A social demand: facilities
The economic crisis of the 1970s hastened Barcelona’s deindustrialisation. And the lack of neighbourhood facilities helped to nurture resident demands for the old factories to be turned into buildings for new facilities.
Available spaces such as the Cotxeres bus depot, the Vapor Vell textile mill and, especially, the Espanya Industrial mill were demanded as green spaces, civic centres and public libraries.
In the case of Espanya Industrial, numerous people took part in neighbourhood assemblies and District Council meetings to decide on the site’s future.
On the left, demolition of the Cotxeres, and on the right, political graffiti (Author unknown and Author: Manel Blasco, AMDS)
Picture of the Cotxeres interior, once the depot had been redeveloped (Author unknown, AMDS)
Inauguration of the Casinet d’Hostafrancs Civic Centre. The mayor, Narcís Serra, and Presiding District Councillor, Jacint Humet, studying the model of the Espanya Industrial park, 3 October 1982 (Author: Florensa, AMDS)
Espanya Industrial was the object of residents’ demands from the moment it closed. The walls were covered with demands that showed what people hoped it would become (Author unknown, AMDS)
Sants residents sneaking a look at the Espanya Industrial site, 1982 (Author unknown, AMDS)
Entrance gate to the Espanya Industrial site with demands painted on its walls, 1982 (Author unknown, AMDS)