The Olympics
History of Camp Nou
1899 Joan Gamper, a Swiss man tried to introduce football to Barcelona by setting up a football team, previously unheard of to the country. The team was successful, and built their first stadium that could hold 6,000 viewers. But after winning a championship in 1929, the club’s popularity required a new stadium, resulting in the Les Corts stadium, holding 22,000 people. [1] The original football stadium in Barcelona, Camp de Les Corts, could only hold 60,000 spectators after extensive expansion, and it was physically impossible to continue expanding it any further. The stadium had already undergone significant plans of expansion, tripling its original seating capacity of 20,000. [2]
1899 Joan Gamper, a Swiss man tried to introduce football to Barcelona by setting up a football team, previously unheard of to the country. The team was successful, and built their first stadium that could hold 6,000 viewers. But after winning a championship in 1929, the club’s popularity required a new stadium, resulting in the Les Corts stadium, holding 22,000 people. [1] The original football stadium in Barcelona, Camp de Les Corts, could only hold 60,000 spectators after extensive expansion, and it was physically impossible to continue expanding it any further. The stadium had already undergone significant plans of expansion, tripling its original seating capacity of 20,000. [2]
Camp Nou
Back to back championship wins in 1948 and 1949 propelled the movement forward and tipped the project in favor of moving. From 1948, people of Barcelona were more and more keen on getting a new stadium, building it completely new at a different venue. However it was incredibly difficult to convince local authorities to approve of the plan, convincing them that an enormous stadium would coincide with developing the upper area of the Diagonal. Camp Nou commission decided in Feb 1951 to change the location of the venue to the top of the Diagonal, resulting in stagnant negotiations with authorities. The movement towards a new stadium resulted in demolishing Les Corts in 1966. March 28 1954, 60,000 people gathered to watch the first stone lay down of Camp Nou. Camp Nou took roughly 3 years to complete, going 336% over budget, resulting in a cost of 288 million pesetas. [2] The project ended up costing significantly more, resulting in the government needing to take out mortgage obligations and short-term bonds. This eventually allowed for the project to be financed, but left the club in heavy debt for many years.
In 1957 on the day of the Merce Festival, the city was decked in FC Barcelona colors. Celebration of the stadium included a blessing from the archbishop of Barcelona, Gregorio Mondrego. Even though the stadium had not completely finished construction, it allowed for roughly 90,000 viewers to attend the event.
Back to back championship wins in 1948 and 1949 propelled the movement forward and tipped the project in favor of moving. From 1948, people of Barcelona were more and more keen on getting a new stadium, building it completely new at a different venue. However it was incredibly difficult to convince local authorities to approve of the plan, convincing them that an enormous stadium would coincide with developing the upper area of the Diagonal. Camp Nou commission decided in Feb 1951 to change the location of the venue to the top of the Diagonal, resulting in stagnant negotiations with authorities. The movement towards a new stadium resulted in demolishing Les Corts in 1966. March 28 1954, 60,000 people gathered to watch the first stone lay down of Camp Nou. Camp Nou took roughly 3 years to complete, going 336% over budget, resulting in a cost of 288 million pesetas. [2] The project ended up costing significantly more, resulting in the government needing to take out mortgage obligations and short-term bonds. This eventually allowed for the project to be financed, but left the club in heavy debt for many years.
In 1957 on the day of the Merce Festival, the city was decked in FC Barcelona colors. Celebration of the stadium included a blessing from the archbishop of Barcelona, Gregorio Mondrego. Even though the stadium had not completely finished construction, it allowed for roughly 90,000 viewers to attend the event.
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The Olympic Games Project: the Example of Port Vell
After being nominated to host the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona already was foregoing a physical renewal and the Games allowed for access of resources and funding for more renewal projects. As a result, the city encourages the private sector to invest in the regeneration of the waterfront area and urban design was greatly emphasized in preparation of the Olympics. Various architectural strategies were used to revamp and modernize Barcelona. For example, one of the strategies aimed to open the city to the sea using ideas from American models to redevelopment places on the waterfront such as Port Vell.
After being nominated to host the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona already was foregoing a physical renewal and the Games allowed for access of resources and funding for more renewal projects. As a result, the city encourages the private sector to invest in the regeneration of the waterfront area and urban design was greatly emphasized in preparation of the Olympics. Various architectural strategies were used to revamp and modernize Barcelona. For example, one of the strategies aimed to open the city to the sea using ideas from American models to redevelopment places on the waterfront such as Port Vell.
