Location: Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes – Barcelona, Spain. Architects and landscape architects: UTE Agence Ter & Ana Coello de Llobet Project completion year: 2019 Area: 45,863m2

Glòries: a new space in Barcelona

Glòries, a new urban space gained for people, equipped with cultural facilities and quality services for the benefit of the city as a whole and, especially, the residents of the surrounding area.

After fifteen months of construction, the new Glòries space is now a reality. In recent months, the square has undergone significant urban changes that have led to what it is now, with various provisional spaces for citizen use that will coexist with the facilities it already had: the Auditori, the TNC, the Disseny HUB Barcelona, the Farinera, and the Encants market. Thus, Barcelona gains a new area for the city, with facilities and provisional spaces that can be enjoyed in the coming years and until the completion of the future park in Glòries square. Among the facilities, we will find: the Gran Clariana, the Rambla de los Encants, the play node, the biodiversity nodes, the dog area, the youth space, and the municipal green space service management area.

Vulcano slab pavement in canòpia color. A stable solution over time.

The Vulcano slab is suitable for paving surfaces intended for public squares, sidewalks, and building entrances. Therefore, it is an ideal solution for the remodeling of Glòries square, where large open spaces predominate and use and enjoyment by the public are sought. To pave the entire outdoor area, the Vulcano slab was used in various sizes; 30x10x10cm, 20x10x10cm, and 10x10x8cm. In addition, a new color was created at the request of the architects, which has been christened with the name canòpia. It is a light color designed to reduce the temperature of the pavement in urban areas. The name canòpia was chosen in reference to the project name.

Custom WetCast concrete bench

The wetcast technology is a semi-automated wet-cast concrete manufacturing method based on molding technology and the search for the maximum possible compactness thanks to mass vibration methods without excess water or self-compacting mixtures. The office of Ana Coello de Llobet has designed a bench adapted to the needs and space of the square. It is a continuous linear concrete bench, placed on the perimeter of the rubber play area, where adults accompanying children can sit in the shade of the trees.

Superstep step as access to the dog area

To access the dog area, a staircase was built using the Superstep step. A monolithic piece with a small 0.70cm bevel, ideal for stairs in parks, common, and commercial areas. This piece has a smooth visible surface in canòpia color that forms steps with a comfortable 40cm tread and a 15cm riser. It is made of high-quality concrete, has great durability, and does not require subsequent maintenance. Likewise, it has a carborundum strip (silicon carbide prepared by subjecting coke, silica sand, or sodium chloride to high temperatures) designed to mark the edge of the step along its entire length. Order VIV/561/2010, of February 1, which develops the technical document of basic conditions of accessibility and non-discrimination for access and use of urbanized public spaces, establishes the criteria to follow for the placement of textured strips. Each step will be marked along its entire length with a 5 cm wide strip flush with the tread and located 3 cm from the edge, which will contrast in texture and color with the step’s pavement.

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Document provided by UTE Agence Ter & Ana Coello de Llobett