Regaining a sense of belonging
Un cuarto en llamas (A room on fire)
An exercise of cultural democratization and youth participacion, by Masquepalabras Collective
Un cuarto en llamas is a space for dialogue and cultural action led by and for young people, located in the Sala Polivalente of the former Conde Duque military barracks, a large public cultural center of the Madrid City Council. The space is managed by an open youth assembly that designs an independent cultural program. Un cuarto en llamas hosts a variety of cultural activities including concerts, conferences, workshops, performances, poetry readings, theater, video art, debates, dance and more.
Spain
Local
Madrid
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
2024-12-19
No
No
No
As a representative of an organisation
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated structural problems affecting young people, such as the lack of accessible spaces for socialization and culture, as well as a youth unemployment rate that places Spain at the highest in Europe. In cities like Madrid, where the availability of youth centers is scarce compared to other European capitals, the need to create spaces for gathering, creation, and collective learning has become more urgent than ever.
Un cuarto en llamas emerged as a response to these shortcomings, with the goal of democratizing culture, fostering youth participation, and strengthening diverse communities. The project was made possible thanks to the Madrid City Council’s allocation of a public space for gathering, artistic creation, and social debate in the heart of the city. Over time, the initiative consolidated a "community of communities," providing young people with a place to express themselves, organize, and even professionalize in the cultural sector through a variety of creative activities, including concerts, conferences, workshops, performances, poetry readings, theater, video art, debates, dance, streaming events, and more.
The initiative proved that young people demand access to culture and also need to self-manage sustainable spaces, collectively designed to adapt to their evolving needs. Un cuarto en llamas enabled young people from different backgrounds and experiences to build networks of support and collaboration, breaking down barriers imposed by precarious conditions and lack of opportunities. Moreover, it has been a driving force for many emerging collectives and artists who found in this space a starting point to develop their projects and gain visibility for their work.
This model of horizontal participation serves as an example of institutional openness to new forms of cultural management, ensuring the inclusion of young voices in decision-making processes and in the development of projects that directly impact their communities.
Un cuarto en llamas emerged as a response to these shortcomings, with the goal of democratizing culture, fostering youth participation, and strengthening diverse communities. The project was made possible thanks to the Madrid City Council’s allocation of a public space for gathering, artistic creation, and social debate in the heart of the city. Over time, the initiative consolidated a "community of communities," providing young people with a place to express themselves, organize, and even professionalize in the cultural sector through a variety of creative activities, including concerts, conferences, workshops, performances, poetry readings, theater, video art, debates, dance, streaming events, and more.
The initiative proved that young people demand access to culture and also need to self-manage sustainable spaces, collectively designed to adapt to their evolving needs. Un cuarto en llamas enabled young people from different backgrounds and experiences to build networks of support and collaboration, breaking down barriers imposed by precarious conditions and lack of opportunities. Moreover, it has been a driving force for many emerging collectives and artists who found in this space a starting point to develop their projects and gain visibility for their work.
This model of horizontal participation serves as an example of institutional openness to new forms of cultural management, ensuring the inclusion of young voices in decision-making processes and in the development of projects that directly impact their communities.
Self-Governance and youth participation. A Community of communities.
Territorial inclusion, diversity and decentralization
Colaborative architecture, open design and collective intelligence
Cultural democracy
Care, dialogue and active listening
Un Cuarto en Llamas is a socially, culturally, and architecturally sustainable project.
The project generates a safe space of gathering and expression, contributing to the reduction of the mental health youth crisis (SDG 3, good health and well-being). It promotes horizontal peer learning and intergenerational knowledge transfer through specialized mentorships (SDG 4, Quality Education). The horizontality of the model has enabled young people from diverse backgrounds to access development and training opportunities in the cultural sector. The project transforms the space into a professionalization hub for emerging artists and cultural collectives, facilitating equitable access to the cultural industry (SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth).
