Barcelona Research Articles

Visitation patterns in a peri-urban natural park: Comparing mountain bikers, runners, walkers and hikers

Urban natural parks are popular destinations for activities such as short walks, longer hikes, mountain biking and running. But how does visitation for these activities vary, and how can information about visitation patterns facilitate management by enhancing social and environmental benefits? Employing a case study approach, we compared the four activities in Serra de Collserola Natural Park, a large popular park close to Barcelona in Spain. When 1788 visitors were surveyed and data analysed using Categorical Principal Components Analysis and Chi-squared tests, clear differences were found in sociodemographics (age, gender, occupation, educational level and where people lived), visitation patterns (frequency, means of transport, group size and composition, when visited, length of visit, and trail use), motivations (active, relaxation, nature, landscapes, socializing, time with family, etc.), and environmental and social impacts, including conflicts among user groups and crowding. This diversity in visitation highlights ways in which management could be better tailored to specific cohorts of visitors. For this specific park it highlighted issues with concentrated use (more resources needed on weekends), how equity of use could be enhanced (promoting running and biking for women), and how conflict could be reduced (by spatial segregation for faster and slower activities). Future surveys could examine emerging issues associated with changes in use since COVID-19, facilities for aging populations, and the spread of e-bikes among others.

Reclaiming data for improved city governance: Barcelona’s New Data Deal

Cities today are key sites for the operation of global digital marketplaces. It is on the curbsides and at the intersections of cities where technology companies and digital platforms gain access to valuable urban data to be used in the delivery of data-driven services. In this context, urban data ownership and control have become a central policy arena for smart city governance. This article argues that, given the increased policy activism by city governments, there is an urgent need to better understand the key goals and instruments deployed by cities to resist corporate control of urban data. It first reviews the treatment of the topic by different strands in the literature on smart city governance and then uses the ‘New Data Deal’ programme launched by the city of Barcelona to draw empirical data from one of the author’s involvement leading the programme, interviews with actors involved in the programme as well as from key policy and evaluation documents. By studying the design and implementation of Barcelona’s ‘New Data Deal’, an early mover and leading reference in the academic and policy debates, the article presents the key successes, limitations and tensions faced by a city government trying to regain access and control over urban data, including a reflection on the role that city governments can play in shaping a global agenda around improved data governance.

Development of a hybridized small modular reactor and solar-based energy system for useful commodities required for sustainable cities

The current study develops a hybridized small modular nuclear reactor and solar-based system designed specifically for sustainable communities in metropolitan areas to meet their power, heat, clean fuel, fresh water and food requirements. Both floating-type and bifacial-type photovoltaic arrays are integrated with a high-temperature gas-cooled small modular reactor. In the integrated system, a Rankine cycle subsystem for power generation, a solid oxide electrolyzer for hydrogen production, a pressure swing adsorption unit with ammonia reactor for nitrogen and then ammonia production, a multi-effect desalination unit for freshwater generation, and heat recovery units in order to provide heating to residential area, food drying facility, greenhouse, and fish farm facilities. For both floating and bifacial PV options, the 120 MWp PV modules are considered and integrated with two small modular reactor units at 250 MWth capacities each, 500 MWth in total. A thermodynamic analysis, which is based on energy and exergy approaches, is carried out. The time-dependent analyses are carried out for floating-type PV and bifacial-type PV options for the cities of Istanbul in Turkey; Barcelona in Spain; Los Angeles (LA) in the United States; Tokyo in Japan; and Toronto in Canada by using their hourly meteorological data, source and load capacities in a typical meteorological year. Among ten cases, between 112835 and 146180 tonnes of ammonia are generated in a typical year while meeting the heating and power requirements of sustainable communities in metropolitan areas. Among ten cases, the average overall energy and exergy efficiencies are found as 41.04% and 46.88%, respectively. The hybridization of such nuclear and solar systems achieves unique advantages by preventing intermittencies compared to the renewable-alone systems, reducing carbon emissions compared to fossil-based systems, and lowering the levelized costs of energy compared to the nuclear energy-alone systems.

