Genoa and Barcelona. Urban transformation and participation

Genoa and Barcelona, two European cities that embarked on significant urban transformations starting in 1992, reveal a striking pattern: citizen participation in these processes is largely contingent upon the city's need for consensus rather than proactive bottom-up engagement. While both cities have undergone extensive public and private investments—Barcelona leveraging the Olympics and Genoa focusing on events like the G8 summit and Morandi Viaduct collapse—their approaches to urban development remain predominantly top-down, mirroring trends in other large European cities. This study highlights how transformative projects, such as those funded by the national resilience and recovery plan (NRRP), often prioritize strategic alignment over inclusive design, limiting opportunities for grassroots involvement unless it serves an existing agenda.

Canessa, N. V. (2024). Genoa and Barcelona. Urban transformation and participation. TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, (28), 112–121. https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-15822