By prioritizing free access to cultural spaces, removing economic barriers, and promoting the participation of marginalized groups, Un cuarto en Llamas has ensured social inclusion (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities). The project's model established a network of young communities that continued to generate initiatives even after the physical space closed, contributing to decentralized cultural regeneration (SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Un Cuarto En Llamas transformed the Sala Polivalente of the Conde Duque barracks, a protected space for its arquitectonical value without altering its original structure nor generating unnecessary waste, applying strategies of low impact. The “Touchless Design” allowed to intervene the space without perforations or adhesives, using lightweight and reversible materials such as translucent canvases and suspension systems. The modular furniture Feat., designed for constant reconfiguration, enables the adaptation of the space without additional infrastructure or excessive resource consumption, promoting sustainable and efficient infrastructures (SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
The project generates a safe space of gathering and expression, contributing to the reduction of the mental health youth crisis (SDG 3, good health and well-being). It promotes horizontal peer learning and intergenerational knowledge transfer through specialized mentorships (SDG 4, Quality Education). The horizontality of the model has enabled young people from diverse backgrounds to access development and training opportunities in the cultural sector. The project transforms the space into a professionalization hub for emerging artists and cultural collectives, facilitating equitable access to the cultural industry (SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth).
By prioritizing free access to cultural spaces, removing economic barriers, and promoting the participation of marginalized groups, Un cuarto en Llamas has ensured social inclusion (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities). The project's model established a network of young communities that continued to generate initiatives even after the physical space closed, contributing to decentralized cultural regeneration (SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Un Cuarto En Llamas transformed the Sala Polivalente of the Conde Duque barracks, a protected space for its arquitectonical value without altering its original structure nor generating unnecessary waste, applying strategies of low impact. The “Touchless Design” allowed to intervene the space without perforations or adhesives, using lightweight and reversible materials such as translucent canvases and suspension systems. The modular furniture Feat., designed for constant reconfiguration, enables the adaptation of the space without additional infrastructure or excessive resource consumption, promoting sustainable and efficient infrastructures (SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
Un Cuarto en Llamas was developed at the Sala Polivalente (Multipurpose Room) of the Conde Duque military barracks. The Sala Polivalente at Conde Duque is an open space with a basilica-like floor plan defined by three bays of granite columns, delimited by brick walls. As it is a listed building, all interventions on the pre-existing architecture are limited, prohibiting any alteration of the original elements or the mounting of pieces employing holes or chemical adhesives.
How to convert the solemn materiality of this room into a space for poetic and artistic creation, how to transform its rigid configuration into a place under permanent construction that functions as a laboratory for experimentation and a community of communities, and how to do so without altering the building? To respond to these considerations, the project develops two complementary strategies: "Touchless design," and "Feat. Furniture.”
The "Feat." furniture, modular and adaptable, allows each community to design its environment. Its lightness enables constant transformation: from a workspace to a stage, from a learning space to a gathering area. Designing while inhabiting, imagining while using. This ensures that the space does not have a single aesthetic, but infinite ones— as many as its inhabitants.
This flexibility allowed different communities to find in Un Cuarto en Llamas a place to express themselves without barriers. However, the experience of those who participate goes beyond architecture: it is a beauty born from human connection and from the discovery of other possible worlds. From the living process of dialogue, creativity, care, and listening. In its ability to welcome, transform, and give voice, the project becomes exemplary, proving that true beauty lies in the possibility of sharing and creating in the community.
How to convert the solemn materiality of this room into a space for poetic and artistic creation, how to transform its rigid configuration into a place under permanent construction that functions as a laboratory for experimentation and a community of communities, and how to do so without altering the building? To respond to these considerations, the project develops two complementary strategies: "Touchless design," and "Feat. Furniture.”
The "Feat." furniture, modular and adaptable, allows each community to design its environment. Its lightness enables constant transformation: from a workspace to a stage, from a learning space to a gathering area. Designing while inhabiting, imagining while using. This ensures that the space does not have a single aesthetic, but infinite ones— as many as its inhabitants.
This flexibility allowed different communities to find in Un Cuarto en Llamas a place to express themselves without barriers. However, the experience of those who participate goes beyond architecture: it is a beauty born from human connection and from the discovery of other possible worlds. From the living process of dialogue, creativity, care, and listening. In its ability to welcome, transform, and give voice, the project becomes exemplary, proving that true beauty lies in the possibility of sharing and creating in the community.
Un Cuarto en Llamas is a model of is a permeable, inclusive, and participatory project model. Inclusion is not only a principle but its very foundation: it is designed with accessibility, affordability, and the active participation of its inhabitants at its core. lts horizontal governance system—based on assemblies, committees, and collective learning groups—enables young people from different backgrounds, identities, and experiences to make collective decisions about the space, its programming, and resource management while actively inhabiting it.
