Building Barcelona: 10 Cultural Projects Celebrating Public Life

Few cities have more vibrant civic spaces than Barcelona. With an urban fabric that emerges from Roman foundations and fortifications, the city has a rich cultural heritage embedded within its streets. Known for architecture that values social and sensory experience, Barcelona’s cityscape is heavily influenced by Ildefons Cerdà’s grid of octagonal blocks. A radical form of urbanization for its time, Cerdà’s plan helped create parks and improved circulation that would engender more walkable, lively public spaces.

Building off our collections on Spanish steel, concrete homes and seaside hideaways, the following projects examine cultural projects throughout Barcelona. Showcasing Spanish design throughout one of the world’s most iconic cities, each project creates new spatial relationships among historic contexts. Advocating new architecture and novel approaches, they embody one of the most beautiful and diverse cities in the world.

Endesa Pavilion by Margen-lab, Barcelona, Spain

The ENDESA Pavilion was designed as a self-sufficient solar prototype and control room for intelligent power management. The structure’s modular façade was made with a photovoltaic system and form that responds to solar orientation and position while advocating environmental awareness.

CONS project BCN by Floda31, Barcelona, Spain

The first of multiple CONS projects, this event space was created to inspire people to skateboard. Sited along the Barcelona container port, the design utilizes found materials to create gathering areas and spaces to skate.

Aeronautical Cultural Center by BERTA BARRIO + SERGI GODIA + ELOI JUVILLÀ, El Prat de Llobregat, Spain

Within close proximity to the Barcelona Airport, the Aeronautical Cultural Center is both a building and a hangar. Designed to showcase and manage aircraft from World War II and the Spanish Civil War, the project includes space for cultural and recreational use by the public.

Film Theatre of Catalonia by Mateo Arquitectura, Carrer d’Espalter, Barcelona, Spain

Built around Roman ruins that formalize the building structure, this Film Theatre features bare concrete beams, spatial filters and cinematographic references. Organized around ideas of descent and ascension, the project manages circulation through two courtyard spaces.

Aureà Cuadrado Urban Skate Park by SCOB Architecture & Landscape, Barcelona, Spain

Built as a skate square, this park works within its constraints to form unique surfaces for skating. From retaining slopes and level changes, the design links together spaces through sequence and a continuity with the surrounding landscape.

Mercat dels Encantsby b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos, Barcelona, Spain

As a new market space, Mercat dels Encants mediates the Meridiana and the Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes. Formally, a continuous platform divides and folds to create multiple floors while an iconic roof plane reflects the city from the market interior.

Mont-Àgora Cultural Centre by Pere Puig arquitecte, Barcelona, Spain

The Mont-Àgora Cultural Centre combines a library, auditorium, classrooms and meeting areas within Santa Margarida de Montbui. As a landmark civic and public building, the project overlooks views of central Catalonia through a glass and white bi-prestressed concrete façade.

Remodelling of El Ninot Market by Mateo Arquitectura, Barcelona, Spain

Centering around an elegant structural support system, the El Ninot remodel introduced a new program while preserving the building’s unique character. Transforming surface over volume, the remodel reorganizes urban space to integrate outdoor stalls and emphasize individual vendor areas.

Santa Caterina Market by Miralles Tagliabue EMBT, Barcelona, Spain

Located within Ciutat Vella, the rehabilitation of Santa Caterina Market explores notions of time and layering through a new building that covers existing ones. This superimposition allows for adaption and development of the city’s complexity.

Joan Maragall Library by BCQ arquitectura barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

The Joan Maragall Library was built around the old existing garden of Villa Florida. Connected to Sant Gervasi de Cassoles Street, the project was shaped around light and ‘patios’ that support study, reading and exchange.

Author: Eric Baldwin

Based in New York City, Eric was trained in both architecture and communications. As Director of Communications at Sasaki, he has a background spanning media, academia, and practice. He's deeply committed to trying as many restaurants as possible in NYC.

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