Designing Post-Taurine Futures for Mediterranean Spain

Abstract

The tradition of Bous al Carrer, a four-century-old practice involving the running of bulls through urban streets, remains culturally significant in Mediterranean Spain, particularly in Valencian society. While these events foster community bonds and celebration, they also pose challenges to animal welfare and urban design. The infrastructure for these festivals includes modular barriers, protective ground-floor structures, and steel viewing platforms, creating pedestrianised spaces while prioritising taurine requirements over climate-adaptive design. As climate change, demographic decline, rising insurance costs, and ethical concerns pressurize this tradition, a re-evaluation of its spatial and social implications is crucial. This research explores how historical design threads can inform speculative post-taurine futures that prioritise sustainable urban spaces while respecting cultural heritage.

Keywords: bous al carrer; ephemeral infrastructure; speculative design; Mediterranean urbanism; post-taurine futures