The University of Barcelona opens the doors of seven emblematic buildings on the occasion of the 48h Open House BCN
This is the sixth consecutive year that the University of Barcelona participates in the 48h Open House Barcelona, the architecture festival of Barcelona organized by the Association Open House Barcelona. This year, the University increases its participation in the festival and opens the doors of seven buildings. The Historic Buildings, the Güell Pavilions, the Pavelló de la República and the Food and Nutrition Torribera Campus (Edifici de la Masia and Edifici Gaudí) are the buildings that open their doors again, together with two buildings that open their doors to visitors for the first time: the Palau de les Heures and the Torre de la Creu, in Sant Joan Despí.
This is the sixth consecutive year that the University of Barcelona participates in the 48h Open House Barcelona, the architecture festival of Barcelona organized by the Association Open House Barcelona. This year, the University increases its participation in the festival and opens the doors of seven buildings. The Historic Buildings, the Güell Pavilions, the Pavelló de la República and the Food and Nutrition Torribera Campus (Edifici de la Masia and Edifici Gaudí) are the buildings that open their doors again, together with two buildings that open their doors to visitors for the first time: the Palau de les Heures and the Torre de la Creu, in Sant Joan Despí.
On 24 and 25 October, this cultural event freely opens the doors of 150 buildings located in all Barcelonaʼs neighbourhoods. Barcelona is not the only headquarters of the festival. After last yearʼs success, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Vilassar de Dalt participate again in the festival. In addition, as a novelty, this year the festival includes Sant Joan Despí as guest town.
Barcelona
The Historic Building is, without any doubt, the most representative building of the University of Barcelona. Located at Plaça Universitat, this 19th century building is designated as ʻof national cultural interestʼ; it hosts the faculties of Philology and Mathematics. Guided tours take place on Saturday 24 October from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors can walk along the most interesting places (the main entrance hall, the main staircase, the quadrangles and the Paranymph) and know its most important historical, architectural and artistic features.
The Güell Pavilions are also opened on Saturday (15, Avinguda Pedralbes). They are Antoni Gaudíʼs first work in Barcelona. In 1883, Eusebi Güell commissioned Gaudí to build the gatehouses of the Güell Estate. These buildings were the porterʼs quarters and the stables. The part that most attracts visitorʼs attention is the magnificent wrought-iron gate in the shape of a dragon, that connects both gatehouses; it represents the giant mythological dragon of the poem LʼAtlàntida, written by Jacint Verdaguer. Guided tours take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The Pavelló de la República (34-36, Avinguda del Cardenal Vidal i Barraquer) can be visited on Sunday 25 October, from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. The building is a replica of the construction that architects Josep Lluís Sert and Luis Lacasa built to represent the Spanish Republic on the Paris International Exhibition of 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. A copy of Guernika by Pablo Picasso can be observed in the courtyard. Besides guided tours, the 48h Open House BCN includes a new activity: the Opendibuix. Visitors are invited to draw buildings and share their works on Instagram with the hashtag #opendibuix.
As a novelty, the University opens the doors of the Palau de les Heures (Carrer de lʼHarmonia), also known as Casa Gallart. The building is part of the Mundet Campus of the University. It is one of the most special buildings of Barcelona. It was built at the end of the 19th century by the Gallart familiy. During the Civil War, it was the secret residence of Lluís Companys, the president of the Generalitat during the conflict. Guided tours are offered on Sunday (from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m.). Visitors will be able to get into the bomb shelter built by Republican forces to protect President Companys.
Santa Coloma de Gramenet
The Food and Nutrition Torribera Campus of the University of Barcelona is opened on Sunday. It is located in Torribera premises, in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. To be exact, two areas of the campus can be visited: the Edifici de la Masia and the Edifici Gaudí. The Edifici de la Masia is an 18th century building that hosts campus administration facilities. The Edifici Gaudi is devoted to research and it is part of the art nouveau architectural ensemble that the Commonwealth of Catalonia ordered to build in order to host the ancient mental hospital. Visitors will be able to know the campus by two different ways: the guided tours that take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m., or the tour that discovers the town of Santa Coloma de Gramenet. This free route takes place on Sunday morning, from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Previous registration is required.
Sant Joan Despí
Finally, the Torre de la Creu (14, Passeig de Canalies), an art-nouveau building declared a historic and artistic monument of national interest, participates in the festival for the first time. The building, known as Torre dels Ous, was built by architect Josep Maria Jujol between 1913 and 1916. Nowadays, it hosts the headquarters of the Area of Further Training of the University of Barcelona. The building can be visited on Saturday and Sunday. Guided tours are offered both days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. The building can be also visited within an urban tour that goes through different places in Sant Joan Despí. The urban tour takes place on Saturday, at 5.30 pm., and on Sunday, at midday. It is a free activity but previous registration is required by sending a message to cannegre@sjdespi.net or making a call to number 933 737 363.
48h Open House BCN: Barcelonaʼs most important meeting with architecture
The Open House project started in London in 1992. Since then, it has expanded to other cities which are paradigmatic of architecture and design, such as New York, Dublin, Galway, Tel Aviv, and Barcelona.
In 2014, around 50,000 people participated in the 48h Open House BCN. The sixth edition consolidates an international initiative whose main objective is to bring citizens closer to the Barcelonaʼs excellence in architecture, urban development and design.
For further information please visit the website 48h Open House BCN
48h Open House Barcelona Promo 2015 from Open House Barcelona on Vimeo.