Imagining the Diagonal: A New Vision for Southern Europe

PROJECT SUMMARY
This report focuses on the European "Diagonal," a chain of five major metropolitan regions stretching from Lisbon to Milan, encompassing Madrid, Barcelona and Marseille and a constellation of smaller cities. It summarizes the findings and recommendations of a graduate planning studio at the University of Pennsylvania conducted in the Spring of 2007 for the Fundación Metrópoli in Madrid, Spain, one of Europe's leading urban planning and research centers.

The studio was asked by the Fundación Metrópoli to examine whether the European Diagonal has the potential to enhance its megaregional function through linked economies, mobility systems, natural resources and cultural traditions. The studio was also asked to identify the policies and investments needed to achieve this goal. After careful consideration, the studio team concluded that while the Diagonal does not yet function as a megaregion, it has the potential do so. The team did find, however, that the Diagonal currently consists of a chain of linked metropolitan regions, in which smaller overlapping links of city pairs already have economic ties. In some cases, such as Madrid and Barcelona, these links are already strong. In others, such as between Marseille and Milan, the cities are not currently closely connected. In every case, however, potential to strengthen these links exists, and strong advantages could be gained by doing so.

Incorporating all of the links in the Diagonal into a functioning megaregion will require major transportation and other infrastructure investments, including High Speed Rail (HSR) connections, modernized ports and other improvements needed to integrate the economies and mobility systems of the Diagonal cities. Strengthening the relationships between the cities will also require cooperation between the Diagonal's cities and regions regarding shared environmental, climate and energy concerns. Finally, capitalizing on the area's potential will require that the Diagonal cities work to bring immigrants into their economic and social mainstreams.

This report concludes that by taking these steps toward becoming a functioning megaregion, the entire Diagonal, its component cities, and its residents could gain enormous economic, mobility, environmental, and other advantages.