The street furniture in Barcelona is managed by the Department of Ecology, Urban Planning and Mobility of the City Council of Barcelona. It developed in accordance with the progress made in urban planning of Barcelona as a whole and, in general, with the historical and territorial evolution of the city, and in line with other defining factors of public space such as architecture, urban infrastructures and the adaptation and maintenance of natural or construction spaces. Although their main characteristic has always been functionality, as a general rule they have often been objects of design and aesthetic consideration, since they furnish the public space where urban society develops.
The urban evolution of Barcelona has been constant since its foundation in Ancient Rome to the present day, although it has been since the 19th century when it was accentuated thanks to the Cerdà Plan and the aggregation of neighboring municipalities. It was also by the end of that century when the street furniture began to have a special consideration and to be the object of design and planning, thanks to the work of the successive people in charge of Buildings and Ornamentation of the City Council such as Antoni Rovira i Trias and .
It encompasses a series of elements for the urban management of the city and the planning and execution of all the factors related to the adaptability of the physical environment to human life and the development of society, such as street light, benches, waste container, post boxes, fountains, traffic lights, public transport stops, pavement, flower boxes, kiosks, parking meters, payphone among many other objects and elements of micro-architecture.
Urban elements
Barcelona has an area of 102.16 km2, 25.7% of which is public space (16.3% streets and the rest are green areas). In 2009, there were 703,540 urban elements in Barcelona's public spaces, one for every 8 m2 of sidewalk.
As a general rule, urban elements must meet certain criteria: design, based on aesthetic quality, authenticity and originality; functionality and ergonomics; easy maintenance and low cost; accessibility and safety; and social and environmental sustainability. For their installation and maintenance, a study must be made of the terrain and social needs, which is usually based on pre-established municipal regulations. Depending on the element to be installed, the ideal material must be studied (the most commonly used are wood, stone, concrete, metal, glass and plastic), its resistance, its maintenance –one factor to take into account is vandalism–, its placement and its use. Other factors that have been considered in recent times have been sustainability and multi-functionality. Its economic cost should also be considered in terms of its technical characteristics, the investment-amortization ratio, its purchase and manufacturing cost, its assembly and installation, its maintenance and its consumption of water, gas or electricity. Finally, a factor to take into account is its accessibility and ease of use, especially in consideration of people with reduced mobility or some type of physical or sensory disability.
There is a wide variety of urban elements, which can be classified according to their function:
Common urbanization elements: Pavement: this is the floor covering, which can be made of stone, mortar, concrete, macadam or asphalt, with various models, such as 4 or 9 lozenges, flowers, roses, circles, concentric rings, bars, diagonal macaroni, Gaudi, etc. Curbs: separating barriers between sidewalk and roadway, made of stone or concrete. The most common are manual, mechanized granite and granite scuppers. Fords: spaces for pedestrian traffic (ford boat or depressed sidewalk) or vehicles (models V-20 and V-40/60). Tree grate: these are tree delimiting elements, made of concrete, iron or steel, with various models: Brico, Fiol, Ramla, Yarg or Carmel 160. Grates: they are used for the evacuation of rainwater from the ground to the sewers. They are generally made of iron, with models such as Ciutat Vella, Delta-BCN or Meridiana 30. Covers and manholes: these are the sewer and infrastructure closure elements (water, electricity, gas, telecommunications), usually made of cast iron. Stairs, ramps, elevators and escalators: these are used to bridge differences in level and can be made of stone or mechanized elements.
Elements for pedestrian protection:
Guard rail: they serve to delimit spaces and act as handrails and parapets; they are generally made of steel, with models such as Line, V or INOX 50/25. Bollard, pylon or milestone: these are barriers to prevent vehicle access to pedestrian areas; they can be fixed, retractable or automated. The main models are Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Universal, Gorge, Via Júlia, Sant Feliu and Esquirol. Green space boundaries: they are used to delimit flowerbeds and spaces dedicated to gardening and are usually made of stone or steel and measure 20 or 30 cm in height. Barriers and fences: these are provisional elements for protection or to prevent passage, and can be fixed or portable, made of plastic or steel.
Signaling: Banner sign: indicates certain establishments, such as parking lots; they may project from the facade or be cantilevered on a pole. Street signs: used to indicate the name of the street, on marble plaques fixed to the wall or on steel plate or phenolic resin signs on a pole. Route markers: used to indicate the direction, on steel or aluminum plates. Traffic signs: indicate road regulation symbols, with or without illuminated signs. Information on road works or pavement markings: such as guides for the blind, bike path, tree identification plaques or Modernism Route tiles.
