IAAC students and international researchers join forces with local farmers and landscape artists to co-create a land art installation and plant it in the Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat in Barcelona. The action was part of the ReCITYing project, a Creative Europe initiative co-funded by the European Union, and dedicated to the regeneration of unused urban spaces into artistic laboratories open to the city.

By exploring the intersection of architecture, design, agronomy, and art to reimagine underused rural spaces through creative recycling and collaborative action, the Barcelona Creative Workshop focused on one of the four pilot cases of the ReCITYing project, the Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat, an agricultural landscape near Barcelona. The Parc faces two key challenges: the threat of urban pressure and the gradual abandonment of its fertile lands and traditional farmhouses. Furthermore, the nearby urban populations are largely disconnected from the agricultural space, with little awareness of its significance or the food it produces. These underused lands and the disconnection from the city present an opportunity for regeneration through slow-food principles and sustainable design, encouraging engagement and awareness among both locals and creatives.

The five-day workshop, which took place between the 7 and 11 of October, brought together IAAC students from different Master programmes with expertise in design, urban technologies, robotics and fabrication, as well as local stakeholders, and revolved around immersive work sessions, collective reviews, and a series of lectures and discussions on topics ranging from ecological connectivity to innovative materials, stimulating new ideas and offering creative insights into land art.

The participants developed proposals that encompassed the research, design, and construction of a small-scale sustainable product and a concept for large-scale installation, utilizing farming leftovers, by-products and plants as their raw materials. This holistic process connects creative recycling, sustainability, agriculture, and community engagement, within the context of the Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat.

The Workshop culminated with a full day of hands-on activities in the Parc Agrari, where participants engaged directly with the land by co-planting the materials that were considered in the conceptualization of their proposals, and which will be used for the construction of an actual installation in the Parc Agrari during the third phase of the project, which will take place in May. Stay tuned to see the results of this later this year!

Below you can find the proposals developed by the workshop participants, enjoy!

Changing Landscapes
Authors: Aakriti Singh, Aayushi Vasnik, Avi Sharma, Chanakan Chormai, Rhea Khoury

The initial proposal features two distinct modules: one for water collection and another for plant cultivation, emphasizing the critical role of water conservation in agriculture. A more complex second proposal combines both functions into a single module, representing these essential systems cohesively. For construction materials, the team will use willow sticks as the primary structural components and barley stalks for water collection nets. Additionally, plant waste will provide a carbon source for the crops within the modules. To optimize water retention, a hydrophobic layer made from biodegradable materials will be developed, showcasing the potential of bioplastics in sustainable design. This innovative biomaterial will support both water collection and plant growth, enhancing the installation’s functionality. The dual-layered design features barley nets for water collection and a biomaterial layer for plant cultivation, improving efficiency and sustainability.

Weaving Habitats
Authors: Chidubem Ude, Cheng Hen Chen, Devanshi Jagota, Ekaterina Starovoitova,
Juan Camilo Giraldo

The primary goal of the project was to develop a product that could be used by all stakeholders—both human and non-human—within the PABLL agricultural park, while also embodying the sustainable practices integral to the farmers’ approach. The envisioned product is meant to be highly adaptable— starting as a packaging and display solution for farmers at the market and scaling into a larger installation. It was important to create something that customers could easily associate with the farmers’ brand, while also ensuring that the market display represented and symbolized the broader activities happening on the farm. The goal is for these products showcased at the market to inspire people to visit the farm, despite its location being away from residential areas.

CubierRa
Authors: Nupur Sircar, Siddharth Nambiar, Lais Margiori, Keerthana Devaraj, Naji Altala, Neyla Coronel, Aleksandra Piotrowska

The project draws inspiration from nature and how nature regulates the cycle of life. It is a fact that earth generates and earth dispose, and it is true in the case of plants and crops. In this project we take the idea of decay to help farmers of Parc Agrari de Baix Llobregat make the soil richer with the changing climatic patterns of Catalunya. Soil is the single-most element that nurtures these life processes of plants and crops. CubierRa, the root cover made from Barley straw and Alverja (pea plant) residues, is an innovative, sustainable solution designed to protect soil, conserve water, and enrich agricultural ecosystems. The product is woven using the vernacular craft of Catalan weaving using crop residues.

