El Raval Assignment

El Raval 

The first time I went to El Raval I did not know the history of the place. Before I went, people told me to be careful and not go by myself. After I heard this, my image of the place was completely skewed. As I walked through the streets at night, a kept looking around to make sure we were safe and there was no danger around us. One of my previous blog entries showcases this. The advice I received kind of ruined my experience because I was to worried about watching the people around me than taking in this awesome place. As it turns out, this is one of the most dynamic areas in Barcelona. When Barcelona looked at this area to renew, it saw it could go in two directions. El Raval could be renewed from the inside out and keep the social fabric of the area or contract the area out to big business men. Barcelona chose wisely and decided to keep the social fabric and this is very evident in many aspects of El Raval. For one, this place was an area for locals to come together because Las Ramblas was over run by tourists. Old buildings and churches were transformed into new uses. For example, Convent dels Angels was converted into a place for young artists. Young designers and artists can use this area to have a fashion show or showcase their art. El Raval has this young identity. There are many small stores that are run by young store owner. This young movement became even greater with the addition of the University. The city became the campus of the University and allowed the students to become part of the area. Other universities are separate from the city and there is no reality in that. In most cities, the cost of the land is so expensive that every part of the place is over run with buildings. In El Raval area, there is a number of open area to meet and hang out. Right in front of the museum is an open area that has become popular among skaters. Also, with the addition of the underground garbage system, El Raval is a very clean area. Much cleaner than other parts of Barcelona I have seen.

One of the most important things Barcelona chose to do during the renewal process was no to kick out the immigrants. There is a large population of Pakistan and Moroccan immigrants in this area and people probably thought this area would become very dangerous. However, Barcelona saw that if you give basic services to people like education than they will behave better. When an area is improved, there is something inside people that will want to keep the area clean and safe. After the September 11th attacks, some people probably labeled everybody in this area as terrorists; however, it is not fair to punish everybody because of one singular person. Also, luxury buildings have tried to open in El Raval but it just does not fit into the area. It just does not go along with the social fabric. I believe that the renewal of El Raval was a success. The renewal did not just change buildings but also people. The area became safer and better because of opportunity. El Raval offers kids the opportunity to learn and grow. For example, the first hospital in Barcelona was transformed into a public library for kids to go freely. Also, young kids can look outside and see a number of students studying and going to University.Today, El Raval has fused culture and education into one.