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Observational Study
. 2025 Feb 17;25(1):634.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21835-z.

Environmental and health effects of the Barcelona superblocks

Katherine Pérez  1   2   3 , Laia Palència  1   2   3 , Maria José López  1   2   3   4 , Brenda Biaani León-Gómez  5   6 , Anna Puig-Ribera  7 , Anna Gómez-Gutiérrez  1   3 , Mark Nieuwenhuijsen  8 , Glòria Carrasco-Turigas  2   4   8 , Carme Borrell  9   10   11
Affiliations
Observational Study

Environmental and health effects of the Barcelona superblocks

Katherine Pérez et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The superblocks model of Barcelona (Spain) seeks to reorganize the city based on reversing the distribution of public space between vehicles and people by prioritizing citizens, thus improving their environmental conditions and quality of life. The objective of this paper was to describe the effects on environmental, health and quality of life of the first three superblocks implemented, discuss the lessons learned, and provide recommendations for the future.

Methods: The evaluation included different approaches depending on the superblock analyzed: A pre-post-intervention health survey, environmental measures of air quality, the Microscale Audit of Urban Landscapes for Pedestrians (MAPS), an observational study on target areas of physical activity (SOPARC), ethnographic guerrilla studies, and focus groups.

Results: Residents and workers in all three of the evaluated superblocks reported a perceived improvement in well-being, tranquillity and quality of sleep, some reduction in noise and pollution and an increase in social interaction. The built environment of the superblocks clearly influenced walkability, and the lower car traffic volume improved air quality measures. In one of the superblocks, the same intervention calmed traffic in one of the areas but not in another.

Conclusions: Although on a small scale, this evaluation of the environmental, and health effects of the superblocks provides support for expanding the model to other areas of the city.

Keywords: City planning; Health determinants; Health in all policies; Program evaluation; Quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Parc Salut Mar (a group of health and research centers of Barcelona) Ethics Committee with the reference number 2018/7979. Moreover this study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors KP, LP, MJL, AG and CB work at the Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, organization partially funded by the Local Council of Barcelona (the responsible of superblocks of Barcelona).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Planned and implemented Barcelona superblocks
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Description of the intervention in each superblock and methodology used to evaluate
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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