This port, prior to the renewal project, was an old harbor that was full of abandoned warehouses, factories, and railroad yards. With Barcelona getting the chance to host the 1992 Olympics, this allowed the city the opportunity to changing a key component, their waterfront. Port Vell was constructed to be a historical, advanced, and commercial port. By completely integrating Port Vell into the city and creating an elegantly designed relationship to the ocean, Barcelona received a upcsale addition to match with the plans for the Olympic space. The location of Port Vell is between two central transport routes, Via Laietana and La Rambla. La Rambla is a famous pedestrian pathway in Barcelona its relationship to Port Vell is a connected path to the waterfront. Also, the government placed the highway underground allowing for more land to be used for housing, beaches, and parks. [3]
The Olympic Village
Barcelona designated four areas for the Olympics and they are Montjuïc (where all the main Olympic facilities were located), the diagonal, Vall d'Hebron, and the Poble Nou (Olympic Village). The purpose of the Olympic Village was to have a place, after the Games that easily integrated itself within Barcelona and became part of the city. The new infrastructure primary goals aimed to have the Village placed in front of the ocean and continue with Ildefons Cerda’s principal grid layout. The use of this waterfront space would not only be for housing but for commercial use as well such as retail, recreation, and office space. The actual planning process focused on the implementation of five strips to the sea side. The first strip was to have beaches and the Olympic Harbour, 75% of it being used as public space. The second strip was designated promenade space allowing for 30 meters of pedestrian friendly seafront space that had restaurants and cafes. The other strips filled other areas such as housing, park/community space, and a highway. [4]
Barcelona designated four areas for the Olympics and they are Montjuïc (where all the main Olympic facilities were located), the diagonal, Vall d'Hebron, and the Poble Nou (Olympic Village). The purpose of the Olympic Village was to have a place, after the Games that easily integrated itself within Barcelona and became part of the city. The new infrastructure primary goals aimed to have the Village placed in front of the ocean and continue with Ildefons Cerda’s principal grid layout. The use of this waterfront space would not only be for housing but for commercial use as well such as retail, recreation, and office space. The actual planning process focused on the implementation of five strips to the sea side. The first strip was to have beaches and the Olympic Harbour, 75% of it being used as public space. The second strip was designated promenade space allowing for 30 meters of pedestrian friendly seafront space that had restaurants and cafes. The other strips filled other areas such as housing, park/community space, and a highway. [4]
“Shadows” in the Barcelona Model
There were obviously some pros from the urban transformation that took place in Barcelona especially in the years 1980-90s and as a result, the Barcelona model was what the process was called. However, the presence of shadows in this design process requires some attention. The biggest project associated with the Olympics was the redevelopment of the waterfront area, the Poblenou neighborhood, into the Olympic Village. The goal of reclaiming this area was to provide low to moderate price housing; however, that did not occur. However, despite making it a goal to have affordable housing, Poblenou’s redevelopment became a scheme that did not help the working class and made living in this neighborhood too expensive for low-income households. As a result, Poblenou is an example of the “shadows” and the significant social and human costs of urban renewal. These shadows refer to the goals and aspirations of the process of transforming Barcelona, but end up having negative impacts on communities like Poblenou. Priority shifted during the redevelopment phases and private transportation was regarded with higher importance than public transport. As the importance of urban landscape, renewing older infrastructure, and aesthetics began to be the focus of the Poblenou project, it was obvious of design became a form of obsession. It appears that the design aspect was more of a priority than focusing on the social needs of the city’s citizens. This redevelopment ultimately led to Barcelona’s conversion into a city designed for the affluent elites while forcing many of its citizens and ignoring their basic social needs. [5]
There were obviously some pros from the urban transformation that took place in Barcelona especially in the years 1980-90s and as a result, the Barcelona model was what the process was called. However, the presence of shadows in this design process requires some attention. The biggest project associated with the Olympics was the redevelopment of the waterfront area, the Poblenou neighborhood, into the Olympic Village. The goal of reclaiming this area was to provide low to moderate price housing; however, that did not occur. However, despite making it a goal to have affordable housing, Poblenou’s redevelopment became a scheme that did not help the working class and made living in this neighborhood too expensive for low-income households. As a result, Poblenou is an example of the “shadows” and the significant social and human costs of urban renewal. These shadows refer to the goals and aspirations of the process of transforming Barcelona, but end up having negative impacts on communities like Poblenou. Priority shifted during the redevelopment phases and private transportation was regarded with higher importance than public transport. As the importance of urban landscape, renewing older infrastructure, and aesthetics began to be the focus of the Poblenou project, it was obvious of design became a form of obsession. It appears that the design aspect was more of a priority than focusing on the social needs of the city’s citizens. This redevelopment ultimately led to Barcelona’s conversion into a city designed for the affluent elites while forcing many of its citizens and ignoring their basic social needs. [5]
References
[1] Camp Nou History. (1999). In FCBarcelona. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://arxiu.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/club/club_avui/territori_barca/CampNou/intro_historica.html
[2] Conn, T. (2011). In Estadios De Espana. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.estadiosdeespana.com/posts/barcelona-camp-nou/
[3] Manami, I., & Yingjun Y. (2011). Barcelona Waterfront. University of Washington. Retrieved February 10, 2015. URL: https://courses.washington.edu/gehlstud/gehl-studio/wp-content/themes/gehl-studio/downloads/Autumn2011/A11_BarcelonaWaterfront.pdf.
