Barcelona behind the seen

Text: Jordi Homs, Bibiana Bonmatí
Photographs: Marta Casellas

The strong links between the UB and the city of Barcelona are not just based on over 555 years of shared history, the fact that the UB is an integral part of the city’s urban fabric, or that the University bears the city’s name. For the University and its researchers, Barcelona is also an object of research. Thus, this article approaches the city from an almost unprecedented perspective: Barcelona as an object of research and investigation. Six UB researchers, from fields as diverse as archaeology and plant biology, have made different aspects of the city the target of their scientific analyses—thus confirming that research and innovation are imprinted on the city’s genetic code. This article has many different focuses. It describes aspects of the city that are usually hidden, marginalised, and little known by most of Barcelona’s inhabitants. Perhaps, by looking outside the field of view, we have grasped something of the city’s true essence.
1. Tropical Collserola
Exotic plants compete with native species in this mountain range 		2. The green city
Barcelona is one of the European cities that has the most trees in its streets 		3. Travelling is an art
Art at tram stops aims to produce a moment of surprise and reflection for passengers
4. The state of the Gothic Quarter
University research reveals the state of the churches Santa Maria del Mar and Santa Maria del Pi		 5. Roman aspects
of the Eixample
Unwittingly, Ildefons Cerdà drew his grid over axes that had been used by Roman surveyors nineteen centuries earlier		 6. Witnesses to a distant past
A wall of rock exposed during urban development work shows changes in Barce­lo­na’s subsoil during the Palaeozoic Era, 500 million years ago
Tropical Collserola
Man has had an impact on the landscape since first appearing on the Earth. This has always been and is likely to continue to be the case, for good or for bad, regardless of whether or not such effects are intended. One little-known example of man’s impact can be found very close to Barcelona, in the Collserola mountain range. This example was analysed in research carried out in 2000 by Joan Carles Guix and Xavier Ruiz. Both of these researchers are from the Faculty of Biology’s Department of Animal Biology. The study was undertaken jointly and simultaneously in Barcelona and Lisbon, with both groups reaching the same conclusions.

The municipal institute Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona frequently plants exotic species in the city, many of which come from tropical countries. Such species are more adaptable, resistant and attractive than native species. Palm trees, Asian laurel and Boswellia from Australia are particularly popular choices. Problems arise when birds nesting in natural environments close to urban areas feed on the fruits of these non-native species. Birds have fewer predators in the city, and are thus free to feed without pressure. When they return to their nests and regurgitate or defecate the fruits’ seeds, they become unwitting exporters of the exotic plant species. From then on, such species begin to invade the native natural environment. In the words of Xavier Ruiz: “this leads to ‘banalization’ of the natural environment, as these foreign species are often highly invasive.”


Exotic and native plants compete with each other, not only for their potential means of dispersing seeds (the birds), but also for space, water, light and nutrients. This competition leads to changes in the local fauna and the appearance of new parasites.


“Birds that nest in natural environments close to urban areas become unwitting exporters of exotic plant species”

 

Species of non-native plants
dispersed by birds in the
Collserola mountain range.
Glossy Privet (Ligustrum lucidum), Oleaceae Family, native to China
and Japan

Therefore, Ruiz concludes that “it is essential to manage native forests by eliminating or controlling exotic plant populations, and to convince those in charge of Parcs i Jardins to plant native species, such as laurel, holm oak, olive, oak and box, etc.” In addition, Xavier Ruiz states categorically that we are “heading towards an ecological change.”
The green city
There are over 150,000 trees in the streets of Barcelona, which makes it one of Europe’s most tree lined cities. In a hypothetical ranking of different neighbourhoods, Sant Martí has the most trees in its streets: 20.4% of all trees in the city. The species that is most frequently found in Barcelona is the Pla­tanus hispanica, commonly known as the London Plane. This species adapts well to the climate and is highly resistant to pollution and knocks, which is why there are over 50,000 specimens in Barcelona.

To discover this green city, a book titled Els arbres dels carrers de Barcelona (Edicions UB, 2007) has been published. It includes illustrations of 81 of the most common species in the streets of Barcelona (out of a total of 120). One of these is the Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta), which has orange flowers in May and June and can be found in Carrer les Corts, between Eugeni d’Ors and Taquígraf Martí. Another unusual tree is the Chorisia speciosa, which
is from South America and is notable for its curious trunk in the form of a bottle covered in spines. It is also known as the Floss-Silk Tree, due to the down that covers its seeds when they are released. Another unusual species is Gingko biloba, which botanists define as a living fossil, as it is the only survivor of a family that existed over 200 million years ago.

The book Els arbres dels carrers de Barcelona contains high quality, actual size photographs, with great depth of field. In addition, aspects of the trees that are usually found in different seasons are brought together in single images. For example, in nature, the flowers of the Black Poplar (Populus nigra) appear before its leaves. There are around 5,000 Black Poplars in Barcelona. Some of these can be found in carrer Bilbao between Ramon Turró and Llull.

