Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

The exhibition, organised by the Municipal Institute of Parks and Gardens, offers an overview of the past, present and future of greenhouses. It is aimed at people of all ages and is free to visit. It will be on until 8 December and is open daily from 10 am to 8 pm.

It has now been a few months since it was officially reopened, following a period of closure for refurbishment and the Parc de la Ciutadella’s Hivernacle has now become a key centre for the city’s natural, cultural and historical heritage.

Its aim now is to be part of Barcelona’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2030, and it is affirming this with the exhibition Climate machine, which is showing in the three rooms in the Hivernacle, making it a space for learning about the climate emergency and the challenges cities face in dealing with the future climate.

Past, art, science and future of greenhouses

The Municipal Institute of Parks and Gardens is the promoter of this exhibition that looks at three different concepts relating to greenhouses and the “greenhouse effect”, each one in a different room in the Hivernacle:the past of greenhouses, art, science and the “greenhouse effect”, and the future role these installations might play in producing more sustainable food.

The Sala Magnòlies invites us to explore two parallel histories: the history of the Ciutadella’s Hivernacle and the evolution of greenhouses around the world over time. With regard to the Ciutadella’s Hivernacle, the exhibition looks back at the initial project designed by Josep Fontserè, the Universal Exposition of 1888, the various restoration projects, and the cultural activities the centre has hosted.

In the Central room the exhibition brings together art and science to talk about the climate emergency we are currently experiencing. In collaboration with the artists’ collective Cube.bz and musician Pol Clusella, a light and sound installation has been designed which challenges visitors and instils in them a feeling of discomfort which at the same time is useful for triggering them to act to bring about change. In this room there is also a question and answer challenge on the greenhouse effect and climate change.

And lastly, the Sala Picasso is dedicated to the future of greenhouses as a means being used by many cities to promote sustainable food, local production, reduce transportation costs and reduce water consumption in comparison to traditional agriculture. In this room you can see a real-scale vertical allotment, designed by The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), which makes us reflect on and imagine new solutions for the future challenges faced by cities.

The exhibition, which is showing until 8 December, is aimed at people of all ages and admission is free. All the graphic information is available in Catalan, Spanish, English and Braille.

On 9 June, as part of the activities for the Science Festival, a round table discussion will be held on food production and climate change with the participation of various specialists.

While the exhibition is on, visitors are also free to visit the Hivernacle building during the usual opening hours.

It’s all happening in the city’s new science hub, the Ciutadella of Knowledge, a science and urban development project that has been launched to turn the Ciutadella Park and the surrounding area into a leading hub of knowledge, dissemination, research and innovation in Europe.