Barcelona-La Font del Gos (ES)

SITE / CONTEXT

La Font del Gos is a residential area located in the district of Horta-Guinardó, in northwest Barcelona and at the foot of the Collserola mountain range.
The neighbourhood emerged in the 1930s, due to immigration from other parts of Spain (which created a demand for new housing), resulting in settlements that were established in rural areas without prior planning.
La Font del Gos has never been officially recognised as a neighbourhood, a perception influenced by several factors, including the construction of the Ronda de Dalt, a major road that created a physical barrier between the La Font del Gos area and the rest of the city, in preparation for the 1992 Olympics. Around the same time and in following years as well, the construction of other large-scale facilities, such as the Velodrome, furthered the divide between this residential area and the rest of the city. The urban area is located on the steep topography that is typical of the area, and consists of two main streets that follow the watercourse, forming the two primary settlements: Cal Notari and La Font del Gos.
Comprising approximately 100 homes and 350 residents, the area has long been affected by the Metropolitan General Plan and other urban planning schemes, which have hindered its proper development and maintenance.
The most relevant of these affectations is related to the Cal Notari area, classified as a protected area of the Collserola Natural Park. In this area, the houses are located in a non-buildable area and must be relocated, or exceptionally, being part of a system and a typology, which allows its location within the Natural Park.
There is also a lack of services such as basic shops and neighbourhood facilities, forcing residents to travel to other areas of the city despite the challenges posed by limited access and insufficient public transport.
It is a part of the city that straddles urban and natural environments, which is why the site offers opportunities beyond the urban level, forming part of a larger ecosystem, with the potential to act as a catalyst for initiatives related to the climate emergency and other crucial factors for modern cities.

QUESTIONS TO COMPETITORS

First and foremost, we believe the project for this area should take a global and local approach, focusing on the development model that should be applied in spaces at the boundary between the city and nature. This is a “peri-urban” context, where different areas at the city’s edges converge. At this local level, it is important to consider the form and function of these spaces within the larger ecosystem that surrounds them.
Secondly, attention should be given to the connection with the city and its metropolitan function. What role can La Font del Gos play within the city and what interdependent relationships can be created to reinforce its metropolitan connection? How can the connections with its urban surroundings be improved to facilitate these relationships? And with its natural surroundings?
Finally, as a local consideration, we invite participants to consider what type of urban networks, residential dwellings, and local uses should define this area to help maintain its own identity and way of functioning while also serving as a boundary and a transitional space. What are the characteristics of this boundary? How is it defined? What are the redevelopment possibilities? What about the renaturalisation possibilities?
Lastly, it will be necessary to analyse the best way to implement this new plan, defining work for the short, medium, and long term to ensure its viability and sustainability.