Intercultural and Interreligious Competences of Youth: A Case Study in a Secondary School in Barcelona

The growing diversity of today’s societies has generated increasing interest across different subject areas that aim to help make these societies fairer and more inclusive. The constant increase in migrations and the broadening of the concept of diversity and its intersections, together with social challenges and the acceptance of this diversity, mean this issue needs to be dealt with, especially in the educational sphere. This research uses a case study to assess the perception and experience of cultural and religious diversity among young people at a state secondary school in the city of Barcelona, Spain. The case is analyzed through a mixed method, using quantitative data obtained through the exploitation of two scales, and qualitative information gained from a reflective pedagogical activity. The results show that students display attitudes of respect and acceptance of cultural and religious diversity while recognizing discriminatory behavior in the society in which they live. A salient point was that a more positive perception of interculturality and interreligiosity was observed in students from non-Spanish family backgrounds than among those born in the country.

The impact of socioeconomic vulnerability on the incidence of COVID-19 in school students

Abstract Inequalities have been observed in the spread of COVID-19 due to higher incidence rates in environments with greater socioeconomic deprivation. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between socioeconomic level and the incidence of COVID-19 in students of schools in the city of Barcelona, in different epidemic waves. Cross-sectional ecological study on compulsory education students (N = 176,390). Unit of analysis: the 780 schools in the city. Study period: second (autumn 2020), third (winter 2020-21) and sixth epidemic waves (winter 2021-22). Dependent variable: Cumulative Incidence (CI) of COVID-19 among school students. Independent variables: complexity and ownership of the school, indexes in quartiles (being Q4 the most disadvantaged) of vulnerable students of the school and the Available Family Income (AFI) of the neighbourhood of the school. Stratified by sex and educational stage (Primary/Secondary). A bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed using Poisson regression to calculate crude Relative Risks and adjusted (aRR). As an impact measure, the Population Attributable Risk was calculated. In the second wave, 41% of the CI in primary boys was attributed to the vulnerability of the school (Q4: aRR=1.96 [1.10-3.50]), and 36% to a lower AFI in the neighbourhood of the school in secondary boys (Q4: aRR=3.18 [1.25-8.13]). Instead, in the sixth wave, taking Q4 as a reference, 35% of the CI in primary girls was attributed to lower vulnerability indices of the school (Q1: aRR=1.82 [1.52-2.20]), and 38% higher AFI from the neighbourhood of the school in secondary girls (Q1: aRR=1.99 [1.33-2.98]). In the third wave, the results are mixed and less significant in the models. The results obtained show that there was an inversion of the impact of social inequalities in the CI of COVID-19 in the second wave compared to the sixth. This reflects the need to delve into the contextual factors that favour the spread of communicable diseases. Key messages • The socioeconomic vulnerability of school students has been associated with a higher Cumulative Incidence of COVID-19 in the second wave, but this pattern has been reversed in the sixth wave. • Between 18 and 41% - depending on gender, educational level and epidemic wave- of the Cumulative Incidence of COVID-19 in Barcelona schools can be attributed to factors of socioeconomic deprivation.

Response Rate, Acceptability and Effectiveness of an Intervention Offering HIV/STI Testing Via Apps Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Barcelona, Spain, from 2016 to 2020

We evaluated the response rate, acceptability, and effectiveness of a preventive programme offering rapid HIV and other STI testing, as well as sexual counselling to gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) via dating apps over a 4-year period. The programme was carried out in 9 out of the 10 districts in the city of Barcelona, Spain. The response rate was defined as the proportion of people responding to the message sent, acceptability as the proportion of those responding favourably, and effectiveness as the proportion of users requesting a test. We performed univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression in relation with the response rate, acceptability and effectiveness. A total of 5,254 messages were send to different users. The response rate was 33.1% (n = 1,741), acceptability was 86.2% (n = 1,500), and effectiveness was 10.1% (n = 532). The factors associated with user response were recent connection to the app (aOR = 1.85; CI:1.39–2.46) and the presence of a profile photograph (aOR = 1.34; CI:1.11–1.64). Acceptability was associated with recent connection to the app (aOR = 1.98; CI:1.09–3.58). Effectiveness was associated with lower reported age (aOR = 0.98; CI:0.97–0.99), contact before 14:00 (aOR = 2.47; CI: 1.77–3.46), and recent connection to the app (aOR = 4.89; CI:1.98–12.08). Effectiveness was also greater in districts that were more disadvantaged or had fewer sexual health services. This study demonstrates that the use of these apps is an acceptable and effective method of prevention and sexual health promotion in GBMSM in this setting and identifies the associated factors that could guide such interventions.