The book is by Jaume Llistosella, lecturer in the UB’s Department of Plant Biology, and Antoni Sànchez-Cuxart, curator of the Herbarium at the UB’s Centre of Documentation of Plant Biodiversity. It is based on the book L’herbari: arbres, arbusts i lianes (Edicions UB, 2004) by the same authors. A herbarium is formed by collecting samples of species for preservation and study. It is a classic system. However, the disadvantages are that the samples deteriorate with time and copies cannot be made. The techniques used in these publications reinvent this basic botanical tool and make it available to the general public.

Travelling is an art
The idea of travel is often associated with long journeys in distant countries. Of all the forms of transport, the train has always exerted a powerful attraction. Since the invention of the railway, travelling whilst watching the landscape pass by outside the window has captivated the imagination of millions of travellers. Catching the Orient Express or the Trans-Siberian railway is not the same as getting on the Trambesòs. However, the idea of the public art group En Plural—comprising the Fine Art lecturers Albert Valera and Lluís Doñate and a lecturer from the Escola del Treball, Maria Josep Forca­dell—was similarly ambitious: “the creation of a different moment,” in the words of Valera, “to provoke daily reflection”.
This group has redesigned the tram stops Espronceda, Sant Martí de Provençals and Besòs on the covered Gran Via stretch of the Trambesòs line. The general title given to this work is En Linea (In Line). The artists used texts, designs, typography, drawings and furniture in their pieces, to attain a common objective in each space. According to Valera, the group’s aim is “to surprise passengers, and to give them an opportunity to reflect.” In each station there is a short phrase, an invitation to reflection, written on a sign that is linked to the architecture. The colours of the images and the large format typography are also features of the three renovated stations.

“We wish to surprise passengers and give them an opportunity to reflect”

The platform of the Besós station.

 

The text at Espronceda states: “That which is imaginary is real”. This is written in large letters across the station wall. In order to link an image to this idea, the group has made use of the visual impact of the light that enters the station through an oval opening in the roof, by marking on the floor the winter and summer solstices. Valera considers that this represents a way of entering into the “mysterious and magic world of cosmic activity and the effect that this has always had on the human imagination.”

Continuing along the route, the phrase chosen for the Sant Martí stop was the paradox “Chan­ge is permanent”. This is illustrated by images related to the development of the tram line.

At the Besòs stop, full-scale silhouettes of people identify a new paradox, with the phrase “Silence talks”.

The En Plural group has wide experience in creating art in public spaces. In 2005, they undertook a similar project for the Trambaix stop at Cornellà Centre. Since 1999, they have been designing a major park at Parets del Vallès. They are also drawing up a project related to the river Besòs.

The state of the Gothic Quarter

Looking at Santa Maria del Pi from carrer Cardenal Casañas, it can be seen that the facade leans slightly outwards. However, there is no danger of the wall falling.

A crack running right across the left nave of Santa Maria del Mar was one of the reasons for beginning a study on the state of the church.

Visitors to Santa Maria del Mar are unaware of the crack in the roof, which runs right across the left nave. At some points the gap is seven centimetres wide. In Santa Maria del Pi, faults have been found in the roof and in the vault.

Barcelona has an important southern-style Gothic heritage, which should be preserved. Thus, studies have been carried out to determine the state of the monuments and to diagnose what actions need to be taken in the future.

The group Patrimoni UB (UB Heritage), led by Màrius Vendrell, lecturer in the UB Department of Crystallography, Mineralogy and Mineral Deposits, is coordinating a project on Santa Maria del Mar and Santa Maria del Pi. The fissures that can be seen in Santa Maria del Mar may have arisen during the church’s construction. At the end of 1379, on
St. Stephen’s day, a fire burnt the vault-bearing pieces and the scaffolding of this church. As Vendrell indicates, this may have caused one of the vaults to move, leaving its mark in the form of a crack. Nevertheless, to date the results of the project are reassuring. There are more structural problems at Santa Maria del Pi than at Santa Maria del Mar. However, faults in the former church are less evident. One curious feature of Santa Maria del Pi is related to its facade. If the church is observed from carrer Cardenal Casañas—situated on the right when looking at the main entrance—it can be seen that the facade leans slightly outwards. However, there is no risk of the wall falling.

Apart from some specific areas, it appears that the two buildings are in relatively good condition considering their age (both were built in the fourteenth century). One of the secrets of their conservation lies in the stone used in their construction. This came from the old Montjuïc quarry that, as Vendrell states, has saved much of the Gothic Quarter and many modernist buildings, as it is highly resistant to the elements.

