Open Access

Hannah Walther

• The city of Barcelona has developed the transversal project of Superblocks which combines traffic pacification with the installation of urban green and urban furniture in order to counteract rising problems of threatening air quality, noise levels, insufficient urban green and lacking public spaces. The implementation of the Superblock in Sant Antoni has revealed a reduction of motorized transport in the whole neighbourhood. This thesis aims at understanding sociological dimensions of behaviour changes and modal shifts, as well as contextualizing the transformation in the light of an ongoing paradigm shift in urban mobility. Quantitative data of traffic volumes shows the measured reduction of motorized transport in Sant Antoni. A quantitative questionnaire casts a light on modal shifts and attitudes of residents in the intervention zone. Further qualitative interviews create an in-depth understanding of individual residents and their modal changes, mobility behaviour and attitudes towards the changes. Finally, expert interviews in the field of transport planning and city administration substantiate the ongoing paradigm shift towards a more ecological, socially connected, and sustainable city. Keywords: urban planning, urban mobility, sustainable mobility transition, evaporating transport, modal shift, behaviour change, social practice