Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Manifesta 15 Barcelona will expand beyond the centre of Barcelona and reach the Collserola mountain range, El Prat-Delta del Llobregat and the Besòs river, all known as ‘geographical nodes’.

Unlike previous editions, the next edition of Manifesta will focus on the ecological transition and the socio-cultural impact this will have on both human and non-human actors before, during and after the biennial.

A common feature among these nodes that triangulate the city of Barcelona is their presence as large natural systems and open spaces that encircle the city. With a focus on ecological transition, the biennial will once again be local in its approach and its impact in terms of sustainability.

Manifesta 15 Barcelona has worked with the creative mediator Sergio Pardo to identify these locations in the Barcelona metropolitan area that will constitute the initial research sites for the pre-biennial phase. The pre-biennial process will allow Manifesta 15 to delve deeper into the interaction and connections that exist between these different territories:

The Collserola mountain range

Located a few kilometres north of Barcelona, the Collserola mountain range is one of the largest metropolitan parks in the world. It can be seen from all over the city and is considered to be the green lung of Barcelona. It has a surface area of approximately 11,100 hectares, measuring 17 km in length and 6 km in width. It has a gentle and markedly asymmetrical relief: the slopes of the valley are long and gently descending, while the seaward slopes are short and steep.

This geographical node will link to the theme of ‘caring and taking care’.

El Prat – Delta del Llobregat

The Llobregat delta is formed by the Llobregat river when it reaches the Mediterranean Sea. The Llobregat Delta Natural Area covers an area of 926.9 ha. It is the second most important delta system in Catalonia, after the Ebro delta. It has very rich, extremely fragile marsh ecosystems. The delta has a natural wealth that contains a wide variety of plants and animals, which live alongside industry.

The municipality of El Prat de Llobregat is home to the airport and is known for being the gateway to Barcelona.

This geographical node will link to the theme of ‘balancing conflicts’.

The Besòs river

The Besòs is a Catalan river with a course of 17.7 km which originates in the Vallès Oriental county, where the rivers Mogent and Congost converge, and flows into the Mediterranean in the municipality of Sant Adrià de Besòs.

An important part of the region’s economy, the Besòs river originates inland and empties to the east of the Collserola mountain range into the Mediterranean Sea. The river has been used for transport and fishing and is a major source of water for the area.

This geographical node will link to the theme of ‘Imagine the future’.

In the coming months, the cultural professionals and artistic groups that will be working in these nodes in collaboration with local communities will be announced. The results of this participatory process will be presented at the Manifesta 15 Barcelona headquarters in late summer 2023 and will form part of the pre-biennial process.