09/10/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1GU5gwe6rn/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Barcelona is making room for nature by taking asphalt away.
Across parts of the city, paved surfaces are being removed and replaced with more permeable ground, vegetation, trees, and spaces designed to handle rainwater naturally.
The idea is simple: instead of covering every available surface with concrete and asphalt, give some of that space back to soil and plants.
Barcelona’s green-infrastructure plans specifically call for converting impermeable surfaces into permeable ones and increasing the use of continuous tree pits and planted areas.
One example is the transformation of Pi i Margall Street into a greener corridor. The project removes asphalt, reduces space for vehicles, expands greenery, and incorporates structural soil and sustainable drainage systems designed to capture and reuse rainwater for trees.
That matters because urban soil can become heavily compacted and impermeable, sending much of the rain that falls on streets directly into drains instead of allowing it to benefit trees and vegetation.
It is a different way of thinking about city design.
Instead of asking where another layer of pavement can be added, Barcelona is asking where pavement can be removed.
More soil. More plants. More space for rainwater.
Sometimes making a city greener means simply giving the ground a chance to breathe again.
