Parc Central de Nou Barris by Arriola & Fiol
Landscape Architecture: A. Arriola, C. Fiol
Collaborators: E. Amat, X. Arriola, V. Bagnato, M. Boutin, A. Carreras, L. Dazio, D. Dethlefsen,M. Fiore, U. Huber,C. Kolar, I. Kuhn, M. Marugg, R. Nana, S. Rux, A. Soler
Budget: 15.884.031 €
Dates: project:1997
Work:1999-2004
Area:170.000m²
Project cost: 11.326.424 €
Photos: Landezine
Arriola & Fiol: The construction of Nou Barris Park is the central intervention in the complete renewal of Barcelona’s eastern periphery. It was begun under the leadership of the politician Antoni Santiburcio, who died a year ago after a long struggle to transform the dismal periphery into a self-respecting area. With the new international Forum organized by Barcelona on the maritime front in 2004, the decision to finish the park is quite an achievement.
The Nou Barris district is a part of Barcelona with no identity of its own. A vast conglomeration of different neighbourhoods with different urban histories and weak connectivity, it extends over eight square kilometers. Only after the 1992 Olympics, when the Ronda de Dalt ring road was finally built, was it connected to the rest of the city. Its potential was greatly increased, for the well-to-do areas in the west and the District of Nou Barris around Karl Marx Plaza are now only ten minutes apart.
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Oh, you’re very lucky! The big water cannons next to the high-rise (also by Andreu Arriola & Carme Fiol) don’t always shoot… I’ve only seen them working once, and I don’t live far from Nou Barris!
Also, I’m not sure Nou Barris has “weak connectivity”. Projects such as Nou Barris’ avenues (Via Júlia, Passeig Valldaura, Fabra i Puig [the one that crosses Plaça Virrei Amat!], Avinguda Meridiana…), Nou Barris’ public squares (Virrei Amat, Harry Walker…)… plus the district is well served by Metro lines L3, L4 and L5.