Rebranding Flashcards
Barcelona background information
- 1.6 million inhabitants
- Spain’s 2nd largest city
- main industries are textiles, machinery, paper, glass & plastics
- Financial & publishing centre
- Maior tourist destination - 7-8 million visitors a vear
- 19th century industrialisation (iron & steel, ship building) lead to cramped densely populated areas of housing, contributed to poor health
- Civil war in 1936 - suppressed Catalan culture diverse mix of people - 47% immigrants from over 70 countries
Antoni Gaudi - architecture gave many buildings World Heritage Site status
Need for rebranding in Barcelona
- Post Franco regime wanting to reinvent itself
- Social inequality between areas of the city
- The Raval district- densely populated, poor reputation, associated with crime, prositution & drugs,
- Location of ex industries - textiles, brick making etc
- Southern area nearest port location of Chinatown with large immigrant population looking for work and cheap accommodation
- Some areas with low incomes, cramped housing, poor health
What was rebranding process in Barcelona?
Local authority began regeneration with a 7 year plan starting in 1980
Focused on 140 small project
Role of sport in rebranding of Barcelona
- Won bid to host 1992 Olympic Games
- Athletes village built on the waterfront
- Used to generate city wide redevelopment
- Riverside park, business and media parks, international conference centre
- Presented to inhabitants as a ‘one city’ exercise to improve life for residents & visitors
- Decisions made at all levels of the planning and design process - not just top down
- Barcelona Football Club - helped to strengthen the city’s image.
- Flagship development - new stadium Nou Camp
Role of culture in rebranding Barcelona
- Universal Forum of Culture in 2004 promoted regeneration and reimaging of the city - refurbishment of public spaces & galleries.
- La Rambla - tree lined boulevard designed to attract tourists and locals
Role of business in rebranding Barcelona
- November 2010 new ‘Strategic Metropolitan Plan of Barcelona
- Vision 2020’ was presented by municipal authority - key aim to position the city as an attractive region for economic & business growth.
- 2014 European Capital of Innovation (awarded by EU)
Positive impacts of Barcelona rebranding
-In migration of wealthy residents
-New employment opportunities
-Indices of employment, health and crime all show physical and socio-economic gains for locals & visitors
Negative impacts of Barcelona rebranding
-Social tensions between new residents and existing locals
-Wealthy tourists make poorer residents feel excluded from many of the new facilities
-Property speculation has risen prices - some landlords trying to force out long-standing elderly residents
-Protest graffiti common in some areas
-A feeling amongst many that their needs are not being considered
-Local also say prostitution, drug dealing and crime, that persist in parts of the area has still not been effectively dealt with
Salford Quays background information
- in Manchester
- Population of 200,000
- Industrial revolution created growth from processing cotton imported from USA
- Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894
- Salford Quays = 150 acres of land, 75 acres of water, 3 miles of open waterfront
- High employment levels & large community established with homes, factories & shops
Need for rebranding in Salford Quays
- Containerisation from the 1960s onwards lead to rapid decline
- The docks closed in 1982
- Over 3000 people lost their jobs
- Surrounding housing had fallen into disrepair
- Increase in social problems - high unemployment, poverty, crime
What did Salford Quays rebranding involve?
- 1985: Salford Quays Development Plan
- Funded by £30 million of public investment and £293 million from private investment
- Former docks separated from Canal by dams to allow for water to be cleaned for watersport use
- New roads built to connect the site to existing network
- Some reminders left of past use such as cranes
- 450 homes built in three housing developments
- Aimed to create up to 10,000 new jobs
Flagship developments in Salford Quays
- Lowry Building completed in 2000- £64 million supported by National Lottery funding, distinct architecture & mixed leisure use
-MetroLink connecting the area to the city centre - MediaCityUK - 2007
- BBC - 5 departments moved inc. children, sport & radio 5live - £550 million construction cost
- Created 10,000 jobs
- Estimated to add £1 billion to regional economy
- ITV followed moving in 2013
- University of Salford new campus - 1500 students & staff
Positive impact of Salford Quays rebranding
- 2015, there were 26,000 jobs- around 23,000 more jobs than were lost when Manchester Docks closed in 1982
- Improvement environmentally - new green spaces, canal being cleaned
- The social and economic benefits from Salford Quays have been felt throughout the Greater Manchester area and the North West in general.
- was named one of the 7 best places in Manchester to live
Negative impact of Salford Quays rebranding
- Some displacement of people & businesses during construction
- Increased house prices mean many locals are priced out of the area
- Increased traffic congestion
