APRÈN. Portal de la producció docent del professorat de la UPC

The thesis aims to investigate how Mediterranean cities, in particular, can be better prepared for any future seismic events by researching on how earthquakes affect the concept of urbanism. The research discusses how past and recent seismic events have shaped the built environment by analyzing those factors contributing both to vulnerability and also to resilience, as well as the effectiveness of existing town planning at minimizing damage through case studies of L'Aquila in Italy and Kahramanmaras in Turkey.

This thesis examines the role of public spaces in shaping cultural inclusivity in Dubai, a city renowned for its rapid urban growth and rich cultural diversity. It investigates how urban design influences interactions between different cultural groups, using spatial and behavioral analysis to assess whether these spaces foster social integration or maintain passive coexistence. While Dubai's public spaces are shared by a variety of cultural communities, the study questions the depth of interaction and integration among these groups. The research provides insights into how public spaces can be designed to encourage deeper social connections and provides valuable perspectives on the complexities of public space design in a global city like Dubai, contributing to ongoing discussions about creating inclusive urban environments.

Al Marge convida a reflexionar sobre la relació complexa entre l'entorn natural, la història cultural i les necessitats contemporànies. A través d'una arquitectura que abraça l'essència del lloc, el projecte pretén teixir un diàleg entre el passat i el present, explorant com conviure al marge pot ser una resposta conscient als desafiaments ambientals i socials, connectant la comunitat amb el seu entorn de manera equilibrada i sostenible. El projecte s'inspira en la rica història d'aquest territori, on tant antigament com actualment, es troba en un constant equilibri entre la vida arrelada al sòl agricola, a les lleres del Besòs i a la vulnerabilitat davant de possibles inundacions, representant les realitats que la societat ha enfrontat al llarg del temps. S'aborda, doncs, la necessitat de desenvolupar una arquitectura resilient que reconegui la dualitat del riu Besòs: un element que, si bé ha estat històricament font de vida, també presenta riscos per a la comunitat local. La proposta cerca integrar mesures de mitigació de riscos, promovent la seguretat i la consciència ambiental, alhora que ressalta la importància de seguir fent vida en aquests marges que l'envolten. És per això que, es transforma l'actual Pla de Besòs - un espai d'assentaments informals, de pràctiques no lícites i malmès per abocaments de deixalles - en un parc multifuncional on interactuen espais oberts, d'estada i productius d'horta. D'aquesta manera, el projecte proposa posar de nou en valor el Pla de Besòs: la transformació de l'espai articula i connecta el municipi de Montcada i Reixac amb la Llagosta i la serralada de Marina, convertint-lo en un espai més connectat, verd i integrador, on s'acosta als ciutadans perquè puguin gaudir d'una millor qualitat de vida, més propera a la natura i amb una forta cohesió comunitària.

The burying of the R2 line at the Montcada i Reixac pass is already a reality. Thus, a city that has been fragmented for so many years by the passage of the train tracks becomes an example of reinvention since the change opens an opportunity to rethink a new urban center. At this point, the debate begins: what will happen to the void that will leave the excavation and, above all, a key question: should we continue to build? Montcada i Reixac is a city located in a geographical funnel that collects the waters of the Besós river basin, which leaves it in a situation of imminent risk of floods due to the extreme conditions of the Mediterranean climate in times of climate crisis. With the threat and opportunity as a project engine, Entre aigua i ciutat was born. As a result of research into the Sponge City model possibilities, the project seeks to demonstrate that the solution is not always building and does so by forming a matrix that overlaps two systems in symbiosis over the city: The urban system seeks to cross-link the city until now separated by the train by means of a set of water-containing squares. These are adapted to existing needs and uses and bridge the topographic difference between two neighbourhoods. The natural system. These are large depressions that give the water a necessary space forming a pond ecosystem and forming a green lung within the city. These two systems will make up a climate shelter in the form of ‘freshness islands' that will be able to store and reuse water. Entre aigua i ciutat is committed to a project that faces current emergencies seeking the necessary balance between water and the city.