Carbassas
Authors: Maria Luiza Gomes Torres, Soham Bhanushali, Raul Winkelmann, Sebastian Raj, Naveen Maria Fleming

To tackle both the pollinator decline and agricultural waste, the workshop proposed an innovative solution using pumpkin husks, which are abundant year-round. The participants experimented with using dried pumpkin husks as molds to create biodegradable pots for planting pollinator-friendly species. These pots, made from locally sourced clay and ground bark chips, attract pollinators and eventually decompose, enriching the soil’s nitrogen cycle. This sustainable use of waste addresses two key issues—pollinator decline and the underutilization of farm waste. To help farmers adapt to climate change, the participants proposed a Climate Shelter next to the crops. The shelter would protect crops from harsh weather, provide a space for educating the local community about sustainable farming, and generate income through workshops on planting and harvesting. The shelter’s design incorporated locally sourced materials such as pumpkin husks, clay, and bark chips, which were used to create shading systems and partition walls that also function as living walls to attract pollinators and support crop growth. These products could be sold to enhance the local economy while also supporting ecological goals.

Catalunya’s ‘Table’
Authors: Germarilis Ruiz, Paulina Serra, Sidhardh Suresh, Soundouss Aboussekhra, Vivek V, Zander Webster

The concept of Catalunya’s “Table” is to create a metaphorical table that represents a gathering space not only for people but also for various species—humans, animals, insects, and plants—that interact and depend on each other. This “table” grows from the ground using locally available materials such as invasive plants like Pontederia Crassipes, which is both a nuisance and a resource in this context. The design integrates the farm-to-table philosophy, emphasizing the connection between food production and consumption. It’s not just a symbolic gathering space for people of different genders, classes, and ages, but also for nature, contributing to a sustainable ecosystem. The pavilion, built from bioplastics and repurposed waste materials, physically attracts insects and small animals, showing how human consumption can work in harmony with natural processes. The ephemeral nature of the installation is a key aspect of the design, as it eventually decomposes and returns to the soil, completing a natural cycle. This circular process mirrors the life cycle of the plants and animals involved, reinforcing the idea of regenerative design. After the installation is dismantled, its structural elements, like the bioplastic panels made from Pontederia and barley, will be repurposed to create eco-friendly packaging for local produce, which can be distributed in Barcelona’s vegetarian restaurants.

Students
Soundouss Aboussekhra, Naji Altala, Sebastiyanraj Arockiam Michaelraj, Raul Alexandre Bertagnoli Winkelmann, Soham Bhanushali, Cheng Hen Chen, Chanakan Chormai, Maria Luiza Gomes Torres, Juan Camilo Giraldo Morales, Devanshi Jagota, Rhea Khoury, Lais Ioanna Margiori, Siddharth Aiyappa Nambiar, Naveen Maria Fleming Paulraj, Keerthana Reddy Devaraj, Avi Sharma, Aakriti Singh, Nupur Sircar, Ekaterina Starovoitova, Sidhardh Suresh, Chidubem Ekene Ude, Aayushi Vasnik, Vivek Venkateshappa

Workshop Tutors & Experts
Ana Gallego, Laura Guimarães, Alejandro Haiek Coll, Isabel Lima, Mathilde Marengo, Willy Müller, Petra Garajová

ReCITYing International Partners
UniGE-DAD, Genoa: Manuel Gausa, Chiara Centanaro, Chiara Olivastri
LUH, Hannover: Jörg Schröder, Federica Scaffidi
UGM, Maribor: Simona Vidmar, Živa Kleindienst
Champ Libre, Montpellier: Elodie Nourrigat, Judith Rossi

Local Stakeholders
Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat: Eva Ortiz, Perxacs Motge
Farmers of the Parc Agrari: Josep Casas, Josep Parés