•The Intercultural City Programme (ICC) of Barcelona argues that the public spaces could be constructed and transformed by triggering from above.•The inherent problem representations and expected outcomes of the ICC Program as an urban integration policy model, do not sufficiently address the important aspects of socio-spatial inequalities which stem from the complex power inequalities.•The ICC Programme of Barcelona does not fully address the multi-actor and complex character of the social production of space which includes unequal power relations.•The ICC Programme problematizes the presence of immigrants in public spaces as a trigger of conflict. Since 2008, the COE has been promoting interculturalism as a city-level integration policy model under the name Intercultural Cities Programme (ICC) to facilitate intercultural interaction, combat prejudice and discrimination, and enhance inclusion and social cohesion. The member cities within the Intercultural City Network have developed several policy programme activities to create open and inclusive cities. These programmes present diversity as a challenge that needs to be managed and, at the same time, as an advantage that would increase economic growth. The concrete actions and objectives of these policy programmes include managing and creating public spaces that facilitate peaceful encounters, inclusion, and convivencia. Since policies are usually designed to address problems, it is important to investigate what the problems are perceived to be. Accordingly, by adopting Carol Bacchi's (2009) WPR (What is the Problem Represented to Be?) approach in policy analysis as an analytical framework, through semi-structured interviews and content analysis, this article illuminates how public spaces are conceived and represented in the Barcelona ICC program in relation to solving its inherent problematisations. The findings suggest that the ICC program conceives public spaces as settings of conflict that have to be managed through intercultural policy interventions, neglecting the complexity and multi-actor characteristic of the social construction and production of space.