Regaining a sense of belonging
Canals i Junyer 2.0
Canals i Junyer 2.0
The deterioration of the building required urgent intervention, initially meant to disable its interior until full restoration was possible. Instead, this became an opportunity: with less than 10% of the original budget, the project transformed the structure into a covered public space within historic gardens. By reconnecting urban pathways, highlighting its architecture, and fostering cultural life, it restores a shared sense of belonging, turning abandonment into community resilience.
Spain
Local
Barcelona
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
2024-02-05
No
No
No
As a representative of an organisation
Canals i Junyer 2.0 focuses on the adaptive reuse of a historic early 20th-century palace in Vallcarca, Barcelona. Originally planned for a full restoration, financial constraints and urgent structural concerns led to a reimagined intervention, transforming the deteriorated building into a covered public space within a historic garden. This project aims to recover the sense of belonging by reconnecting the site with the local community and making it accessible once again.
The project preserves key historical elements while enhancing adaptability. The removal of unstable interior floors and non-load-bearing structures created a flexible, open environment for public use. The project integrates climate-conscious design, leveraging cross-ventilation and sustainable material reuse to minimize environmental impact. By repurposing demolition materials for permeable garden pathways and structural reinforcement, the intervention strengthens both ecological and social sustainability. The outcome is a multifunctional space that accommodates artistic events, community gatherings, and cultural activities, restoring a vital neighborhood landmark.
The project preserves key historical elements while enhancing adaptability. The removal of unstable interior floors and non-load-bearing structures created a flexible, open environment for public use. The project integrates climate-conscious design, leveraging cross-ventilation and sustainable material reuse to minimize environmental impact. By repurposing demolition materials for permeable garden pathways and structural reinforcement, the intervention strengthens both ecological and social sustainability. The outcome is a multifunctional space that accommodates artistic events, community gatherings, and cultural activities, restoring a vital neighborhood landmark.
Heritage Restoration
Community Engagement
Adaptive Reuse
Circular Economy
Climate Resilience
The project employs circular economy principles by reusing 100% of the demolition materials. Ceramics from dismantled partitions were repurposed for permeable paving, while excavated rocks were incorporated into new cyclopean retaining walls. The intervention minimizes waste and carbon footprint by prioritizing local materials and limiting new construction. The open-air structure enhances passive cooling through continuous cross-ventilation, reducing the need for mechanical climate control.
The intervention preserves the essence of the historic palace while creating a visually and spatially engaging environment. The triple-height space provides a unique sensory experience, integrating natural light, historical textures, and a seamless connection with the surrounding gardens. The restored hydraulic tile flooring in the ground level retains the visible marks of past transformations, embracing the layered history of the site and reinforcing a tangible sense of place.
By transforming a once-inaccessible, abandoned site into a vibrant public space, the project fosters social inclusion. The new configuration allows for multiple community uses, including cultural events, social gatherings, and creative activities. The revitalized gardens also serve as a crucial urban connection, bridging two previously disconnected streets, facilitating pedestrian access, and enhancing neighborhood cohesion.
Local residents played a key role in defining the needs and future use of the space. The transformation was designed with input from community members who envisioned it as a cultural and social hub. The flexible program ensures that the space can evolve based on community-driven activities and events.
The project involved municipal authorities, heritage conservation experts, architects, and environmental specialists. The collaboration with local government facilitated the reallocation of resources to prioritize the adaptive reuse strategy. Coordination with cultural institutions ensures the ongoing programming of artistic and social events.
This intervention integrates expertise from architecture, heritage conservation, environmental sustainability, and urban planning. The combination of structural engineering, material reuse strategies, and landscape design allows for a holistic approach that balances preservation with contemporary urban needs.
Unlike traditional heritage restorations, which often prioritize full reconstruction, this project embraces an alternative model of adaptive reuse. Instead of sealing the structure until full funding became available, the intervention transformed it into an accessible, evolving public space. The strategic deconstruction process enabled the creation of a flexible venue while respecting the integrity of the existing architecture.
The proposal follows a low-intervention methodology that maximizes existing resources while ensuring structural stability. Key strategies include:
• Selective deconstruction to retain heritage value while enabling new uses.
• Integration of passive climate solutions, such as natural ventilation and shading.
• Reuse of site-specific materials to reduce waste and enhance sustainability.
• Minimal new construction to preserve the authenticity of the historic fabric.
• Selective deconstruction to retain heritage value while enabling new uses.
• Integration of passive climate solutions, such as natural ventilation and shading.
• Reuse of site-specific materials to reduce waste and enhance sustainability.
• Minimal new construction to preserve the authenticity of the historic fabric.
This approach to heritage adaptation can be applied in other contexts facing similar economic and structural constraints. The methodology demonstrates how underutilized or abandoned historical buildings can be reactivated without requiring extensive financial investment. Key transferable aspects include:
• Circular economy strategies for material reuse.
• Adaptive reuse techniques that allow phased interventions.
• Community-driven programming for cultural spaces.
• Circular economy strategies for material reuse.
• Adaptive reuse techniques that allow phased interventions.
• Community-driven programming for cultural spaces.
It addresses the urgent need for accessible public spaces in dense urban environments while responding to climate adaptation challenges. By converting a deteriorating structure into a shaded, ventilated gathering space, it contributes to urban resilience. The project also promotes resource efficiency by repurposing existing materials and minimizing new construction, reducing its environmental impact.
The intervention has successfully reintegrated a neglected heritage site into the urban fabric. The revitalized palace and gardens now serve as a public cultural venue, hosting diverse community activities. The reestablished pedestrian connection has improved urban mobility, benefiting local residents. Additionally, the project’s circular material approach has set a precedent for sustainable architectural reuse in the region.