Treball sobre la Masia Can Fontanet, un mas que forma part del Patrimoni arquitectònic de la vila es desenvolupa “Evolució en simbiosi”, amb el que es tracta la connexió amb la natura i l'oportunitat de millorar la vida de les persones aprofitant allò que ja tenim. Basant-se en un anàlisi exhaustiu de les problemàtiques que preocupen a la població i les institucions governamentals s'ha arribat a conèixer una situació bastant alarmant: un gran assentament de barraques a la vora del riu Besòs, en situació de perill per inundabilitat. Tot i situar-se en una ubicació privilegiada, donada la seva proximitat amb el Parc Natural de la Serralada Marina, es necessària una reubicació urgent dels seus usuaris a un espai segur. Gràcies a unes idees arquitectòniques basades en la oportunitat de connectar la població de Montcada amb el Parc Natural de la Serralada Marina i a una voluntat imperativa de reubicar a aquesta comunitat a un espai segur, es va determinar que Can Fontanet, edifici actualment en desús, era capaç, mitjançant una reforma per a un canvi d'ús, de contenir aquestes dues premisses. Es genera doncs, una porta a la Serralada Marina, amb un centre de visitants per a donar a conèixer el Parc Natural i un alberg per als seus usuaris que, donada la necessitat, pot ser apte per a ser un allotjament temporal per a aquesta comunitat. Evolució en simbiosi pretén donar a entendre que l'arquitectura i la natura poden treballar de forma conjunta per a aprofitar-se'n de forma cooperativa.

Through the comparative study of three emblematic cities—Berlin, Mostar, and Nicosia—that have experienced traumatic divisions as a result of conflicts, this work delves into the analysis of the factors that have contributed to their urban fragmentation, the profound consequences this has had on the lives of their inhabitants, and the strategies implemented with a view towards their potential reunification. The central objective of this research lies in examining how a dividing line in a fragmented city becomes an inherent element of the urban structure of the future city. By studying each of the three cities as a case study, with their unique and distinctive characteristics, the aim is to deepen the understanding of the phenomena that define them. The Berlin Wall, a symbol of the physical and ideological division that marked the city during the Cold War. The Boulevard Narodne Revolucije in Mostar, a witness to the physical fracture caused by ethnic differences during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Green Line in Nicosia, a city that has remained divided since 1964, despite efforts to achieve its reunification. While the intention is not to make a direct comparison between the cases, as each presents unique and complex conditions, the ultimate goal is to find elements that can be extrapolated to other contexts and contribute to building a broader knowledge of the social and urban dynamics in fragmented cities.

El proyecto surge como una solución al riesgo de inundabilidad de la riera de Sant Cugat en el barrio de Terranostra. Para ello, se desarrollará un parque fluvial con el objetivo de reducir los caudales y mitigar el riesgo de inundaciones además de un sistema constructivo para liberar las plantas bajas de las viviendas unifamiliares. El parque fluvial se construirá mediante la colocación de elementos drenantes lineales y localizados, combinados con elementos naturales que filtran y depuran el agua, mitigando el riesgo de inundación. Se generará un camino de pavimento permeable que recorrerá la riera, junto con varios parques y plazas que regenerarán el barrio, convirtiendo al río en su eje central. El riesgo de inundación es especialmente grave para las personas que habitan viviendas unifamiliares de planta baja, predominantes en el barrio. Para estos casos, se desarrollará un sistema constructivo que permite la edificación en altura sobre las viviendas existentes, liberando las plantas bajas para uso público. Este plan de actuación incluye el reacondicionamiento de estas viviendas, consideradas las más vulnerables, creando un sistema de redensificación que ofrecerá nuevas viviendas y mejorará la calidad de las existentes. Un total de 56 viviendas unifamiliares en planta baja quedarán afectadas por distintos periodos de retorno y 58 serán expropiadas para la creación del parque fluvial. El sistema permitirá crear de 3 a 10 viviendas por parcela, dependiendo de su tipología. Las nuevas viviendas se conformarán a través de una estructura modular, priorizando la relación interior-exterior y ofreciendo soluciones habitacionales sostenibles y replicables, que mejorarán la calidad de vida de los residentes y crearán espacios públicos más seguros y accesibles.

El projecte s'enmarca en l'aiguabarreig del riu Besòs i el riu Ripoll. En aquest punt de trobada s'accentúa l'inundabilitat de tot l'àmbit urbà més proper. Enmig d'aquesta problemàtica s'hi ubica l'escola Font Freda, un equipament educatiu desvinculat del teixit urbà per la presència de la via del tren i que es va construir sobre l'antiga llera del riu durant els anys 70, per la qual cosa el potencial d'inundabilitat és exponencial. A partir d'aquesta problemàtica es plantegen un seguit d'estratègies tant a nivell territorial, mitjançant el moviment de terres i recuperació de la llera del riu, com arquitectònic, amb una intervenció d'adequació de l'escola i la llar d'infants, que aconsegueixen reduir el risc d'inundabilitat i les seves conseqüències.

