When we analyze the city, it is necessary to think of contributing accessibility to urbanism; in young people, children, adults, older people, people that have difficulties when walking, people who have to move with the aid of a wheelchair, people with auditory or visual limitations, etc. All these people, that is to say, all the citizens are the potential beneficiaries of the improvement of the accessibility in the city, to design it by means of a transformation process towards a more comfortable and friendly city under the criteria of Design for All.
In this diagnosis the public thoroughfare is analysed, public and private construction, the systems of transport, information and provision of services. These studies are based on the demographic characteristics of the existing social layers in each municipality, also considering, the possible visitors who are received.
The accessibility plan is the municipal instrument that programs
the interventions necessary to adapt the city in the issues of public thoroughfare,
buildings and transport. The necessity to establish a balance between pedestrians
and vehicles gives rise to a reframing of the public space promoting the accessibility
of pedestrian streets, strengthening pedestrian spaces and establishing alternative
means for vehicles, which throughout history have invaded the space occupied
by the pedestrians.
The most recent accessibility plans of public thoroughfare carried out have
been: Sant Pere de Ribes, Arico, La Matanza de Acentejo, Igualada, Reus, Calaf,
Gelida, Matadepera, Sta. Margarida i els Monjos, Valls and Sant Pol de Mar.
Undertaking of public thoroughfare executive projects to give an image to the urban space, defining sections suitably and street types, width of sidewalk and quality of materials, as well as the models of urban furniture to obtain an improvement of use on the part of the citizens.
Example of projects of our Urbanism Consultancy:
La Avenida Cataluña de Parets del Vallès: project that gathers
the intervention in the main axis of the zone of eixample, the old motorway,
to transform it into a walkway that revitalizes the sector, strengthening
commerce and regulating the urban traffic.
Example:
Collaboration with the ProEixample team in the bicycle lane project in the
street calle Provença, designing the crossings of Diagonal and Paseo
de Gracia and rearranging the location of a tourist bus-stop in front of the
La Pedrera to give a more visual perspective to this building and to the Paseo
de Gracia.
Studies that are developed from a field of work where the number of existing and occupied spaces in various days of the week and at various hours are gathered, to deduce the necessity to generate more parking or the possibility of reducing it.
Example:
Santa Perpétua de Mogoda and Parets del Vallès: from the results
of the study, the City Council will evaluate the viability of the construction
of underground car parks.
Drawing up of adjustment projects of the urban space to construct
urban parks, as much from the point of view of civil work as well as gardening/landscaping.
Example of city-planning accessibility:
Extension of the Park of Terramar. Jardí dels Sentits de Sitges: adjustment
of an annexed space to the Park of Terramar as a garden, respecting the existing
part of the vegetation and elements like a public square, one old tank...
and has been reorganised creating a game where sight, touch, taste, hearing
and the sense of smell are present at all times.
Images
of the future from real photographs of the urban scope.
Example:
Interventions in Montserrat: in order to make more “understandable”
the proposal of public thoroughfare, "renders" of the access stretch
were made and of the Plaza de Santuario square.
Document that offers the basic directives to elaborate projects of public thoroughfare, crossing solutions and arrangement of urban furniture. The parameters are given that allow to locate elements based on the width of sidewalk and typologies are determined and sections based on the width of the street.
The
necessity to improve the city is experiencing a new orientation in the design
of the elements of the public thoroughfare. Simultaneously, advice on the
criteria is provided that would have to fulfil the urban elements and furniture,
urban as well as construction, from the point of view of Design for All ,
to be incorporated in the specifications manuals so as to facilitate technicians
with the necessary criterion to carry out projects.
Example:
Tree-hole Camelo Report: Occasionally we collaborate with urban furniture
design companies so as to obtain, in this case, a tree-hole that fulfils all
the aspects required by the rules and regulations.
In order to facilitate citizens’ lives, the regulations for signalling are given, places where they should be situated, necessary elements, icons, notices, contrast necessary... Also, the basic criterion as far as communication goes, places that must have information points, special telephones, website programs....
If you are interested in the urbanism consultancy area, do not hesitate to Contact us
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