Enhancing Access to Urban Hill Parks: The Montjuïc Trail Masterplan and the 360° Route Design in Barcelona

Abstract

The 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include ensuring universal and safe access to green spaces. Some cities feature extensive green areas on hills or elevated terrains integrated into the urban landscape. In such cases where the benefits for users are highly pronounced (e.g., views, isolation, etc.), it is challenging and particularly complex to design strategies to ensure accessible and spatial routes due to multiple slopes and a challenging topography. In Barcelona, the iconic Montjuïc mountain has been the focal point of a trail masterplan aimed at rethinking its various access points and internal network of routes. Furthermore, the city has committed to implementing an initial project from this plan, the so-called 360° route. This study presents an in-depth analysis of the Montjuïc mountain case, encompassing both the plan and the 360° project in hilly urban parks. The analysis reveals the values and transferability of the set of strategies proposed in the plan, such as activating inherent location characteristics by connecting the surrounding urban fabric with elements of recreational potential within the underlying traces of heritage value. Additionally, a quantitative assessment of the impact of the proposed accesses on the population is presented. The study highlights the improvements in quality of life for the diverse users of this type of green infrastructure.