Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

The former Model prison opened its doors to the public on 21 January 2018, becoming a new social and civic space for citizens in Barcelona. Since then, 154,100 people have visited the facility and 806 activities have been organised there, filling the neighbourhood of Esquerra de l’Eixample with life.

While La Model prepares for its definitive transformation, the site is being used for a wide range of provisional activities: exhibitions, talks, lectures, film shoots, historical memory activities, open visits and guided tours, creative sessions and debate on the transformation of the site itself.

In the first six months of 2021, notable events included the exhibitions ‘Encara hi ha algú al bosc’ and ‘Infanteses a les guerres europees, 1914-1949’, the theatre play Dones lliures: la Trinitat i la lluita per la democràcia en els últims anys del franquisme, and the workshop ‘Nova Cançó’.

A neighbourhood in need of venues

Local schools and organisations in the neighbourhood of Esquerra de l’Eixample have found a space where they can carry out their activities since the opening of La Model. The former prison has also enabled the playgrounds of the Xirinacs and Entença schools to be extended, as well as regularly providing space for organisations such as the Escola de Salut de l’Esquerra de l’Eixample, Ballets de Catalunya, the choir from the Escola Entença, a yoga group from the Escola Entença and the human towers group Els Esquerdats – Colla Castellera de l’Esquerra de l’Eixample.

‘Model, batega!’

While La Model fills with life and activity, the ‘Model, batega!’ project, the winning proposal in the competition to transform the site, moves forward. The last few months have seen the team of municipal specialists and the draft project team define the criteria and elements which will shape the complex. The project will maintain the heritage and the essence of the panoptic system, create a park of more than 14,000 square metres, plus 12,000 square metres for public housing and the seven public facilities envisaged.

Guided tours to discover the past of La Model

Tours are not operating in August but will resume when the new school year starts. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday the facility will be offering tours with a guide. Various school visits and cultural activities will also be conducted at the site, such as Open House BCN.

The website for La Model has details on the full programme and information on the project ‘Model, batega!’.