Mitigation and Resilience of Local Climatic Zones to the Effects of Extreme Heat: Study on the City of Barcelona (Spain)

Global warming is precipitating an amplification of severe meteorological occurrences such as prolonged dry spells and episodes of elevated temperatures. These phenomena are instigating substantial elevations in environmental warmth, with metropolitan regions bearing the brunt of these impacts. Currently, extreme heat is already impacting 30% of the global populace, and forecasts suggest that this figure will escalate to 74% in the forthcoming years. One of the objectives outlined in the United Nations 2030 agenda, specifically within Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11), is the attainment of sustainable urban development. To achieve this, it is imperative to scrutinize and delve into urban environmental conditions in order to understand their dynamics comprehensively. This understanding serves as the foundation for implementing mitigation and resilience strategies against climate change, ultimately enhancing the well-being of city residents. In this context, the field of remote sensing and geographic information systems has made substantial advancements. Notably, the UrbClim model, developed by the European Space Agency, facilitates the assessment of environmental conditions within numerous European urban centers. This research, utilizing data from UrbClim, examines the evolution of the heat stress index (Hi) during extreme heat conditions in Barcelona during the summer of 2017. Leveraging Landsat 8 satellite imagery, we derived the following variables: the normalized difference vegetation index and the normalized building difference index. Our findings reveal that during extreme heat conditions, the Hi index experiences an escalation, with areas characterized by a higher population density and industrial zones displaying lower resistance in contrast to regions with a lower population density and rural areas, which exhibit greater resilience to Hi. This disparity can be attributed to higher vegetation coverage and reduced building density in the latter areas. In this way, Hi increases more quickly and intensely and decreases more slowly when using high temperatures compared to average temperatures. This is of utmost importance for the future planning of new urban developments.

Islam and assisted reproduction treatments: an empirical study on the relationship between science and religion in Tangier and Barcelona.

In recent decades there have been significant developments in assisted reproduction techniques, which have aided couples with difficulties in having children. These techniques have been well received in different parts of the world, and Muslim countries have been no exception. Adopting sociologist Michèle Lamont's theoretical perspective on "boundaries", semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 health professionals and Islamic community leaders in the cities of Tangier and Barcelona during 2022. The aim of this article is twofold: first, to analyze how key actors in the Muslim community conceive of the relationship between Islam and science; second, to explain how this understanding is negotiated in relation to assisted reproduction treatments. The article concludes with a consideration of the complexities related to drawing the line between the positions of science and religion, and emphasized the importance of examining empirical cases in order to better capture the complex relationship between these two spheres and gain a deeper understanding of existing bioethical debates.

Comprehensive analysis of research trends and prospects in electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) for wastewater treatment

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) have emerged as a promising approach for efficient wastewater treatment. However, despite their promising potential, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis regarding the research trends, bibliometric data, and research frontiers of EAOPs. To address this gap, this study conducted a thorough and comprehensive analysis of 2347 related articles in the Web of Science Core Collection Database from 2012 to 2022. The analysis included information on countries, authors, institutions, and more, with a focus on summarizing trends and cutting-edge research hotspots in the field. The University of Barcelona in Spain is the most effective institution. Brillas E. is the most productive author in the world. Research hotspots in EAOPs have evolved from traditional anodic oxidation (AO) to novel electro-Fenton (EF) technology, which focuses on efficient generation of H2O2 and the use of metal-organic frameworks to enhance performance and efficiency. Through systematic research hotspot analysis, the importance of performance comparison of different types of EAOPs, development of new materials, optimization of device parameters, and toxicity assessment of byproducts is highlighted. Concurrently, the rise and mechanisms of emerging EAOPs are predicted and analyzed. Finally, future research on EAOPs technologies should focus on technological coupling, development of new materials, reduction of energy consumption and cost, evaluation and minimization of toxicity, and exploration of green renewable energy sources for larger-scale applications in wastewater treatment pilot plants. In this way, these technologies can contribute to the sustainability of larger industrial wastewater treatment applications and make an important contribution to environmental protection and scientific and technological progress.

