. Furthermore, the city has committed to implementing an initial project from this plan, the so-called 360° route. This study presents an in-depth analysis of the Montjuïc mountain case, encompassing both the plan and the 360° project in hilly urban parks. The analysis reveals the values and transferability of the set of strategies proposed in the plan, such as activating inherent location characteristics by connecting the surrounding urban fabric with elements of recreational potential within the underlying traces of heritage value. Additionally, a quantitative assessment of the impact of the proposed accesses on the population is presented. The study highlights the improvements in quality of life for the diverse users of this type of green infrastructure.

DESCIFRANDO LA FORMA URBANA: UN ANÁLISIS DE PATRONES DE AGRUPAMIENTO BASADO EN SIG

Revelando las centralidades del transporte público mediante SIG y GTFS: una propuesta de reequilibrio urbano para el Área Metropolitana de Barcelona

The coastal cliffs around the Roses Lighthouse (Cap de Creus, Mediterranean Costa Brava) display deformation structures generated during the emplacement of a syntectonic granodiorite and associated rocks (quartzdiorite enclaves and leucocratic dykes). These rocks were subjected to shearing and spectacular shear zones are present, which have been object of several scientific publications. The outcrops are considered of international high scientific value, being regularly visited by researchers and students from several European universities. In 2005, the site was included in the Geosite Inventory of Catalonia, but it does not have any special protection yet, despite decades of efforts to claim the need for protection and conservation in front of the constant deterioration and loss of outcrops due to strong urban and touristic pressure. A project of restoration, access improvement, and dissemination of geological values was finally executed between 2020 and 2021. The Roses case study leads us to the remark that urban and periurban geosites offer a good opportunity for promoting geological research, education, and tourism, provided its protection based on geoconservation criteria and a strong sustainable conservation management plan.

Objetivo: Las redes de ciudades contemporáneas continúan emancipándose hacia territorios cada vez más amplios mientras transforman sus intersticios en mosaicos heterogéneos de infraestructuras, asentamientos y espacios abiertos. El equilibrio territorial depende en gran medida del reconocimiento de estos ámbitos inevitables, donde la forma urbana es menos sostenible y estructurada. Si bien existe una amplia literatura dedicada a describir este medio, encontramos menos instrumentos de análisis orientados a su lectura cuantificada. El objetivo de este artículo es evaluar la contribución de las denominadas medidas de centralidad de manera aislada, a partir de la mera observación de los resultados que generan. Se propone la comarca del Valles Oriental en la Región Metropolitana de Barcelona como caso de estudio. Metodología: Se plantea aplicar sistemáticamente las medidas de centralidad reach, closeness, betweennes y straigthness para radios de influencia comprendidos entre los 300 y los 10.000 metros, tomando los puntos medios de los segmentos entre intersecciones de la red viaria no segregada como orígenes y destinos. Conclusiones: La combinación de las medidas closeness y betweenness permite identificar el peso relativo de los asentamientos y el conjunto de esqueletos viarios de soporte asociados a cada modo de locomoción –de la movilidad a pie a la motorizada– respectivamente. Asimismo, se obtiene un mapa graduado de vocaciones del territorio, listo para informar estrategias de transformación y fácilmente integrable con otras caracterizaciones del territorio. Originalidad: Se apuesta por el uso de la distancia métrica para establecer la impedancia entre orígenes y destinos, así como para definir los radios de acción que toman valores intencionadamente asociables a las categorías habituales del reparto modal de los viajes de proximidad. Objectiu: Les xarxes de ciutats contemporànies continuen emancipant cap a territoris cada vegada més amplis mentre transformen els seus intersticis en mosaics heterogenis d'infraestructures, assentaments i espais oberts. L'equilibri territorial depèn en gran mesura del reconeixement d'aquests àmbits inevitables, on la forma urbana és menys sostenible i estructurada. Si bé hi ha una àmplia literatura dedicada a descriure aquest mitjà, trobem menys instruments d'anàlisi orientats a la seva lectura quantificada. L'objectiu d'aquest article és avaluar la contribució de les anomenades mesures de centralitat de manera aïllada, a partir de la simple observació dels resultats que generen. Es proposa la comarca del Vallès Oriental a la Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona com a cas d'estudi. Metodologia: Es planteja aplicar sistemàticament les mesures de centralitat reach, Closeness, betweennes i straigthness per a ràdios d'influència compresos entre els 300 i els 10.000 metres, prenent els punts mitjans dels segments entre interseccions de la xarxa viària no segregada com orígens i destinacions. Conclusions: La combinació de les mesures Closeness i betweenness permet identificar el pes relatiu dels assentaments i el conjunt d'esquelets viaris de suport associats a cada mode de locomoció -de la mobilitat a peu a la motorizada- respectivament. Així mateix, s'obté un mapa graduat de vocacions del territori, a punt per informar estratègies de transformació i fàcilment integrable amb altres caracteritzacions del territori. Originalitat: S'aposta per l'ús de la distància mètrica per establir la impedància entre orígens i destinacions, així com per definir els radis d'acció que prenen valors intencionadament associables a les categories habituals del repartiment modal dels viatges de proximitat. Objective: The contemporary networks of cities continue to expand their force fields by embracing ever larger territories while shaping their interstices in heterogeneous mosaics of infrastructures, settlements and open spaces. The equilibrium of the urban system depends largely on the management of these unavoidable settings, in which the urban form is less sustainable and lacks structure. Although there is extensive literature on this environment, there are fewer instruments based on quantitative methods of analysis. The objective of the article is to evaluate the contribution of the so-called centrality measures in isolation, by merely observing the outcomes. Methodology: The centrality measures reach, closeness, betweennes and straigthness are calculated considering radiuses of influence ranging from 300 to 10.000 meters. The midpoints of each segment of the road network represent a possible origin and destination. Conclusions: The combined reading of closeness and betweennes allows for the identification of the relative importance of nodes and a set of network skeletons that are linked to each mode of transport – from non-motorised to motorised means of transport. Originality: The metric distance is the adopted impedance to calculate the shortest paths between all origins and destinations, as well as for the selected radiuses of influence that intentionally represent the different modes of transport considered in a modal share.