Pere Vall-Casas
Pere Vall (Barcelona, 1964), graduated as an Architect and obtained his PhD in Urban Design and Planning. He was associate professor and the Director of the Urbanism and Spatial Planning area of the ESARQ-UIC, and was recently appointed as the new director of the school. His research is focused on cultural landscape and regional development, and has developed techniques for intervention in cultural landscape. He is cofounder of the Llobregat Colonies’ River Park, an initiative of territorial reevaluation based on cultural heritage, which has received several awards. Most recently, he has worked on studies of sprawl repair through heritage networks and the recycling of pre-urban patterns. Together with the architect Carmen Mendoza, he is the Director of the UIC Master’s Degree Programme in Regenerating Intermediate Landscapes: Sustainable Strategies for Contemporary Landscapes and is the author of several publications.
the people whose work I admire and appreciate most are those anonymous people who I met during fieldwork and oriented me with their stubborn care for everyday landscapes. What specific project has brought you the most valuable learning experience? The recovery of the textile colonies of the Llobregat River has been the most complete learning experience for me. It began with my doctoral thesis and continued as a practitioner and teacher. After some years I was involved in the regional planning addressed to preserve the cultural identity of this amazing heritage. I had to deal with communities, officials, politicians and stakeholders in order to determine guidelines for sustainable development. I learned a lot. Later I had the opportunity to apply this knowledge to the specific difficulties in handling cultural tourism in developing countries. What are the key obstacles of urban upgrading?
How did you become involved in the field of development /sustainability?
In general terms, we consider external difficulties such as the lack of economic
I was introduced to the field of cultural tourism and sustainable development
resources, legal framework, political will or technical capability, the key limi-
through my doctoral thesis. I studied a stretch of the Llobregat River colonized
tations of urban upgrading. However, in my opinion, these obstacles that are
by an amazing chain of mill communities. At the end of 90’s these little villages
beyond the communities are not as important as the internal fragility of commu-
were completely ruined, factories were closed and streets became deserted due
nities in the face of the market pressures. When socio-spatial cohesion exists and
to unemployment. However, despite the gloomy panorama, the unique identity
communities are resilient and firmly committed in the preservation of their own
of this landscape and the commitment of the locals to its preservation prompted
identity, external limitations, although significant, can be overcome.
the reevaluation of this area and led to its recognition as a heritage site. In your opinion, what changes and practices are needed to dramatically imWho have been your mentors throughout the years or people whose work you
prove the efforts and impact of development projects?
admire?
In the long term, pedagogic strategies aimed at raising awareness of local iden-
Joaquim Sabaté, professor at UPC (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya),
tity are crucial in order for communities to build their own sustainable develop-
and Mark Shuster and Dennis Frenchman, professors at MIT, taught me the
ment models. Simultaneously, in the short term, major efforts should be orient-
methodology to develop regional development strategies based on cultural he-
ed to better connect technicians and citizens in order to implement development
ritage. However, beyond the masters from whom I learned the technical skills,
strategies that are respectful of communities’ ways of life.
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