Governing intersectional climate justice: Tactics and lessons from Barcelona

AbstractCities and local governments are important actors in the global governance of climate change; however, the specific governance principles and arrangements that enable urban climate plans and policies to realize commitments to social equity and justice remain largely unexplored. This article uses the City of Barcelona, Spain, as a critical case study of emerging “intersectional climate justice” practice, where plans to build resilience to climate change are pursued in conjunction with efforts to tackle structural inequalities in accessing the built environment, health services, energy, housing, and transportation experienced by frontline communities. The study illustrates how Barcelona and its community partners do this through four different categories of governance and decision‐making tactics, which include: (1) experimenting with disruptive planning strategies; (2) working transversally across agencies and actors to institutionalize climate justice over time; (3) putting care at the center of urban planning; and (4) mobilizing place‐based approaches to tackle intersecting vulnerabilities of frontline residents. These tactics seek to redistribute the benefits of climate‐resilient infrastructures more fairly and to enhance participatory processes more meaningfully. Finally, we assess the limitations and challenges of mobilizing these tactics in everyday urban politics. Barcelona's experience contributes to research on climate governance by challenging the notion of distinct waves of governance and revealing concurrent dimensions of climate urbanism that coexist spatially and temporally. Our research also illustrates lessons for fairer climate governance in the city, where different tactics are mobilized to address structural and intersecting socioeconomic vulnerabilities that exacerbate the experience of climate change of frontline residents.

Vulnerable Neighbourhoods, Disaffiliated Populations? A Comprehensive Index of Social Capital and Social Infrastructure in Barcelona

This article aims to understand the probable links between social capital and social infrastructure. The inclusion of these two dimensions into urban analysis may help to better understand the nature and characteristics of the relationships between the built environment and the level of organisation of the residents, and whether these have an impact on the vulnerability of the territories. Through use of statistical techniques (visual grouping and cluster analysis, among others), this article seeks to construct a comprehensive measure of social capital, as well as a comprehensive index of social infrastructure. These two in combination show, as the main results, that the characteristics of the built environment may promote higher levels of social interaction, also leading to higher levels of civic engagement and participation. However, the results also suggest that this relationship may be bidirectional. Finally, the mapping of the two indices applied in the city of Barcelona is presented and these results are compared with a previously constructed index of vulnerability for the same territory, allowing an overall better understanding of Barcelona’s socio-urban behaviour.

Dealing with change: Retraining strategies to improve load forecasting in individual households under Covid-19 restrictions

Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed to control its spreading had a profound impact on several aspects of society. Studies on energy consumption show a pattern shift during the first stages of the pandemic, mainly due to the abrupt and forced change in human behaviour. For some residential consumers, such changes translated into higher energy expenses, which could be avoided through optimal energy management. This, however, depends on accurate load forecasting models whose performance tends to decrease under drastic pattern changes. This paper aims to improve forecasting techniques based on machine learning methods to assess its impact on the accuracy of day-ahead electrical load forecasting from individual residential households from the city of Barcelona, Spain, during a lockdown situation. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is the proposed algorithm for the short-term hourly forecasting of the households’ electricity consumption of the following 24 h. The algorithm’s accuracy over different pandemic periods – Lockdown, Reopening and New Normal – is evaluated using different retraining strategies based on literature findings.

Effect of COVID-19 prevention as part of an urban renewal programme

ObjectivesTo address existing inequalities, the Barcelona City Council launched a Neighbourhood Plan in 2016–2020. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Neighbourhood Plan interventions were intensified. This study aimed to assess the effect of the plan on the incidence of COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in Barcelona. Study designWe used a quasi-experimental design with 16 intervention neighbourhoods and 17 neighbourhoods in the comparison group with similar socioeconomic characteristics. MethodsWe calculated the cumulative incidence rate (CIR) of COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants by sex, age groups, and neighbourhood of residence. Poisson regression models were fitted to estimate the crude relative risk and relative risk adjusted by socioeconomic status (cRR and aRR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). ResultsThe CIR of COVID-19 was lower in the intervention neighbourhoods (CIR: 841 per 100,000 inhabitants) than in the comparison group (CIR: 973 per 100,000 inhabitants). On multivariate analysis, the aRR was 0.77 (CI: 0.70–0.83) for men and 0.89 (CI: 0.83–0.96) for women. Among men older than 75 years (aRR = 0.73; CI: 0.62–0.86), statistically significant differences were found in the intervention neighbourhoods compared to the comparison group. This pattern was not observed in women older than 75 years (aRR = 1.13; CI: 0.99–1.30). ConclusionThis research finds positive short-term effect in the intervention neighbourhoods. We conclude that the COVID-19 control and prevention interventions are likely to explain the better performance in the neighbourhoods included in the Neighbourhood Plan.

