Author: MORALES FLORES, PALOMA
Thesis file: (contact the
Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN URBAN AND ARCHITECTURAL MANAGEMENT AND VALUATION
Department: Department of Architectural Technology (TA)
Mode: Article-based thesis
Deposit date: 30/04/2025
Reading date: pending
Reading time: pending
Reading place: pending
Thesis director: MARMOLEJO DUARTE, CARLOS RAMIRO
Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis explores the intricate relationship between urban design and the formation of social capital (SC), using the traffic calming of public space in the Sant Antoni Superblock in Barcelona as a case study. Starting from the premise that social interactions are fundamental to community development, SC is adopted as a conceptual framework, recognising its impact on individual and collective well-being. In this sense, SC is configured as a preventive tool with great potential to address the current challenges of an ageing society, characterised by an increase in single-person households and an increase in situations of dependency, as well as a growing sense of loneliness. The progressively multicultural nature of society, driven by the sustained increase in migration necessary to meet the demands of the labour market, requires the development of support networks that, on the one hand, complement the work of public social services and, on the other, contribute to strengthening social cohesion.According to the literature, SC is not an individual attribute, but an emergent property of social structures, rooted in interpersonal relationships. For this reason, the public administration has an essential role in the provision and management of spaces, especially those of public ownership, which act as catalysts for the intersubjective relationships that shape SC. However, beyond the mere provision of facilities, the design of public space acquires critical relevance by influencing patterns of human activity and the quality of life of people.In contrast to the traditional approach of macro-scale studies based predominantly on surveys, this research proposes a complementary micro-scale analysis, focused on the direct observation of behavioural patterns in public space as evidence of SC. In other words, we consider social manifestations in public space as symptoms of a more complex condition: SC. In this way, we seek to understand how the design and management of public space influence social interactions at the micro level, contributing to a deeper and more granular understanding of SC in the urban context.A mixed methodology is used, which integrates: 1) a literature review, 2) urban analysis, 3) observation of the behaviour of people in public space, and 4) analysis of social capital indicators.Various attributes of urban design are considered with the aim of elucidating their impact on the promotion of SC, such as: the tactical and structuring nature, spatial typologies (squares, courtyards, passages), connectivity, proximity, level of pedestrianisation, personalisation and permeability of building facades at ground level, among other characteristics of the environment.The results reveal that urban interventions, both structuring and tactical, increase social activity compared to traditional urban design. However, structuring interventions of a permanent nature and characterised by the use of durable and low-maintenance materials such as concrete, generate greater diversity of uses and attract a wider public, as opposed to tactical interventions of an ephemeral and modular nature, which use more affordable elements such as paint and wood. This study offers valuable lessons for future urban interventions, emphasising the importance of a context-sensitive design, the balance between different users, social cohesion and long-term maintenance as key elements for the creation of inclusive spaces that foster social capital.