Route of Thresholds

Santiago de Compostela – Route of thresholds

This urban design competition, developed in collaboration with the Spanish architecture studio RVArquitectos, aimed to regenerate Santiago de Compostela’s inner north-south ring road, which follows the route of the former medieval city wall and has gradually become a traffic barrier between the historic centre and the areas beyond the old city limits.

Our proposal is a clear commitment to giving the city back to pedestrians and prioritising public transport over private vehicles. The number of traffic lanes is reduced along most of the route, pavements and roadways are levelled, and traffic-calming measures are introduced. The new pedestrian spaces are redesigned using permeable paving and a sustainable drainage system. The landscape strategy is based on native vegetation, predominantly deciduous species, providing shade in summer while allowing sunlight to reach public spaces during winter. Santiago’s traditional granite paving regains prominence in the streets through a contemporary interpretation that plays with different sizes and tones.

The proposal, entitled “Route of Thresholds”, seeks to dissolve the existing traffic barrier between the historic city and the surrounding urban fabric. It stitches the two parts of the city together through nine strategic thresholds, creating a continuous route that can be crossed from side to side. Each intervention—the expansion of squares and parks, traffic calming, lane reductions, green walls, the introduction of biodiversity, and topographical modifications to improve accessibility—contributes to an urban itinerary that allows pedestrians to reclaim the city.