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Spain · 41.3874°, 2.1686°

Barcelona Map Poster: The Eixample Grid

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Map poster of Barcelona (Spain): streets, water and parks drawn from OpenStreetMap

Why this city works as a poster

The Eixample is not an ordinary grid: every intersection is cut on the diagonal, which on the map produces a texture of repeated octagons rather than squares. At reading distance that texture reads as a regular, almost textile pattern — an effect no other major city produces.

Recommended framing

Frame at 5 km, including the Diagonal, the avenue that crosses the grid on the slant. Without it the texture is beautiful but uniform; with it the composition gains an axis and a break.

Which theme to pick

The octagon pattern only survives fine linework. Themes with heavy roads turn the Eixample into a uniform block and remove exactly what makes the map interesting: check this on the free preview before buying.

Where to centre the map

Eixample
The chamfered-corner grid, the poster's main subject.
Ciutat Vella
The old town, whose irregular network cuts sharply against the neighbouring grid.
Diagonal
The slanted avenue, the only line that does not obey the grid.

How its streets are oriented

Street orientation in Barcelona: orientation order 0.33, partial grid0° (N) – 180° (S): 2.7% of street length10° (N) – 190° (S): 2.0% of street length20° (NNE) – 200° (SSW): 2.5% of street length30° (NNE) – 210° (SSW): 4.3% of street length40° (NE) – 220° (SW): 13.8% of street length50° (NE) – 230° (SW): 16.7% of street length60° (ENE) – 240° (WSW): 5.3% of street length70° (ENE) – 250° (WSW): 5.4% of street length80° (E) – 260° (W): 1.3% of street length90° (E) – 270° (W): 3.1% of street length100° (E) – 280° (W): 1.4% of street length110° (ESE) – 290° (WNW): 1.5% of street length120° (ESE) – 300° (WNW): 2.3% of street length130° (SE) – 310° (NW): 8.5% of street length140° (SE) – 320° (NW): 20.4% of street length150° (SSE) – 330° (NNW): 4.3% of street length160° (SSE) – 340° (NNW): 3.8% of street length170° (S) – 350° (N): 0.7% of street length180° (S) – 0° (N): 2.7% of street length190° (S) – 10° (N): 2.0% of street length200° (SSW) – 20° (NNE): 2.5% of street length210° (SSW) – 30° (NNE): 4.3% of street length220° (SW) – 40° (NE): 13.8% of street length230° (SW) – 50° (NE): 16.7% of street length240° (WSW) – 60° (ENE): 5.3% of street length250° (WSW) – 70° (ENE): 5.4% of street length260° (W) – 80° (E): 1.3% of street length270° (W) – 90° (E): 3.1% of street length280° (W) – 100° (E): 1.4% of street length290° (WNW) – 110° (ESE): 1.5% of street length300° (WNW) – 120° (ESE): 2.3% of street length310° (NW) – 130° (SE): 8.5% of street length320° (NW) – 140° (SE): 20.4% of street length330° (NNW) – 150° (SSE): 4.3% of street length340° (NNW) – 160° (SSE): 3.8% of street length350° (N) – 170° (S): 0.7% of street lengthNESW

Within 3 km of the centre, we measured the orientation of 522 km of streets. Its orientation order is 0.33 out of 1: Barcelona ranks 11th of the 64 cities in the study.

A grid stands out, but a good share of the streets run in other directions. The main grid is tilted 42° west of north.

See the full study: street orientation in 64 cities

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