KALELAGUN is part of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council's HARIAK Strategy for loneliness and has been financed and promoted by ADINBERRI and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

According to the Gipuzkoa Loneliness Map (2021), unwanted loneliness affects 29.5% of people over 55 years of age in Gipuzkoa. This is a problem that must be addressed from different disciplines, including urbanism.

The objective of KALELAGUN is to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse various public spaces (squares and streets) in Gipuzkoa from the perspective of loneliness. The project identifies the main factors and proposes a series of design guidelines to mitigate loneliness. Streets and squares that accompany us throughout our lives, that encourage active living and favour social relationships.

The project has a multidisciplinary and inter-institutional approach and has been developed in collaboration with three City Councils: Beasain, Arrasate and Donostia, where three squares have been used as case studies.

The main result of the project is the KALELAGUN design GUIDE, which is illustrated with practical cases to facilitate its application. The guide is proposed as a practical tool for architecture and design professionals, administrations and citizens in general.

Various research techniques have been applied to develop the work: bibliographic and literature analysis, field visits, surveys, non-participant observation, interviews, co-creation processes with actors belonging to the quadruple helix and monitoring of environmental parameters in three real cases.

The Barrendain square in Beasain will become the first KALELAGUN square and construction will begin in 2025.

Research staff

Lead researcher: Olatz Irulegi Garmendia (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)

• Miriam Varela (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Claudia Pennese (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Eva Jiménez (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Urtza Uriarte (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Rufino Hernández (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Antonio Serra (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Olatz Grijalba (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Alex Mitxelena (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Izaskun Aseguinolaza (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Xabat Oregi (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Iñigo Rodríguez (Department of Architecture - CAVIAR Group)
• Asier Benko (School of Architecture)
• Ioan Cauni (School of Architecture)
• Alhelí Álvarez (School of Architecture)
• Moises Odriozola (Faculty of Engineering, Gipuzkoa - ENEDI Group)
• Iñaki Gómez (Faculty of Engineering, Gipuzkoa - ENEDI Group)
• Iván Flores (Faculty of Engineering, Gipuzkoa - ENEDI Group)
• Alex Mendiburu (Faculty of Informatics - Intelligent System Group)
• Olaia Larruskain (Faculty of Psychology - Psicología Social: Cultura, Cognición y Emoción y Criminología aplicada)
• Edurne Martínez (Faculty of Psychology - Psicología Social: Cultura, Cognición y Emoción y Criminología aplicada)
• Saioa Telletxea (Faculty of Psychology - Psicología Social: Cultura, Cognición y Emoción y Criminología aplicada)
• Laura Vozmediano (Faculty of Psychology - Psicología Social: Cultura, Cognición y Emoción y Criminología aplicada)

Other project information

• Locator: IK-22-003
• Year: 2022-2024
• Keywords: Diseño de espacios públicos, Soledades, Personas mayores, Estrategia HARIAK, Envejecimiento saludable
• Program name: Retos del envejecimiento activo, saludable y con sentido y significado (Adinberri) y el impulso de la mejora de la atención y cuidados a las personas mayores. Departamento de Promoción Económica, Turismo y Medio Rural de la Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa
• Project type: Proyecto de I+D+i financiado en convocatoria competitiva
• Funding entities: ADINBERRI and Gipuzkoako Foru Alundia
• Participating entities: Ayuntamiento de Beasain | Ayuntamiento de Donostia -  San Sebastián | Ayuntamiento de Arrasate
• Start date: 2022
• Duration: 24 hilabete
• Total amount: 519.200,60€
• Amount subsidized: 259.600,30€