Barcelona, one of the most densely populated cities in Europe, is pioneering a new model of urban regeneration: superilles (also known as superblocks). The approach consists of pacifying streets in entire neighborhoods, creating more liveable public space, and promoting sustainable behaviour change. The objective of the project “Teixint Superilles” – which translates from Catalan as “Weaving superblocks” – is to approach superilles from a bottom-up perspective, engaging citizens throughout the process.
Through a series of workshops, Aquí has been experimenting with diverse methodologies for civic participation while engaging a wide range of participants with topics of gender, functional diversity, cross-generational inclusivity, and sustainability. Teixint Superilles activities took place in three different environments to ensure a wide range of participants: a public park, an arts and sustainability festival and a secondary school. The target groups of these activities were neighbours of superilles and the end-users of these spaces: local businesses and municipal workers, visitors, and people in transit. To increase representation from younger citizens, aquí engaged students from a local school through a co-creation process to redesign their local square.