From an accessibility perspective, Un Cuarto en Llamas has been built as an open space, free from social barriers or prerequisites for participation. Its self-programming model allows any young person to develop activities and events, ensuring a cultural offering that truly represents their community. Its reversible and flexible architecture adapts to diverse needs and abilities, without restricting its use to a single type of audience.
The project understands youth as a central axis in itself: young people of different genders, backgrounds, sexualities, and geographical contexts find a space where they are heard and recognized through open assemblies. This conceptual and cultural decentralization has allowed traditionally excluded groups to generate content and new forms of relationships and governance based on care, listening, and active participation—projecting new, permeable models of public institutions.
Dynamics such as the management assembly, a weekly space for dialogue and encounter; open mic sessions, where everyone can have a voice; and collective learning groups, which foster knowledge exchange without hierarchies, ensure real and active participation. The full transfer of power and the appropriation of the space generate a deep sense of responsibility and community, restoring a sense of belonging and fostering an engaged cultural citizenship.
From an accessibility perspective, Un Cuarto en Llamas has been built as an open space, free from social barriers or prerequisites for participation. Its self-programming model allows any young person to develop activities and events, ensuring a cultural offering that truly represents their community. Its reversible and flexible architecture adapts to diverse needs and abilities, without restricting its use to a single type of audience.
The project understands youth as a central axis in itself: young people of different genders, backgrounds, sexualities, and geographical contexts find a space where they are heard and recognized through open assemblies. This conceptual and cultural decentralization has allowed traditionally excluded groups to generate content and new forms of relationships and governance based on care, listening, and active participation—projecting new, permeable models of public institutions.
Dynamics such as the management assembly, a weekly space for dialogue and encounter; open mic sessions, where everyone can have a voice; and collective learning groups, which foster knowledge exchange without hierarchies, ensure real and active participation. The full transfer of power and the appropriation of the space generate a deep sense of responsibility and community, restoring a sense of belonging and fostering an engaged cultural citizenship.
The involvement of citizens and civil society in Un Cuarto en Llamas has been key to its development and success. From its inception, the project was built on a strategy of self-governance and horizontal participation, where young people were not just users but protagonists in decision-making, space management, and activity design—through a complete transfer of power. Un Cuarto en Llamas: Do whatever you want, its slogan declared.
Through open assemblies, working committees, and co-creation methodologies, a “community of communities” emerged, bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds, cultural collectives, and local actors. This allowed the space to respond to previously identified needs and continuously adapt to the evolving interests of its participants, fostering genuine ownership of the project.
The impact of this involvement has been profound. First, it validated an innovative cultural management model, materializing the institutional openness theories of cultural policies. Second, it strengthened communities and support networks, enabling the emergence of voices and expressions that rarely find space within institutional cultural programming.
From civil society, collaboration and engagement in the project have inspired new ways of intervening in public space from a youth and cultural perspective. The project has served as a reference point due to its ability to create a sustainable ecosystem based on collective intelligence and cooperation.
Ultimately, Un Cuarto en Llamas was more than just a space but a living laboratory of participation, inclusion, and cultural democracy. Its impact continues to resonate within the networks and communities it helped strengthen, giving rise to collectives that are now rooted in their territories as embryonic nodes of a conscious and active political-social subject. These groups are contributing to the repair of associative and community fabrics in neighborhoods, revitalizing civic participation.
Through open assemblies, working committees, and co-creation methodologies, a “community of communities” emerged, bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds, cultural collectives, and local actors. This allowed the space to respond to previously identified needs and continuously adapt to the evolving interests of its participants, fostering genuine ownership of the project.
The impact of this involvement has been profound. First, it validated an innovative cultural management model, materializing the institutional openness theories of cultural policies. Second, it strengthened communities and support networks, enabling the emergence of voices and expressions that rarely find space within institutional cultural programming.
From civil society, collaboration and engagement in the project have inspired new ways of intervening in public space from a youth and cultural perspective. The project has served as a reference point due to its ability to create a sustainable ecosystem based on collective intelligence and cooperation.
Ultimately, Un Cuarto en Llamas was more than just a space but a living laboratory of participation, inclusion, and cultural democracy. Its impact continues to resonate within the networks and communities it helped strengthen, giving rise to collectives that are now rooted in their territories as embryonic nodes of a conscious and active political-social subject. These groups are contributing to the repair of associative and community fabrics in neighborhoods, revitalizing civic participation.
