The courtyards restoration in the Compact city: the case study of the Ensanche in Barcelona

Abstract

The hypothesis advanced in this research is that the courtyards can reconfigure themselves as nodes of a “lymphatic system” supporting the circulatory one made by roads and public open spaces. The verification of this hypothesis was carried out through a field survey on the case study of the Ensanche, a district of Barcelona. It represents a case of particular interest because the recovery of the courtyards as public spaces has been the engine of the regeneration of an entire neighborhood.