Modulverantwortung: Prof. Peter Althaus
Lehrteam: Prof. Oliver Dufner, Dr. Marcel Bächtiger, Prof. Felix Wettstein
Assistants: Qendrim Gashi, Andrew Mackintosh

Barcelona, Victim of Its Own Success?

This semester’s study trip takes us to the Catalan metropolis Barcelona. Barcelona can be interpreted as a city that achieved several ambitious and successful urban expansions in its history but their dark sides were clearly revealed subsequently. For example, the original Cerd. Plan could not withstand pressure from speculation, and the Olympic Games in 1992 triggered mass tourism of which the city and its population has grown tired. Politically, efforts to achieve autonomy and distance from Madrid are increasing – with an uncertain outcome.

Barcelona is Europe’s most densely populated metropolis, and for that very reason it has long been a laboratory for housing construction. Specific housing typologies evolved in different urban structures, and we will inspect and study them as part of our trip. Beginning with the iconic buildings of Gaudi. and Jujol from the Modernisme period by way of the High Modernism of Sert and the postwar era of Coderch, Mitjans and Bofill to the 1990s with Bonell, Torres Lape.a, LLinas and Mirailles and contemporary examples by Peris+Toral and Harquitectes, we will try to get to the bottom of questions of density and their relationship to urban structure. The study trip thus provides the ideal context for intense and inspiring analysis between theory and design.

The excursion is open to all students but is recommended especially for participants in the Architecture & Structure project module and in the In-Depth module.