Round table with Santi Ibarra, Juanjo Moreno, Carme Pinós, Diego Ramos, Marc Aureli Santos and Eduard Soley. Chaired by Jorge Ribalta
Thursday 10 October 2019 at 7.00 pm. Virreina Auditorium, Floor 0
Free entrance. Limited places

The first official ceremony to unveil Gardunya square following its resurfacing and repaving after more than four years of work below ground level was held in the spring of 2015. Approval for the redevelopment was given in 2008 and work began in 2010. Between 2015 and 2018, the new Massana School and the subsidised housing development were built. The courses at the new Massana School premises started in October 2017 and the first occupants of the apartments arrived in June 2018. The works on the second housing development are about to be completed and the commercial premises on the ground floor of the residential building will shortly be opening. Some aspects of the redevelopment, such as the Dr. Fleming Gardens and the link between Canonge Colom square and the courtyard of the former Hospital de la Santa Creu, are due to be undertaken in the coming years. In any event, the square has been in operation for a few years and now is an opportune moment to take stock of the redevelopment, even though it is not yet fully finished.

This round table aims to launch a public debate on the problems related to the square that have featured in the media over the summer, most of which are due to the impact of its occupation by tourists resulting from La Boqueria Market, and the private use of the public space. These problems are highly specific to the square but they are also typical and significant in the city of Barcelona today. The round table participants represent the various institutions and collectives with connections to the square.

Organised in the context of Jorge Ribalta’s exhibition New Angels. Scenes of the Gardunya Square Redevelopment, Barcelona, 2005-2018.

Participants:

Santi Ibarra, Councillor for the Ciutat Vella district, Barcelona City Council

Juanjo Moreno, #veïnsgardunya culture and cohabitation commission, neighbourhood platform for residents of the subsidised apartments in Gardunya square

Carme Pinós, architect in charge of the Gardunya square redevelopment

Diego Ramos, head and co-ordinator of the Design Seminars, Massana School

Marc Aureli Santos, Director of the Urban Architecture and Heritage Division, Barcelona City Council

Eduard Soley, Vice-president of La Boqueria Market and owner of the Soley Roser fruit and vegetable stall

Presented and chaired by the photographer and researcher Jorge Ribalta.