Los Tarantos : Negotiations of Romani Catalan Identity Through Shakespeare

Abstract: This article analyzes Francisco Rovira Beleta’s film Los Tarantos (1963), a Spanish-language adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet , arguing that the film’s representation of Catalan Roma subtly advances a critique of Franquista nationalism. The film is set in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, and is remembered for its preservation in film of the Somorrostro neighborhood, an area of Barcelona’s beachfront that was inhabited by poor Romani people but torn down in 1966, as well as for starring flamenco legend, Carmen Amaya, as Angustias (Lady Montague). Los Tarantos retells the feud of the Capulets and Montagues as a more recent, violent affair between the Tarantos and Zorongos. This article argues that, through its representation of bullfighting and flamenco, the film critiques the packaging of Spain by Franco’s government for tourist consumption. Los Tarantos contrasts bullfighting, which becomes evocative of violent machismo in its linkage to the film’s villain Curro Picado (Tybalt/Paris), with flamenco, which is positioned as a resistance to Franco’s nationalism due to its Romani roots. The film uses Shakespeare as a mask for its critique of Franquista machismo and the touristic takeover of Spain. Set in Catalonia, and made by a Catalan director, Los Tarantos critiques Spanish nationalism, suggesting possibilities for Catalonian self-determination and centering Catalan Roma and their political demands.

Analysis of superblocks during the transition phase from traditional vehicles to fully automated vehicle environment: A case study of Barcelona City

The planning of vehicle-dependent cities across the world with emerging technologies like automated vehicles must be amended to make them pedestrian-friendly. Therefore, there is a need to reorganise the urban streets to create more spaces for pedestrians, even with the presence of automated vehicles (AVs). This research proposes the concept of a superblock model in the presence of automated vehicles to meet this challenge. This research aims to assess the impacts of AVs on pedestrian-friendly streets using a superblock approach. In the superblock model, cut-through traffic demand is restricted, and traffic generated or attracted to a superblock can have access, allowing for more room for public spaces. This study systematically discusses the superblock model implemented in a network with a grid structure using a genetic algorithm. It addresses the dynamic user equilibrium assignment for demand and topology segmentation. Three scenarios are considered due to the longer period of transition from traditional vehicles to fully AVs. The study evaluates the potential and constraints of implementing the superblock model with different penetration rates of AVs in the system by defining variable traffic demand and the variable number of superblocks. Furthermore, a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed methodology is conducted. The proposed model is implemented on a real-time network of Barcelona city, and the findings of this study are summarised by the macroscopic fundamental diagram, which depicts the improvement in the performance of the network with the inclusion of AVs.

Characterizing the sources of ambient PM10 organic aerosol in urban and rural Catalonia, Spain

Organic aerosols (OA) have recently been shown to be the dominant contributor to the oxidative potential of airborne particulate matter in northeastern Spain. We collected PM10 filter samples every fourth day from January 2017 to March 2018 at two sampling stations located in Barcelona city and Montseny Natural Park, representing urban and rural areas, respectively. The chemical composition of PM10 was analyzed offline using a broad set of analytical instruments, including high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HR-ToF-AMS), a total organic carbon analyzer (TCA), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), ion chromatography (IC), and thermal-optical carbon analyzer. Source apportionment analysis of the water-soluble organic content of the samples measured via HR-ToF-AMS revealed two primary and two secondary sources of OA, which included biomass-burning OA (BBOA), sulfur-containing OA (SCOA), as well as summer- and winter‑oxygenated OA (SOOA and WOOA). The presence of hydrocarbon-like water-insoluble OA was also identified based on concentration trends in black carbon and nitrogen oxides. The results from the source apportionment analysis of the inorganic composition were correlated with different OA factors to assess potential source contributors. Barcelona showed significantly higher average water-soluble OA concentrations (5.63 ± 0.56 μg m-3) than Montseny (3.27 ± 0.37 μg m-3) over the sampling period. WOOA accounted for nearly 27 % of the averaged OA in Barcelona compared to only 7 % in Montseny. In contrast, SOOA had a greater contribution to OA in Montseny (47 %) than in Barcelona (24 %). SCOA and BBOA were responsible for 15–28 % of the OA at both sites. There were also seasonal variations in the relative contributions of different OA sources. Our overall results showed that local anthropogenic sources were primarily responsible for up to 70 % of ambient soluble OA in Barcelona, and regulating local-scale emissions could significantly improve air quality in urban Spain.

