in Media and Journalism

Barcelona: income by neighborhood

Red hues: Below average
Green: Around average
Blue hues: Above average

I see a trend around the Diagonal. Urbanism influenced wealth distribution around the city, or the other way around? What has been the impact of gentrification (Olympic Games, Fórum, 22@) in Vila Olímpica, Diagonal Mar, and Parc i Llacuna del Poblenou?

This map is going to be one of the exercises I’ll teach at a data visualization workshop organized by Media140, on November 7th, at Vilaweb, in Barcelona.

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  1. I think urbanism was the reason for gentrification in the areas you mention, not the other way round. I am a native of one of those neighbourhoods, so I know first hand! Having said that, I don’t know if it’s gentrification what has happened there. Let me explain. In those areas you have the “old buildings” with people with lower incomes (typically immigrants having arrived in town during the 60-70’s and in the naughties -first decade 21st century!-), and the “new buildings”, whose dwellings went for astronomical prices and whose owners are way richer than their less well-off neighbours. You just don’t get “I wanna mingle with the rich but I can’t afford the condos” people moving to the old buildings. It’s not like in the old part of town, where lots of locals have been bullied out of their homes and then buildings refurbished and resold at higher prices that locals can’t afford – that was proper gentrification! Not knowing the actual analytical work behind the map, I guess that (at least in Diagonal Mar, yeah, that’s where I’m from), if you discarded “outliers” when calculating average income, your green would turn somewhat reddish… Well, that’s just my 5 cents.

  2. Hi Eva!

    I agree that averages are probably hiding / distorting the outcome of the viz, specially in neighbourhoods like Diagonal Mar. Unfortunately, the data comes “as is” from the Open Data portal of the Barcelona City Council. It’s not ideal, but it serves is purpose, at least for a broad overview like this.

    About “gentrification”, you obviously have more first-hand experience than me. But I still identify the process in those three neighbourhoods as gentrification, even if there’s not obvious bullying on the old residents.

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