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Sant Antoni rewrites its streets: this is how Comte Borrell and Parlament's definitive transformation will look
Barcelona has taken a step that has been in the works for years. The Government Commission has approved the definitive transformation of the most emblematic sections of Comte Borrell and Parlament, an area that over the last decade has become a symbol of the new way of experiencing street life. What began as a temporary urban intervention to calm the neighbourhood will now become a complete and permanent redesign, intended to consolidate this pedestrian oasis in the heart of the Eixample.
The project covers around 13,500 square metres and will leave behind the traditional logic of pavements and carriageway. The whole area will operate as a single platform, a continuous space where pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles—the latter with a very limited presence—will have clearly differentiated zones but without physical barriers. Barcelona is applying here the lessons learned in other traffic-calming projects: more trees, more shade, more places to rest and urban furniture that is less functionalist and more welcoming.
The epicentre will be the large square formed at the intersection of Comte Borrell and Parlament. Its reorganisation will turn it into a true urban living room, a space to stay in, not merely to pass through. There will be sitting areas, play areas and large flowerbeds, strategically placed on chamfered corners and in the square itself to ensure their upkeep and adequate sunlight. The idea is to reinforce the neighbourhood’s identity without reproducing the errors of earlier interventions.
The paving will set the rhythm: panot where pedestrians are the absolute protagonists, granite where it will still be necessary to allow vehicles through. An organised urban distribution of goods is also included, with specific spaces for loading and unloading that do not encroach on residents’ use of the space.
Works will begin in the second quarter of 2026 and will last around a year. When they end, Sant Antoni will gain not only a refurbishment, but a statement of intent: the street as a shared place, designed for everyday enjoyment and not only for transit. A transformation that aims finally to consolidate the city model that this area has practised for years.