The engineer, urban planner, and politician Ildefons Cerdà (Centelles, 1815 - Las Caldas de Besaya, Cantabria, 1876), the architect of the Eixample district, is considered the father of modern urban planning. His legacy remains relevant today when proposing solutions to the major challenges of the modern world, as will be evident in the activities of the Ildefons Cerdà Year, which was presented this Monday at the headquarters of the College of Civil Engineers. "The first idea that stands out about Cerdà is his vision for the future. He was able to envision the city of Barcelona not as it was, but as it should be, and that it was necessary to imagine a completely new urban model," states Pere Calvet, the dean of the College of Civil Engineers. "The second idea is the city at the service of its people," he adds. "Cerdà didn't just design streets and blocks; he studied the living conditions of the population, the lack of ventilation, the density, public health. His project sought a healthier and fairer city."