White Paper on Sustainability of Spanish Urban Planning -- 2.2 Foster the diversity, quality and versatility of urban public spaces

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White Paper on Sustainability of Spanish Urban Planning
José Fariña Tojo, José Manuel Naredo (directors)

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2.2 Foster the diversity, quality and versatility of urban public spaces

2.21. Eliminate architectural barriers
In spite of first impressions it is possible to legislate on this matter. In fact, both the Spanish state and some autonomous regions have adequate legislation on this matter. For some time now the criteria for integration, and the fight against social exclusion, have constituted an excellent indicator of the social health of a community and whether it is to remain as such.

2.22. Design multifunctional, legible spaces
Logically this is one of the clearest examples of the difficulties the legislators come up against in converting criteria for planning into regulations. This should be the field for manuals and recommendations.

2.23. Apply bioclimatic criteria to open spaces
This is of manifest importance for achieving a more efficient system and greater quality of life in cities. However, it is surprising there are so few references to the matter, and they are limited to general principles; they do not go down to details. The obligation to justify the design of a street and square, not only basing it on functional or aesthetical criteria, should appear in the legislation.

2.24. Incorporate multipurpose urban furniture
Probably this topic should be included in the guidelines and recommendations rather than in the regulations. Whatever the case, it is a good practice for the local institutions to aim at.

2.25. Reduce typologies that favour the privatisation of open spaces
The privatization of the most important elements of the citizen's life is the basic cause behind the loss of functions of the traditional public space, and therefore, by extension, of significant changes in the city's efficient functioning. And this privatization is happening very significantly in typologies such as closed blocks with interior gardens or facilities that substitute public spaces inside them. The loss of urban life quality brings with it a negative element to city planning. However, even in this case the difficulties for legislating are evident.

Discussion

It has already been mentioned that the criterion related to architectural barriers is the unique in this section that can be partly governed by legislation. Therefore this has been done both by state legislation and by some communities of Spain (among others, Cantabria, Catalonia, Extremadura and the Murcia Region). However, for other criteria there are only a few indirect mentions. This is not due to the low importance of these criteria but rather that the most suitable control means for urban planning and design is not the legal framework. In this topic it is possible to see the importance of the existence of design manuals and recommendations, which can be made almost obligatory but allow the planner to step outside their limits provided they can justify their differences and convince the office in charge of the virtues of a design distinct from the recommended one. This practice, still extremely restricted in Spain, allows the necessary flexibility for design and is incompatible with a legal framework. The alternative is to leave it completely in the hands of the project designer and thus to less social control, with the consequent danger this could cause to the urban situation.