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Barcelona Superblocks and 50 Micro Seoul: Pioneering Hyper-Local Models for Urban Liveability

 24 Oct 2024
 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm. 
MND Auditorium, MND Annex A, 5 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069110
2 SILA Pts, 2 SIP Pts, 2 BOA-SIA Pts

The following lecture has ended.

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Resources

Lecture Poster (PDF: 754 KB)

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Synopsis

Join us for a sharing by the Seoul Institute (SI) and the Center for Innovation in Transport (CENIT) as they explore innovative approaches to urban planning through hyper-local models. This lecture will focus on Seoul’s Micro Seoul project and Barcelona’s Superblock initiative, examining how these models are implemented and their impact on urban liveability. Through these case studies, we aim to explore diverse approaches to sustainable urban development, offering insights that could shape innovative city planning strategies. This will be followed by a moderated Q&A session.

Plan for Developing 50 Micro Seoul: A Strategy for Seoul Next 100 Years
Seoul is undertaking a long-term project to prepare for the next 100 years. To address the unprecedented challenges of a distant future, this initiative aims to transcend the boundaries of time and space, and go beyond institutional and budgetary constraints. The core agenda of this project focuses on the development of “Micro Seoul”—compact, self-sufficient communities where daily life can be conducted on foot.

The presentation will discuss the specific concepts and functions of Micro Seoul as outlined in the 2040 Seoul Plan and use concrete case studies to explore how these microcities could be structured, how self-sufficiency will be maintained, their feasibility, and the potential impact.

Urban Planning, Mobility, and Liveable Cities. The case of the Superblock of Barcelona
One of the main vectors for achieving more liveable cities and a better quality of life is to reduce the number of cars. They are responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, occupy a significant proportion of urban space, and cause accidents, among other negative effects. Traditionally, mobility tools have been used, such as promoting public transport or urban tolls, but they have not solved the situation. Another approach that has been used in recent years is using the framework of urban planning and urban space, such as in the case of the superblocks in Barcelona.

The presentation will focus on the superblock concept, the main effects on mobility, and other parameters that affect the welfare of citizens. In addition, the presentation will include other initiatives of the city of Barcelona to improve the quality of life in the city.

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Lecture Video

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Lecture Report

SEOUL, Next 100 – Plan for Developing 50 Micro Seouls – Dr Inhee Kim, Senior Research Fellow & Head of the 100 Year Urban Research Team, Seoul Institute
Dr Kim shared on the transformation journey that Seoul is embarking on, due in part to the current challenges faced by their society – such as rapid-ageing population, climate change, and lack of sufficient space to address social needs. The goal of future urban development was to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and enjoyable urban environment for Seoulites. The vision for the next 100 years was for Seoul to be a “Happy City”, that is green, pleasant, and hyper-connected through careful integration of artificial intelligence, industrial advancement and diverse societal elements. The city aims to embrace bold, forward-thinking strategies that foster collaboration with cities beyond its borders, ensuring that the next 100 years will be marked by resilience, inclusivity, and greater well-being for all its residents.

One of the notable plans is the "Micro-Seoul" initiative, which was first developed as part of the 2040 Seoul Plan. The concept involves dividing the city into 50 smaller self-sufficient Micro-Seouls, consisting of homes, local economic hub, and social, cultural and recreational facilities and spaces where the resident’s daily activities can be met within a 15-minute walk. Each of the Micro-Seoul and the use-mix will be unique to its specific local context and developed in collaboration with businesses in the existing urban centres. The concept will also capitalise on the 54 universities distributed throughout the city to strengthen the provision of jobs and services and contribute to local footfall and vibrancy.

Dr Kim noted the importance of timing the implementation of the Micro-Seoul concept with upcoming urban regeneration plans in Seoul. The Micro-Seoul pilot will be implemented in phases, starting with targeted redevelopment projects like the Gwang-Woon University District that have the potential to seamlessly integrate redevelopment needs of a university campus town, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), and adjacent residential neighbourhood into a single urban regeneration project. The phased approach of the Micro-Seouls will allow for refinement and adjustment of the model, before scaling up at the city-wide level, to ensure effective integration and long-term success.