This landscape intervention project extends to the section of the Besòs river park from the Besòs river park between the Llagosta WWTP and the Moncada WWTP. Moncada. The municipality of Montcada i Reixac is located between the large natural the large natural parks of the Marina and Collserola mountain ranges, next to the Besòs river. Besòs river. The aim of the project is to establish new connections with the three natural infrastructures that surround it. The intervention has been based on the water, biotic and social layers. We have established connections to preserve the vulnerable natural ecosystems and regenerate those in and regenerate those that are in poorer condition, which in turn generates spaces for at the same time generates spaces of enjoyment for the neighbors. With this objective in mind, we propose transforming the edges of the Besòs River and activating nodes along these to strategically enhance the management of water, habitats or flows, depending on the needs of the or flows, depending on the needs of the area. In terms of water water management, we are committed to integrating the WWTPs into the park as landscape-generating landscape generating superstructures, which improve the quality of the fluvial and provide educational and environmental awareness points for the citizens. With respect to habitat management, we propose to biodiversify the area by the area by promoting the development of autochthonous species to make the park to make the park resilient and self-sufficient in terms of maintenance. Finally, we propose a new organization of flows that differentiates the different mobilities, fast and slow, by transforming and slow mobility, by transforming the main roads and setting up equipped the main roads and the establishment of equipped gates that concentrate access to both the river park and the Marina accesses to both the river park and the Marina mountain range.

El nostre treball de màster aborda la transformació responsable de l'entorn urbà de Montcada i Reixac, marcat pel creixement del barraquisme. En vista de la perillositat per inundació, i davant el repte de millorar les condicions de vida sense desplaçar les comunitats existents, ens trobem en la confluència d'interessos, entre la intenció de la gent que hi viu (de no traslladar-se) i la voluntat de l'ajuntament de realitzar un desallotjament (a llarg termini) del Pla del Besòs. Busquem aportar una intervenció inicial de millora a l'entorn actual, tot establint un diàleg que posi d'acord entitats i propietaris locals. Arribem a la conclusió i proposem, actuar com a associació mentrestant (meanwhile) tot aquest llarg procés es va duent a terme en el pas dels anys. Amb dues d'estratègies arribem a l'objectiu d'abaixar la perillositat i vulnerabilitat del col·lectiu resident. Per un costat s'ofereix una sèrie de recomanacions i instruccions per tal d'aconseguir autoconstruccions resilients a la inundabilitat. Paral·lelament, es proposa una solució temporal de dos volums fora de la línia de perillositat, que funcioni tant com a refugi en cas d'emergència, com a eina d'integració econòmica i social.

Los polígonos industriales representan las superficies más impermeables dentro de las tipologías de uso del suelo. En la cuenca del Besós estos han ido sustituyendo los espacios de ribera reduciendo así las zonas de recarga para el acuífero y generando nuevas zonas inundables. Con el agua, como elemento protagonista, se presenta la intervención en el polígono industrial de la Ferrería situado entre el río Ripoll y la Riera de Sant Cugat. Por un lado, se propone la implantación de parterres inundables y pavimentos drenantes con el objetivo de infiltrar la escorrentía superficial al acuífero. Por otro lado, para mitigar los efectos de la inundabilidad se forman dos nuevos meandros artificiales que aumentan el espacio de los cursos fluviales colindantes. Ambas intervenciones generan, como consecuencia, una alta cantidad de volumen de tierras de excavación y la necesidad de trasladar una pista de atletismo existente a otro lugar. Con esta premisa, se desplaza y desarrolla el equipamiento deportivo en la parcela del espacio patrimonial de Torre Na Joana creando de esta manera un nuevo parque equipado. Las pistas deportivas se incorporan adaptándose a la topografía y preexistencias históricas mientras que en la masía se proyectan los vestuarios y las zonas de servicio a estos espacios deportivos. La intervención arquitectónica propuesta en Torre Na Joana tiene como fundamento dos conceptos principales: la estrategia de consolidación del patrimonio histórico y la implantación de un programa efímero relativo a los espacios deportivos. Esta dualidad se plantea desde la reflexión de originar un proyecto donde el programa pueda ser reemplazable en un futuro sin afectar a la consolidación del espacio patrimonial, que es permanente.

