Sensemaking In Urban Experiments: The Case of Barcelona’s Superblocks

Abstract

This research analyses the Superblocks initiative in Barcelona within the broader context of urban experimentation. It assesses whether the participatory process adopted aligns with the constructs formulated within Weick’s (1988) concept of enacted sensemaking. The research uses a thematic analysis of the minutes from 11 participatory meetings that took place before, during and after the project. The results emphasise the importance of considering the overlooked identity dimension when planning future projects, as this can promote social learning. This study addresses the current lack of literature bridging the gap between urban experimentation and organisational change theories.