Urban Planning, Mobility, and Liveable Cities. The Case of the Superblock of Barcelona – Dr Sergi Sauri, Director of CENIT at CIMNE, Assoc Prof. at UPC-Barcelona Tech
Dr Sauri’s presentation introduced the Superblock model in Barcelona, the implementation process, and the role of the Superblock concept in fostering liveable cities.

The Superblock model in Barcelona builds on Cerdà’s 19th-century Urban Plan and principles, that prioritised people-centric features alongside the idea of “ruralising the urban” to balance urban and rural benefits. In the context of creating more livable cities, the Superblocks model encourage active modes of mobility, such as walking and cycling.

Dr Sauri shared about the implementation journey of the Superblocks thus far, citing pilot projects in neighbourhoods such as Poblenou, Horta, and Sant Antoni Market. These areas were chosen as test sites to assess the effectiveness of the Superblock design and identify areas for improvement, before expanding the model across Barcelona. In Sant Antoni, a street was fully pedestrianised, and an impact assessment was conducted to evaluate the social, environmental, and economic effects of this urban transformation. While the pilot project yielded positive effects on urban vitality and walkability at the local scale, it also led to concerns from local businesses due to the reduced vehicular traffic. Dr Sauri elaborated that scaling up the Superblocks model to the metropolitan scale would therefore require careful coordination, particularly with public transportation networks and infrastructure delivery to ensure seamless mobility connections.

Dr Sauri also highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement and a phased implementation approach in seeking community buy-in for the project. For the Superblock pilots, Barcelona’s City Council had extensively engaged residents and business associations to co-crate the plans and identify pain points. Having the residents experience the pilot trials also allowed them to directly reap the project benefits, which led to greater acceptance for subsequent trials.

Panel Discussion moderated by Michael Koh, Executive Fellow, Centre for Liveable Cities
Dr Sauri’s lecture introduced the Superblock model in Barcelona, the implementation process, and the role of the Superblock concept in fostering liveable cities.

During the moderated panel discussion, Dr Kim and Dr Sauri discussed the implementation of the Micro-Seoul and Superblock initiatives, addressing challenges in leadership and land use. Both experts emphasised incremental implementation approaches and local adaptative planning. Dr Kim explained the Micro-Seoul plan's evolution from 100 to 50 units, citing practical considerations and stakeholder engagement. In response to a question by the audience on how Seoul intends to adopt a 100-year planning horizon, Dr Kim shared that the intent of Micro-Seoul was to serve as a critical conversation starter among key stakeholders about future needs, and to identify common goals for community buy-in prior to implementation. Dr Sauri acknowledged similar challenges, noting governance, economic factors, and automobile dependence. He advocated for a place-based, demonstrative approach before scaling up.

The panel discussed how cities may shift from car-centric to pedestrian-focused urban planning paradigm. Both speakers underscored the importance of community-driven strategies for sustainable urban change. Dr Sauri argued for city leaders to initiate this transformation by implementing low-traffic zones, while Dr Kim highlighted the importance of a ground-up approach, arguing that residents' buy-in for greener, more livable environments is crucial to the eventual implementation. Dr Kim further suggested for local districts to be empowered to drive planning efforts, as they are better positioned to address unique community needs.

The panel also discussed the challenges of balancing urban development with preserving local culture, particularly the risk of gentrification and displacement due to rising costs. Dr Kim noted gentrification's mixed impacts, including job creation and urban revitalisation, emphasising the need to connect transformed areas with city cores. Dr Sauri suggested the Superblock model's economic effects, highlighting the need for supportive policies to mitigate the displacement of family-owned businesses. The experts advocated for cities to engage with and support vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, to ensure resilient and inclusive urban environments. They agreed that collaborative stakeholder engagements can foster empathy, communication, and responsibility. Additionally, they noted that localised interventions could help preserve neighbourhood identity amidst globalisation.

Overall, the panel discussion illuminated the complexities of implementing innovative urban planning models and emphasised the critical role of community engagement and localised solutions in shaping the future of urban spaces.

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