Barcelona — A World Laboratory of Urbanism and a Battlefield for the Streets
Barcelona is a city that planners from all over the globe look up to. It is right here that one of the boldest urban planning experiments of the 21st century is unfolding today: the creation of the famous "superblocks," where priority is given to pedestrians rather than cars. But why does an urban utopia face such fierce resistance in practice? How can a metropolis find a balance between the comfort of local residents, millions of tourists, and business interests?
On September 5, urbanist Arkady Gershman will hold a lecture in Barcelona titled "What Is a City for People?" We will talk about the evolution of cities and explore why different European metropolises ultimately arrive at the very same solutions, shattering our usual stereotypes.
What we will talk about:
Architectural Code: The hidden methods architects and transit planners use to guide and control our daily behavior;
Mistakes of the Past: How the trendy architecture of the 20th century broke our cities, and why we are still dealing with the consequences today;
The Superblock Phenomenon: How Barcelona is trying to give the streets back to the people, why this experiment fascinates some and infuriates others, and what it will eventually lead to;
The Cycling Dead End: Why conventional bike lanes have suddenly become outdated, and why they are starting to be removed even in Amsterdam.
If you want to learn how to "read" a city, understand the logic behind the changes around you, and become a truly professional citizen – this is definitely a must-attend for you. Real-world stories from all over the globe, breakdowns of relevant urban planning cases, and a great opportunity to spend an evening with like-minded people await!
About the speaker: Arkadiy Gershman is an urbanist and the creator of the "City for People" YouTube channel. He talks about how cities are structured: why some streets are comfortable and safe while others are not, how quality public spaces work, and how smart people are fixing old mistakes today. For over 15 years, he has been studying cities, developing standards, and consulting municipalities. His goal is to help people better understand their city and how to make it more convenient for living.
Language of the lecture: Russian.
When: September 5, 18:00 (duration: 1.5 hours)
Where: Talent Garden Barcelona - Auditorio, C/ Ramón Turró 169 A, 08005 Barcelona
Route on Google Maps
Tickets: from €30
Arkadiy's channel: YouTube "City for People"
Organizer: ERMI Events
Useful information: A purchase confirmation and a ticket QR code will be sent to your e-mail. If you don't see the email in your inbox, please check your "Spam" folder.
Please note: tickets are non-refundable. However, they are not registered to a specific name – if you cannot make it, you can always pass your ticket on to someone close to you.
Talent Garden Barcelona • Carrer de Ramon Turró 169, 08005 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
