A chaos of wires that threatens the beauty of the city
In Barcelona, the image of historical and modern facades has been altered by a network of black cables and boxes that extend as a spider web. These fiber -optic facilities, typical of various companies, have become an aesthetic and functional problem that affects the visual integrity of the city.
The dilemma of fiber -optic infrastructure
Daniel Carrasco, leader of the Barcelona Installers Guild, emphasizes that while electrical installations follow a unified model, fiber optics deployment has been fragmented. “If you had opted for a common infrastructure from the beginning, now we would not be leading with this chaos,” says Carrasco, highlighting the need for a more organized solution.
Political legislation and will: a way to follow
Current telecommunications legislation promotes the speed of fiber installation, but can neglect the aesthetics and safety of buildings. Josep Maria Boronat, President of the Agrupació de Arquitectes for the Defense and Intervention in Architectural Heritage (AADIPA), emphasizes that a better coordination between companies and the administration could be key to solving this problem. “Rationalizing infrastructure is essential, and this depends on political will,” he says.
Neighborhood voices in search of changes
Residents of neighborhoods like Gothic are asking the City Council to take effective measures to address the subject. Mikel Uriondo, President of the Gothic Neighborhood Network, proposes a cataloging of buildings to determine the necessary interventions, as well as a dialogue table with operators and neighbors to discuss solutions.
Viable alternatives for wiring
One of the possible solutions includes the use of interior playgrounds to hide the wiring, while the newest buildings should be designed with facilities that minimize the visual impact. Decorative gutters could be an option to integrate cables into the aesthetics of the facades.
Repercussions in the urban landscape
The existence of these cables not only affects the individual appearance of the buildings, but also alters the general image of the city. Boronat claims that these distorting elements should not be part of the urban landscape. To address this, the Municipal Institute of Urban Landscape and Quality of Life is developing a guide to best practices for installation companies.
The digital voice against wiring
On social media, citizens have begun to use the #Patrrimonicable tag to make this problem visible and demand a change. This initiative reflects the growing citizen concern to maintain the architectural beauty of Barcelona as new technologies are implemented.