Lighting and traffic control:
Street light: these can be wall-mounted lanterns, floor street lights or chandeliers. The main models are Lamparaalta, Eixample, Alguer, Lampelunas, Línia Z, Plus, Roma, Andrea, Pagode, Venus and Galdana. Lighting columns: these are vertical elements of between 6 and 16 m that incorporate lamps in their upper part; the most common models are: Kanya, Pep, Micra, Pechina, Stick, C.S.V., Prim, Nikolson, Ful and Nou Barris. Poles: these are curved lighting columns, with models such as BC1, Arco, Pelai, Gran Via, Paral·lel and 22@. Beacons, wall lights (suspended or recessed in floors or walls), floor switches and floodlights. Traffic lights: serve to regulate traffic, and can be bulb or LED; some have an acoustic signal for the blind. Installation cabinets: these are technical support panels for traffic lights and other electronic elements.
Urban furniture:
Benches: these are used for seating and include benches, stools (benches without backs), armchairs, chairs (armchairs without backs), stools and loungers. They can be made of stone, wood, iron or concrete, with models such as Romantic, Neo-Romantic, Neobarcino, Mediterraneo, Catalano, Montseny, Levit, U, Cadira Nigra, Boston, Sumo, Nu, Marina, Diputació, Koro, G, Alpino, Socrates, Hebi, Lungomare, Sillarga, Sicurta or Modular. Fountains: these are water dispensers, generally made of cast iron, with models such as Barcelona, Canaletes, Capilla, Urbana, Badalona, Georgina, Atlántida, Villa Olímpica, Sarastro, Lama, Caudal and Egea. Waste container: a container for waste; the most common are the Barcelona (circular and semicircular), Prima Linea, Paperegena and Bina models. Flower boxes: these are containers for plants; the most common are the Plaza, Barcina, Tram, Urbana, Lineal, Marisha, Morella, Icaria, Vida, Nomo and Test models. Recreational areas: these may include children's playgrounds, sports facilities (soccer, basketball, volleyball, fitness equipment), picnic areas, ping-pong tables, petanque and skateboarding courts. Areas for dogs (pipicán).
Public service elements:
Bus stops: these are canopies to protect from inclement weather while waiting for the bus, include service information and advertising; the main models are Pal-li and Foster. Bus and subway stop masts. Bus platforms: platform extending the sidewalk into the roadway for pedestrian access to the bus, generally made of concrete with an aluminum grating. Pedestrian exit platforms for parking lots and subway stations. Bicycle parking rack: used for parking bicycles, the most common model is the Bici-N. Parking meters: are used to pay for vehicle parking. Payphones: are used to make telephone calls for a fee. Post boxes: used for depositing mail; some are yellow for normal use, green for exclusive use by letter carriers and red for urgent mail. Waste container: used to collect garbage; there are also selective waste collection containers (paper, plastic, glass, batteries, clothes) and pneumatic collection containers. They can be surface waste container (3200 or 1100 liters) or underground. Public toilets: there are still some fixed toilets, generally subway, but nowadays most are portable cabins. Showers and watchtowers for beaches.
Information and propaganda elements:
Banderolas: canvas banners placed on columns or masts, they are generally used to advertise exhibitions or cultural events. Advertising columns: used to place advertising, the most commonly used model is Expresión Libre. PIM-OPI (Panell d'Informació Municipal-Objecte Publicitari Il·luminat): is a display case with interior lighting for the placement of municipal information or advertising. TAM (Municipal Bulletin Board): municipal information display case, generally located in public buildings.
Commercial elements: Bar and restaurant terraces: these are an extension to the exterior of the services offered by this type of establishment; they usually include elements such as chairs, tables, umbrellas, flower boxes, ashtrays and heaters. Booths: for the sale of products such as newspapers, flowers, lottery or catering; within the latter, products such as drinks, ice cream, chestnuts or sweets.
Historical evolution
Background The concept of street furniture is relatively contemporary, so it cannot be extrapolated to past times, times in which no special interest was placed on the common elements of civic coexistence. From medieval or modern times there are still some fountains that, although they were for public use, were of individualized construction, so we cannot speak of a systematized project to regulate their use and distribution. Some examples are: the fountain of Santa Ana, in the avenue of Portal de l'Àngel with Cucurulla (1356); the fountain of San Justo, in the square of the same name (1367); the fountain of Santa Maria, in the square of the same name (1403) and the fountain of Puertaferrisa, in the street of the same name (1680).
Another precedent of public lighting is nighttime illumination, which was carried out by means of tederos installed on public thoroughfares, with fuel made of resinous wood or pitch. In 1599 Barcelona had 60 tederos in its public streets, some of which are still preserved, such as those in the Plaça del Rei or in the church of Santa Maria del Mar. Later on, it evolved to lanterns of fuel oils, of which in 1752 there were 1500 scattered around the city; due to their cost, they were only lit on dark nights.
Attention to urban elements began incipiently in the 18th century, when the urban environment began to be considered worthy of beautification and accommodation of citizens' needs, and the regulation of aspects such as sewage and sanitation networks, or the separation between pedestrians and vehicular traffic, began.