The group Patrimoni UB uses the latest technology to assess the condition of some of the Gothic jewels. The aim is to make a complete structural study of the buildings and discover the process used to construct them. Thus, the current state of these monuments can be discovered, and a diagnosis made to determine which conservation activities are required in the future. Professionals from different fields are participating in this project, including engineers (UPC), historians (Veclus, S.L.), electronics technicians (Elicsa) and geotechnologists (Batlle i Mascareñas Geoprojectes).

Roman aspects of the Eixample
Ildefons Cerdà, a rational genius, did not know that his Eixample design had a classical precedent: Rome. Indeed, Cerdà was to unwittingly draw his well-known grid over the axes of rural plots that had been created by the efficient Roman surveyors nineteen centuries earlier. Streets such as the current Torrent de l’Olla, the Passeig de Gràcia, the Carrer Major de Sarrià or the Gran Via were constructed, many years later, on the original demarcation lines of the Roman cadastre. The recently-discovered survival of this cadastre was studied by the archaeologist Josep M. Palet in his thesis Estudi territorial del Pla de Barcelona (Regional study of the plan of Barcelona), supervised by the lecturer Josep M. Gurt.

According to this research, Barcino was founded just after Augustus had ended his campaign against the Cantabrians (19 AC). Barcino’s founders were probably the same legions that had established Cesaraugusta (Zaragoza): the legion III Macedonica, the legion VI Victrix and the legion X Gemina, who also built the well-known Pont del Diable (Devil’s Bridge) at Martorell. This bridge was a key point in
the road network (the Via Augusta) that began in Rome, joined Barcina and Cesaraugusta, and linked the entire region.

Gurt supports this theory with evidence of similarities in the planning of Barcino and Cesaraugusta. He considers that both cities were constructed by the same Roman army engineers and surveyors.

Is a reconstruction of some of the axes of the Roman cadastre. Some of these coincide with current roads and streets, such as the Travessera de Gràcia and the Travessera de les Corts (1), Torrent de l’Olla (2) and Major de Sarrià (3).

“The modulations in the plans are the same,” he states, “and reflect a clearly imperial men­tality: to organise the whole region, planning both city and countryside, devoting entire hectares to agricultural production.”

The Roman division of land in Barcelona was carried out in accordance with the topography of the terrain. Before beginning his plans for the Eixample, Cerdà, like any good engineer, also carried out an exhaustive topography. This reflected surviving aspects of the Roman era (unwittingly, as it is stressed that Cerdà never knew about the cadastre; if he had he may have altered his plans to accommodate this fact). Gurt describes fossilised elements of the Roman cadastre that were still in use in the mid 19th century.

In addition, the size of the blocks of houses in Cerdà’s plans is very similar to the Roman agrarian unit, the Iugerium. This unit is a rectangle made up of 1 x 2 actus, i.e., the area that one man with one ox could work in a day. This is currently equivalent to 70 x 35.5 m.

Although it is still not known who the first inhabitants of Roman Barcino were, Gurt suggests that they were probably similar to those of its twin city Cesaraugusta, i.e. colonists and veterans of the legions. However, no evidence has been found to support this hypothesis to date.
Witness to a distant past
A team from the Faculty of Geology’s Department of Geodynamics and Geophysics, coordinated by the lecturer Francesc Sàbat, were contracted to carry out a geological study of the hills of Barcelona. This contract was awarded by the company in charge of constructing line 12 of the metro system. The team was able to draw up a complete map, due to the large amount of data collected in over 50 years from numerous outcrops (the fruit of previous engineering studies, construction projects etc.).

In this context, in spring 2006, a rock wall was exposed in the Avinguda de la República Argentina (downhill from Vallcarca, on the right hand side), as a result of some urban development work. This outcrop was studied by Sàbat’s team. The results of their research were subsequently disseminated by means of educational platforms. The City Council collaborated in the dissemination activities.

Although there are other exposed rock walls in the city, none of them have the same characteristics as this one. It is 10 metres wide and four metres high and shows changes in Barcelona’s subsoil during the Palaeozoic Era, i.e. the period between 500 and 300 million years ago. Old substrata can be seen in the outcrop that are characteristic of the higher parts of the city, such as the hill Putxet or the Collserola mountain range. In addition, Palaeozoic rocks can be found: ochre, Devonian limestone to the west, i.e. to the right of the wall (400 million years old); next to dark, Silurian slate on the left (440 million years old).

 

“Exposed rock walls have revealed the changes in the city’s subsoil”

An exposed rock wall in carrer Farigola.

 

These materials are separated by a fault, in which deformed red and greyish materials can
be found. There are also some samples of young rocks from the tertiary period (25 million years ago). The plain of Barcelona was formed in this period.

The rock wall will be enclosed in a green area that is part of a Municipal Housing Plan improvement, involving the construction of 42 dwellings.

The aim of Sàbat’s team is twofold: to ensure that this geological heritage is preserved by the local government; and to disseminate information about this site to the people of Bar­celona. The team considers that geological outcrops should be incorporated into the urban landscape and their importance explained.