This work studies the direct consequences derived from the construction of large road infrastructures (highway and tunnel) in the territory and community of the vereda de La Aldea, Medellín, Colombia, from a multiscale methodological approach. The research takes as its starting point the context of accelerated globalized urbanization to which territories historically defined as “rural” but which are no longer within the traditionally defined parameters have been subjected. Spaces where new urban frameworks and unhealthy urban development processes are observed with the scope of the project. To give value to the case study of La Aldea, we first delve into three cases located in Latin America: Mexico, Uruguay and Chile, where it is observed how the construction of large infrastructures (dam, port and lithium exploitation) causes large consequences in the territory and in the communities that live in the regions. Later we approach the case study. First of all, the context of the Medellin district and its relationship with rural regions is described, then an explanation of the road infrastructure macro project is given to understand what interests have developed it. And finally we delve into the consequences that La Aldea has suffered before, during and after the works of the projects from the environmental and social sphere, especially with special emphasis on how it has affected the peasant tradition that has historically defined La Aldea.

The expression patio trasero (backyard) of a city is a colloquial expression used to refer to an area or zone that is often perceived as less developed, with lower investment, and with unfavorable socio-economic characteristics compared to other areas of the city. There are no precise or standard definition of the patio trasero of a city that universally applies, as its usage can vary depending on the context and local perceptions. The central theme of this research is to define the concept of the patio trasero in the context of the central valley of Chile, specifically in the city of San Fernando, Capital´s provincial Colchagua.

In the last decade, there has been a global increase in the popularity of urban cycling, driven by the essential need to address climate change and promote sustainable mobility options (Barker, 2022). This is also the case for Barcelona. Since the start of the Mobility Plan in 2011, the cycle network has expanded over the city. According to these plans, it wants to become a more bikeable city. This study will center on assessing the current bikeability of Barcelona. Additionally, a case study will be conducted to evaluate the existing bike infrastructure in specific locations within the city. To do this, the term bikeabilty first needs to be defined. According to many studies, there is no universal definition of the term. Bikeability is a mix of both objective and subjective factors, including concepts such as bicycle comfort, bicycle suitability, bicycle friendliness, bicycle safety, and bicycle accessibility (Julián Arellana, 2020). To measure and analyze the bikeablilty a study of all ten city districts was carried out. The indicators for bikeability are; topography, shade, density, land use and facilities, public transport transfers, bike sharing service, bicycle infrastructure, and safety. According to the bikeabilty index, the most significant disparities are between the flatter districts and those with more challenging elevated terrain. Besides topography, the most noticeable distinctions lies in bicycle infrastructure and bike sharing services. These are lacking in the more elevated districts of the city. Overall, Barcelona has an above-average bikeability rating, with the L'Eixample district being the top-performing area according to the index. Generally, the bicycle infrastructure examined in the case study has some good and bad points. The infrastructure on Pçasseig de Tetuan stands out as the most favorable due to the amount of space for cyclists and the reduction of high-speed conflict points. The main conclusion from this research is that Barcelona is bikeable. The case study reveals both strengths and weaknesses in Barcelona's bicycle infrastructure. Presently, the city's infrastructure predominantly prioritizes central districts, despite the bikeability index suggesting that many areas are suitable for cycling. However, Barcelona has plans outlined in the Mobility plan to address and improve this situation in the future.

Relats presentats al II Concurs de Relats Breus d'Urbanisme, celebrat en el marc del curs Ciutat i projecte residencial segles XX i XXI (edició 2022-2023 de l'ETSAV de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)

FURNISH is the acronym of Fast Urban Responses for New Inclusive Spaces and Habitat, a project centred on transforming streets by repurposing them. The project was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the emergency triggered the need to creatively reframe the general understanding, not only of our behaviour, but also of our environment. Public spaces should evolve and become more inclusive places for everyone, especially for the most vulnerable. Under these challenging circumstances, FURNISH, a project led by CARNET, emerged to rethink the public space, while taking action in an inclusive and necessary manner. This book summarises the project since its inception in 2020, the new methodologies applied to intervene the public space, and the fantastic experimental results. Enjoy the book!

