The transformation of the Almeda district in Cornellá: from self-construction to the big property developments

Abstract

The Almeda district in Cornellá de Llobregat is an example of how a marginal housing estate in a rural area can be transformed into a new outlying area of importance, within the city conurbation of Barcelona. The Almeda district’s creation and initial evolution obeys the model of marginal town-planning, thus defined by the low quality of housing built and by the fundamental lack of services and basic equipment needed to create a favourable urban environment. It is a simple operation of dividing the land into plots to change the use of the land from rural to urban, without urbanizing the surrounding area. Subsequently, the public administration gradually takes care of installing the equipment and town-planning infrastructures in reply to the neglected welfare needs of the residents. Finally, the process reaches its peak after eighty years when the Almeda district is consolidated as an area with a satisfactory urbanistic environment, favouring the construction of quality housing.