When the works are finished, walking along La Rambla will no longer be the same; not only because of its new pavement and new configuration, but also because of the terraces. The Barcelona City Council has begun the process to declare La Rambla as the first Terrace Excellence Zone in the city, a figure that will allow establishing a new model based on design, planning, and quality criteria. The measure, which coincides with the execution of works in the central section of the promenade, includes the elaboration of a consensual style guide with the Restaurant Guild and Amics de la Rambla, and will set the conditions for the progressive re-implementation of the terraces.
The project covers the entire axis of La Rambla and aims to define a unitary image for all terraces, balancing aesthetic coherence and singularity of each establishment. The new style guide sets technical and visual criteria for the elements that make up these spaces —tables, chairs, parasols, or auxiliary elements— with the aim of reducing visual noise and reinforcing the identity of the promenade as one of Barcelona's most representative spaces. The initiative is currently in the technical validation phase through the Barcelona Terrace Technical Commission, which must endorse the proposal before its final approval.
The style guide proposes an arrangement based on the homogeneity of certain structural elements. Among them, the large-format parasols stand out, which must maintain the same height and a uniform cream color, creating a continuous visual plane along the entire promenade. This approach seeks to generate a more ordered and recognizable reading of La Rambla, reducing the visual fragmentation that has historically characterized the arrangement of the terraces.
At the same time, the model contemplates the possibility of differentiating each establishment through elements such as tables, chairs, or textiles, which may vary within a defined range of colors, materials, and formats. In this way, the aim is to find a balance between a coherent overall image and the unique identity of each business.
One of the pillars of the new model is the reduction of the visual impact of terraces on public space. The style guide establishes clear limitations on communicative elements: only the identification of the establishment will be allowed on the blackboard and on the back of the chairs, eliminating any type of advertising, brands, or additional messages.
Aspects such as textile tablecloths without patterns and in neutral colors are also regulated, as well as complementary elements such as lighting, heaters, or delimitation systems, which must be as light and transparent as possible. Likewise, the obligation to dismantle furniture daily —with the exception of parasols— and to keep the space clean and tidy once the activity has finished is introduced.
As part of the process of redefining the space, the City Council will promote a public design competition for three key elements of the terraces: auxiliary furniture, the blackboard, and delimitation elements. The competition will be developed in collaboration with Adi-FAD and Arquin-FAD, entities linked to the field of industrial design, architecture, and interior design. The objective is to incorporate local design into the new Rambla and provide the promenade with elements that bring personality and uniqueness without breaking the visual coherence of the whole.
The creation of the Terrace Excellence Zone is part of a broader process of transformation of La Rambla, which seeks to recover space for pedestrians and improve the quality of the urban environment. Currently, the promenade has 62 catering establishments, approximately half of which have a terrace. With the new arrangement, these will be concentrated exclusively in the central section and must respect distances and criteria that guarantee accessibility, safety, and fluidity of traffic. This reorganization will free up key spaces such as metro accesses, passage areas, or urban elements, reinforcing the citizen use of public space.
The new terrace model is being developed in parallel with the physical renovation of La Rambla, currently underway in its central section. The works have forced the temporary removal of the terraces, which opens an opportunity to redefine their configuration before their return. The objective is for the re-implementation to be carried out progressively and already adapted to the new criteria, consolidating a model that is more ordered, coherent, and aligned with the urban transformation of the promenade.