[4] Nel·lo, Oriol (1997). The Olympic Games as a tool for urban renewal: the experience of Barcelona’92 Olympic Village. URL:http://olympicstudies.uab.es/pdf/wp090_eng.pdf
[5] Garcia-Ramon M-D, Albet A, 2000, "Pre-Olympic and post-Olympic Barcelona, a 'model' for urban regeneration today?" Environment and Planning A 32(8) 1331 – 1334
Media
[1] Original Camp Nou [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.blaugranas.com/media/galeria/25/2/4/2/4/n_f_c_barcelona_estadio-54242.jpg
[2] Modern Day Port Vell [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/news-assets/Marina-Port-Vell-2.jpg
[3] Port Vell, Urban Renewa [Web photo]. Retrieved from https://courses.washington.edu/gehlstud/gehl-studio/wp-content/themes/gehl-studio/downloads/Autumn2011/A11_BarcelonaWaterfront.pdf
[4] The Olympic Village, Poblenou [Web photo]. Retrieved from http://suitelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/barcelona-neighbourhoods-neighborhoods-zones-areas-barrios-districts-poblenou-poble-nou.jpg
[5] Pre-Olympic Poblenou [Web photo]. Retrieved from http://www.fhaus.co/lab/invest-barcelona-poblenou/
[1] Camp Nou History. (1999). In FCBarcelona. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://arxiu.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/club/club_avui/territori_barca/CampNou/intro_historica.html
[2] Conn, T. (2011). In Estadios De Espana. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.estadiosdeespana.com/posts/barcelona-camp-nou/
[3] Manami, I., & Yingjun Y. (2011). Barcelona Waterfront. University of Washington. Retrieved February 10, 2015. URL: https://courses.washington.edu/gehlstud/gehl-studio/wp-content/themes/gehl-studio/downloads/Autumn2011/A11_BarcelonaWaterfront.pdf.
[4] Nel·lo, Oriol (1997). The Olympic Games as a tool for urban renewal: the experience of Barcelona’92 Olympic Village. URL:http://olympicstudies.uab.es/pdf/wp090_eng.pdf
[5] Garcia-Ramon M-D, Albet A, 2000, "Pre-Olympic and post-Olympic Barcelona, a 'model' for urban regeneration today?" Environment and Planning A 32(8) 1331 – 1334
Media
[1] Original Camp Nou [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.blaugranas.com/media/galeria/25/2/4/2/4/n_f_c_barcelona_estadio-54242.jpg
[2] Modern Day Port Vell [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/news-assets/Marina-Port-Vell-2.jpg
[3] Port Vell, Urban Renewa [Web photo]. Retrieved from https://courses.washington.edu/gehlstud/gehl-studio/wp-content/themes/gehl-studio/downloads/Autumn2011/A11_BarcelonaWaterfront.pdf
[4] The Olympic Village, Poblenou [Web photo]. Retrieved from http://suitelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/barcelona-neighbourhoods-neighborhoods-zones-areas-barrios-districts-poblenou-poble-nou.jpg
[5] Pre-Olympic Poblenou [Web photo]. Retrieved from http://www.fhaus.co/lab/invest-barcelona-poblenou/