The
Plaça Reial of
Barcelona has a high vitality, with pedestrian spaces and a variety of establishments in its vicinity.
Comparatively,
Plaça dels Països Catalans has a low vitality, with fewer establishments and large, surrounding streets which inhibit pedestrian movement.
Urban vitality is the quality of spaces in
cities that attract diverse groups of people for varied activities over frequent, varied times.[1][2] These spaces may be perceived as alive, lively or vibrant, in contrast with low-vitality areas, which may repel people and be perceived as unsafe.[3][4]
The urban vitality index is a measure of this quality and has become a fundamental tool in
urban planning, especially in interventions for spaces with low vitality.[5] The index is also used to assist the management of spaces that already have high vitality. However, the success of high-vitality spaces can sometimes lead to
gentrification and
overtourism that may reduce their vitality and initial popularity.[6]
The concept of urban vitality is important in Mediterranean urbanism and its history, in which
public space,
walkability and
squares are valued as centers of
social interaction and
cohesion, in contrast to the Anglo-Saxon urbanism of large, car-centric infrastructures with greater distances between conveniences.[3][4][8]
Conditions for high urban vitality
Urban vitality can be quantified thanks to the analysis of the elements that determine it. Among them are:[9][10]
Diversity of uses of the space that can attract different types of people for diverse activities and at various times, making the space constantly occupied, improving its security.
Diversity of buildings with varied characteristics and ages, allowing people with different
purchasing power to live in all areas of the city, avoiding the formation of
ghettos.
^Liang, Yang; D’Uva, Domenico; Scandiffio, Alessandro; Rolando, Andrea (2022). "The more walkable, the more livable? -- can urban attractiveness improve urban vitality?". Transportation Research Procedia. 60: 322–329.
doi:
10.1016/j.trpro.2021.12.042.