The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is glad to be part of the selected network of buildings that will open their doors to the public during the 13th edition of the 48h Open House Barcelona Architecture Festival, next Saturday 22nd of October 2022.
Get ready to experience the Institute as you have never seen it before. Visitors will be admitted for guided tours from 10:00 to 19:00 hrs and be able to discover one of the most emblematic spaces inside IAAC, the Main Hall, which hosts the Fab Lab Barcelona and where most of the courses and workshops usually take place.
Every year, the 48h Open House Barcelona chooses a different theme and invites Barcelona’s residents and visitors to explore and enjoy the city’s architecture in a different way. This year, the Festival will highlight the trades and crafts as a way to recognise all the disciplines that merge into that collaborative piece which we call Architecture.
The idea is to focus on what lies beyond a building – on the crafts, on the processes and on the elements – as a way of breaking down barriers between designers and craftsmen, between users and architects. The interest will be on the people who do this work, generally hidden, rising awareness of Architecture as a co-created product. In this framework, professionals and artisans will share all the secrets of their collaborative production processes.
What will you visit on October 22nd
IAAC is located in the Poblenou neighbourhood of Barcelona, in the recently created district known as 22@, a focus for companies and institutions oriented toward the knowledge society. The neighbourhood is close to the historic centre, the seafront, the Plaça de les Glòries and the Sagrera APT station, making it one of the most dynamic enclaves in the city.
The Institute is housed in an old factory building, with 2,000 m2 of space for research, production and dissemination of architecture, so that space itself is a declaration of principles, embodying an experimental and productive approach to architecture. The IAAC premises include the Fab Lab Barcelona, an architecture and design-oriented fabrication laboratory which is part of the global network of Fab Labs.
About the 48h Open House Barcelona Festival
48h Open House Barcelona is an annual in-person festival which represents a unique opportunity to enjoy architectural experiences related to Barcelona’s history: from Roman ruins to contemporary architecture, going through Catalan Gothic, Neoclassic, Modernist and Modern Style buildings which are all included in the program.
The event aims to encourage locals to appreciate the value of good architecture and urbanism, offering more than 250 activities of different architecture styles, building forms and sizes to the public. The participation of many architects and volunteers explaining the city’s architecture, different creative participation activities which complement the event, and the fact that it is a completely free event, encourages citizens to improve architecture and public urban space knowledge.
About the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
IAAC is an Educational and Research Centre dedicated to the development of an Architecture capable of meeting the worldwide challenges in the construction of habitability in the early 21st century, and a platform for the exchange of knowledge with Faculty and Students from over 60 countries. Researchers work simultaneously on multiple scales (city, building, manufacturing) and in different areas of expertise (ecology, energy, digital manufacturing, new technologies), pursuing their own lines of inquiry on the way to developing an integrated set of skills with which to act effectively in their home country or globally. Learn more about the Institute.