Joan Maragall, el Pla Jaussely i la Reforma de 1908 a la ciutat de Barcelona

The Jaussely Plan (1907) and the “Reforma”, later to be called Via Laietana (1908), are two important urban projects that significantly transformed the city of Barcelona at the beginning of the 20th century. In this contribution, we summarize and comment on what Joan Maragall said on these projects through his articles and poems. He reveals himself to be a strong supporter of these developments and of the expansion that the town experienced in those days, which is in clear contrast to the opinions expressed by some of his contemporaries, which were rather skeptical, if not totally opposed. Maragall, however, does not ignore the social conflicts that these urban developments are about to create and already anticipates some of the subjects that he will further develop later on, after the events of the Setmana Tràgica in 1909.Keywords: Joan Maragall, Josep Pijoan, Eugeni d’Ors, Barcelona, Eixample, Pla Cerdà, Pla Jaussely, urbanism.

Less can be more: Pruning street networks for sustainable city-making

Current trends in urban planning aim at the reduction of space for private vehicles to promote alternative mobility, more diverse activities on streets and reduced pollution for healthier cities. Simultaneously, “tactical urbanism”, embedded within participatory processes, helps to articulate and enrich these policies. In this connection, our study evaluates a number of “what-if scenarios” of “city pruning” by means of realistic, agent-based computer simulations. They regard traffic restrictions for Barcelona with the purpose to identify the impact on travel performance and the environment. Positive counterintuitive effects related to Braess and Daganzo paradoxes are found in new alternatives to the street repurposing plans developed by the City of Barcelona. These result in a reduction of emissions (−8% of main pollutants) and traffic congestion (−14% of travel time) solely by closing some streets to motor vehicles. These findings indicate a formerly unnoticed potential to further improve the quality of urban life. Hence, the use of interactive urban models can be a powerful tool to explore and co-create policies within participatory approaches in spatial planning. Positive counterintuitive effects of street repurposing and network dismantling provide opportunities for participatory and sustainable city-making beyond the ongoing public debate.

Barcelona City Council in collaboration with Academia Europaea Presentation of the Hypatia European Science Prize, on 27 October 2022, in the Saló de Cent of Barcelona City Hall, to Professor Nancy Cartwright

Barcelona City Council in collaboration with Academia Europaea Presentation of the Hypatia European Science Prize, on 27 October 2022, in the Saló de Cent of Barcelona City Hall, to Professor Nancy Cartwright

Daily Space

Three articles in this issue of Arquitecturas del Sur are dedicated to collective housing, as the housing shortage has led to new and better forms of citizen participation in its solution. The Indigenous Temporary Accommodation in Florianopolis handles an essentially Latin American problem: access for Indigenous people to protected state housing. In this case, the presence of the city’s original inhabitants examines the possibilities of physical and symbolic spaces in the contemporary city and the professional role that looks into the responses. Next, the text on collaborative housing analyzes the case of Spain, and its relationship with public management mechanisms. The case of Gran Canaria looks at mutual aid issues, transfer of use, cooperativism, and citizen participation. In this way, the self-construction system of the Andalusian Junta, a practice that is as effective as it is controversial, and representative of a socialist cooperativism and cohabitation developed by the Barcelona City Council, converge in the debate on cooperative management. The third text looks into one of the latest events disclosed on CORVI’s actions, before its dissolution in 1976. It explores a management model that revealed the role of construction companies as a new player in the habitational process for the case of the Santiago Amengual Neighborhood. A second thematic group in this issue, materialized in its last 3 articles, returns to the structural issues of modern-day architecture, whose presence is diving deeper into the disciplinary debate. The places of memory seem to exceed the margins of an understanding based on heritage discourse. The memory and belonging of daily spaces, turn one to the nodes of memory and collective coherence. This is the case of the Community School – Center of Memory and Integrated Action to Care for the Forest of Galilea and the Territory of Colombia. Likewise, the individual, isolated, and selective expressions examine those unusual experiences where otherness exercises protagonism over experiences in the architecture and city of Santiago de Chile. Finally, revisiting the works of a master like Niemeyer opens the possibility for rereading, through actions based on the Portuguese decisions in two of his works: the urban complex of Pena Furada, in Portugal (1965), and Plaza XV, in Rio de Janeiro (1991).