Public transportation is the ultimate sustainable mode of transportation for the masses. But the role of public transportation infrastructure is often overlooked in the adoption of other sustainable means of commute, such as shared. In reality, they have the potential to be hubs of intermodality for shared means of transport such as micro-mobility. There have been studies done to analyse the impact of micro-mobility solutions on the mobility patterns of users, especially for complementing public transportation in the first and last mile. But due to a possible research gap and an inefficient implementation of these novelty micro-mobility solutions, the larger potential of using the spaces associated with public transportation for inter-modality is yet to be uncovered. This thesis aims to understand the intermodality in railway stations, that are in-duced by providing spaces for micro-mobility solutions. An extensive review of the literature is done to identify the various factors that facilitate the integration of public transport and micromobility. Suggestions and recommendations made in the literature to enhance and further promote the successful integration of micromobility and public transportation have been examined. Furthermore, the impacts of in-stalling micromobility solutions in public transport stations are studied by analysing a past implementation and the changes it induced in the travel behaviour of the commuters in adopting micromobility for the first and last mile of their journey. The findings reveal that providing micromobility solutions in public transport hubs does induce intermodal travel, but its influence is limited due to a lack of supporting infrastructure.

We usually hear about many disasters that happened in many cities in the world like wars, earthquakes, volcanos, explosions, etc. But we never heard about the post-disaster and how these cities will recover themselves and how they will be rebuilt. In this thesis, we will focus on sustainable cities after the disaster taking the Beirut explosion that happed in 2020 as a case study of the project. Beirut has been demolished and rebuilt many times during history due to earthquakes, wars, and explosions. The Beirut explosion caused a lot of damage in the city, especially on the buildings' level. After analyzing the history of Beirut, and taking some positive knowledge from past mistakes, we will focus on the Neighbourhood of ‘'Gemmayzeh'', one of the nearest residential neighborhoods to the explosion and one of the most affected and damaged neighborhoods in the city. After analyzing its geography and history, we will analyze the architectural typologies in the area, which make the neighborhood rich and its urban fabric not homogeneous. In Gemmayzeh we can find four different architectural typologies that are related to a specific period and eras, like the Ottoman Empire, French mandate, independence, and contemporary architecture as well. In this thesis, we will focus on the buildings that were built during the ottoman empire, buildings that were built between 1860 and 1920, known as the ‘'Beiruti Architecture'' because this architecture can be considered sustainable architecture that was built in this area taking into consideration the environment like sun light, wind orientation, water supply, greenery, and the use of natural and local construction materials. We will define the damages that are affecting these fragile buildings. After visiting some refurbishment sites, we can find out many refurbishment mistakes that were done by human actions. They were and still refurbishing these typologies of building in the same way that they are refurbishing other types of buildings using industrial materials that will affect the building itself and the environment. We will try to go deep into the restoration of these Beirut architecture and try to find the best methodologies for refurbishment that is related to these types of buildings to conserve the identity of this architecture and to keep them eco-friendly and sustainable buildings while extending their service life. Also, we will focus on the current habitability, functions, and role of these buildings, as many of them are empty, and thinking about the new function, and new target group that can fit into these houses to make them productive and not only considered as heritage.

Almost half of Barcelona's Metropolitan Area residents have difficulties accessing services and facilities every day. Taking this into account and adding the fact that a huge percentage of these people are forced to use motorized vehicles as their transportation, the concept of the 15-minute city remains cut off from reality. This idea describes an urban model which guarantees short distances to the amenities reachable by foot and bicycle in less than a quarter of an hour. In this context,one of the most common built urban morphologies is housing states, designed with the only function to dwell and letting behind all the other daily basic needs. These residential blocks are the perfect representation of an antithesis of the sustainable and healthy urban planning model mentioned before. From this framework, this project seeks to measure the level of accessibility in three housing estates in Barcelona's Metropolitan Area (Can Ros, Sud-Oest del Besòs and Canaletes) with the aim of evaluating the lack of reachability to basic equipments and services. Also, it is intended to analyze if there exists any relation with the level of accessibility to public transport. All the research has been performed following the 15-minute city concept methodology and the standards proposed by the Diputació de Barcelona to ensure the equipments needed in the area per inhabitant. After applying this many-sided methodology, the results show that none of the studied areas reaches the required amount of accessibility to fundamental amenities. Nevertheless, some differences between the sites reveal a correlation with their locations considering the distance to the city centre.Moreover, the relation of the accessibility to services with public transport is not determined by the given factors, letting a path for future research. Besides the results,and looking forward to further applications, a novel methodology for rating the level of accessibility to services is described in order to to be replicable.