Abstract

Historical city centres usually symbolise the origins of the city. While these areas are usually endowed with a multitude of historic buildings, they are also the areas that are most prone to the undesirable and consequential effects of growth and urbanisation, including overcrowding, air emissions and poor environmental quality. Urban regeneration of historic city centres serves as a fundamental catalyst for change, improving environmental quality of the natural and built environments, and upgrading conditions in inner historic areas. This paper analyses strategies that have been used in the Core City of Barcelona, Spain, and A focuses on the strategies that have been used to upgrade the environmental quality of this historical centre as a case from which many lessons can be learnt, thus attempting at diminishing undesirable effects and improving the urban and environmental quality of its urban spaces for the well-being of citizens.