THE FLOATING PLAZA

Located in Barcelona, Plaza Calvó is situated in a propsperous part of the city. Lines with great views, mediteranean pine trees and in close proximity to Collserola, the largest natural park of the area, which serves as the lungs of Barcelona. A rigorous analysis of the site revealed multiple conclusions to us and an understanding of not just the plaza, but also the neighborhood as a whole. It helped us to visualise what is lacking- identifying existing problems, gaining familiarity with both the circulation and the energy of the site. It's clear that the plaza doesn't have many visitors and often stands out with its emptiness due to different problematic factors. One important problem to solve is the topography. Steep slopes make the plaza quite uncomfortable to visit. Without any terraces or ramps the visitor has to balance in an unpleasant way, which is even harder with the earthy ground laden with rocks. Another problem is that the plaza doesn't offer many activities, and those that are available are not frequently used and the lack of vegetation and of a continuous canopy proved to be a clear problem. It was also noted, however, that the plaza has a lot of potential in different ways. The proximity to the natural park of Collserola offers a project focused on two types of connections; a ecological one, and a social one. Could we create a green corridor for nature that at the same time facilitates the access for humans to reach a peaceful natural environment? The project is an answer to the needs obtained from the analysis and the objective therefore stood clear. We had to create new activities for both new visitors and old ones, solving the topographic problem, protecting the root systems of the existing trees and creating an enjoyable connection between the plaza and the natural park. It had to function as a beginning and as a finish line, and an attractive place to spend time. Taking all of these factors in consideration, the result ended up being a floating, interactive platform with built-in usage that respects its environment and the root system of the existing trees. By pedestrianising streets with low density of circulation, and establishing a continuous canopy from Collserola to the plaza, we managed to connect the park ecologically and socially. The project has been developed by a team of three second year students of the Landscaping Degree at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Aleix Aymerich Oliver, Vincent De Gasperi and Ariadna Garriga Ballarín). This project has been developed within the framework of the Workshop landscaping project (Winter 2022) taught by professors Sergi Carulla, Victoria Fiol and Manel Sangenis.