Access passage to Flora Tristán gardens in Barcelona reopens

Barcelona City Council has reopened this Tuesday the passage that connects Padilla Street with the interior gardens of Flora Tristán, in the Sagrada Familia neighbourhood, following improvement works that began in February.

Barcelona City Council has reopened this Tuesday the passage that links Padilla Street with the interior gardens of Flora Tristán, in the Sagrada Familia neighbourhood. The improvement works, initiated last February, have made the space brighter and the entrance from the street more visible.

The passage, 5 meters wide and 25 meters long, with a height of 4.30 meters, was perceived until now as a dark place despite its large dimensions compared to other accesses to interior courtyards. The dark materials and coatings and insufficient lighting did not help make the space feel welcoming.

With the renovation, the space now invites people to enter the courtyard and becomes a resting area, beyond its previous function as a transit space. Dark surfaces, such as the black stone walls and the black metal ceiling, have been replaced with lighter materials and colours. The new ceiling is green, establishing a visual relationship with the interior gardens of the courtyard.

The intervention has taken into account the spontaneous uses that residents already made of the passage. It was common for children's birthday parties to be held there in case of rain or for it to be used as a refuge during the summer thanks to the shade and natural ventilation. It was also common for children to draw with chalk on the dark walls, using them as large blackboards.

Therefore, a linear bench has been installed at the end of the passage with an integrated fountain, to reinforce its function as a space for staying and meeting. Additionally, a section of wall has been preserved with blackboard paint to maintain that spontaneous activity for the little ones.

The works are part of a municipal initiative to enhance the interior courtyards of the city and improve the quality of life in the neighbourhoods. With this reopening, the residents of Sagrada Familia regain a space that is now more pleasant and functional for strolling and resting.