Doctor Pla i Armengol Gardens occupy a green street block of over 3.6 ha delimited by Ronda del Guinardó, c/Cartagena, av. Mare de Déu de Montserrat and the Torrent de Melis watercourse. The intervention is part of Barcelona’s Green Space and Biodiversity Plan.

An intervention has been carried out to preserve a large number of established trees, with itineraries and small seating areas to enjoy the greenery and historical heritage, in three clearly differentiated zones. The Noucentista garden maintains the stylistic unity of the layout designed by architect Adolf Florensa, with its formal and domestic landscaped spaces. Its historical and artistic heritage has been recovered, restoring walls and balusters, as well as the original pools, pilasters and wooden pergolas. Restoration work also includes the Fountain of Frejús Aphrodite, by Adolf Florensa himself (1930), the octagonal and bench fountains in the gardens on the sea side, and a Noucentista fountain uncovered during the intervention.

To the west of the Noucentista garden, where the stables and less valuable pre-existences were situated, is the most public part of the park. Here, the topography is adapted at certain points to improve proximity to the city. This is where the tiered seating, the green square, the children’s playground and vantage points with views of the city are located. The new children’s area includes inclusive play equipment. An igloo has been built with perennial willow logs, becoming a cool, shady tunnel in the summer and part of the city’s network of climate shelters. 

In the southeast is the area for urban allotments and the promotion of biodiversity, with damp environments, and educational and pedagogical routes. This part has a total surface area of over 3,200 m² and a growing area of 1,215 m², subdivided into 33 plots.

It is important to emphasize that this naturalized pond network functions with a single system of flow recirculation, promoting ecosystems typical of wetland environments and therefore encouraging the presence of amphibians, birds and aquatic invertebrates such as dragonflies. The water cycle has therefore been respected to allow the infiltration of rainwater into the aquifer, using permeable paving and plant cover, as well as sustainable drainage systems.

This intervention included planting a total of 112,000 shrubs, of more than 140 species, and 105 trees, of over 20 species.