Barcelona’s Mar Bella promenade project has won a Planet Aqua City Award at Venice Climate Week, in the Coastal and Delta Resilience category. The recognition was given for work aimed at adapting the Barcelona seafront to climate change and improving its resilience.
Maria Buhigas, Barcelona City Council’s chief architect, collected the award in Venice. The project is still under construction and is part of the city’s wider effort to transform its coastline through climate-focused urban planning and renaturalisation.
The scheme will create a new vegetated promenade, with more green space, over 1,000 trees, sustainable drainage systems and rainwater collection tanks. City officials say it is designed to improve comfort and support sports activity along the waterfront.
Part of the existing coastal wall will be removed to help retain sand on Nova Mar Bella beach. The promenade wall along Nova Mar Bella and Llevant beaches will also be reinforced, according to the city.
The measures are intended to reduce flood risk, improve water infiltration and absorption, prevent pollution and discharges into the sea, and strengthen biodiversity and urban comfort. The award was presented in collaboration with the C40 cities network.
Venice Climate Week recognises new initiatives linked to climate change response. For more Barcelona coverage, see our news page.