Morphological analysis of Lloret de Mar: a GIS and TLS analysis of the historical centre

This contribution presents a morphological analysis of the historical centre of Lloret de Mar based in GIS technologies and a TLS survey. Today, the image of Lloret is strongly rooted in a reality based on the intensive use produced by mass tourism (29.443 hotel rooms, 7.164 secondary residences [1] ), strong urban growth beyond the historical centre boundary and a strong transformation process of the historical centre; high differences in urban volumetric shapes, streets types, facade colours, urban densities and uses at building ground floor. These two realities between the centre and its urrounding areas appears to coexist in different levels defined by three main axes: the Marlin and Vilarrodona Fair Avenue, the Villa de Tossa Avenue and the Pau Casals Avenue. In itself, the old town of Lloret de Mar is a very diverse district, which has changed its strongly Mediterranean initial appearance due to pressure generated by mass tourism. In 2010 only 43% (7.418) residences corresponded to local inhabitants. The main concern lies in the loss of its inhabitants which have been gradually leav ing the centre, this is crucial because it has led to a transformation of the ground floors uses of buildings focusing on commercial activities mostly dedicated to tourism and losing their original local services function. The work presented here allows to understand the Mediterranean character of this urban core analysing different morphological aspects; the urban expansion dynamics from 1900 to present based on historical maps and CLC data; and in the other hand, detailed studies from the consolidated urban centre; public spaces areas, building heights, building attics and facades (colour and material).