The Madrid City Council played a key role by granting the use of the Sala Polivalente at Cuartel Conde Duque, a significant public facility in the city center, demonstrating openness to new forms of cultural management. This transfer of use allowed an institutional public space to be transformed into an environment created by and for young people through self-governance, setting a precedent for cultural governance in public-community collaboration.
The Colectivo Masquepalabras was responsible for securing the space through a public tender agreement with the Madrid City Council. It led the design, implementation, and monitoring of the project, ensuring its legal, administrative, and financial sustainability. The collective equipped the project with technical resources (sound, lighting, audiovisual), administrative support (insurance, general accounting, institutional relations), and spatial infrastructure while respecting the original structure of the space. Additionally, it played a fundamental role in mediation, facilitation, and community engagement, fostering open, equitable, inclusive, and horizontal participation.
The collective also coordinated collaborations with multidisciplinary professionals and collectives for co-design sessions, project mentoring, and training workshops—always emphasizing proximity, active listening, and an inclusive, participatory approach.
The added value of the collective lay in the fact that several of its key figures within the space were also young people from the very communities that inhabited it. This created a deeply integrated mediation process—authentic and effective—where continuous dialogue was built on mutual listening and learning.
The Colectivo Masquepalabras was responsible for securing the space through a public tender agreement with the Madrid City Council. It led the design, implementation, and monitoring of the project, ensuring its legal, administrative, and financial sustainability. The collective equipped the project with technical resources (sound, lighting, audiovisual), administrative support (insurance, general accounting, institutional relations), and spatial infrastructure while respecting the original structure of the space. Additionally, it played a fundamental role in mediation, facilitation, and community engagement, fostering open, equitable, inclusive, and horizontal participation.
The collective also coordinated collaborations with multidisciplinary professionals and collectives for co-design sessions, project mentoring, and training workshops—always emphasizing proximity, active listening, and an inclusive, participatory approach.
The added value of the collective lay in the fact that several of its key figures within the space were also young people from the very communities that inhabited it. This created a deeply integrated mediation process—authentic and effective—where continuous dialogue was built on mutual listening and learning.
The design and execution of Un Cuarto en Llamas integrated multiple disciplines and fields of knowledge, creating an innovative and transversal approach.
Cultural management, spatial and architectural design, sound and lighting design, psychology, education, and social and cultural mediation all played a role.
From a cultural management perspective, a model of self-management and horizontal participation was implemented, allowing young people to take the lead in decision-making and programming the space. Architecture played a crucial role in transforming the rigid configuration of the Sala Polivalente into a space under permanent construction—a laboratory for experimentation and a “community of communities.” Un Cuarto en Llamas is a continuously evolving space, conceived through its use and intervened in as it is inhabited. The Do-It-Yourself spatial and material logic of this architecture was designed to support the self-managed cultural production of the young community that inhabits it.
Performing arts, sound design, and lighting enriched the sensory experience of the space, enabling a diverse range of cultural events, from performances to concerts and debates. In this process, educators and psychologists contributed tools to create a safe and nurturing environment, addressing participants' emotional needs and fostering collaborative learning dynamics.
The project's social dimension was further strengthened by the involvement of sociologists and experts in youth participation, who analyzed Un Cuarto en Llamas’ impact on the community, facilitating strategies for inclusion and social cohesion. Additionally, collaboration with youth and participation departments ensured the project’s integration with other local initiatives and its potential replicability in other urban contexts. The Parks and Gardens Directorate also contributed by incorporating plants and vegetation, fostering a multi-species ecosystemic atmosphere.
Cultural management, spatial and architectural design, sound and lighting design, psychology, education, and social and cultural mediation all played a role.
From a cultural management perspective, a model of self-management and horizontal participation was implemented, allowing young people to take the lead in decision-making and programming the space. Architecture played a crucial role in transforming the rigid configuration of the Sala Polivalente into a space under permanent construction—a laboratory for experimentation and a “community of communities.” Un Cuarto en Llamas is a continuously evolving space, conceived through its use and intervened in as it is inhabited. The Do-It-Yourself spatial and material logic of this architecture was designed to support the self-managed cultural production of the young community that inhabits it.
Performing arts, sound design, and lighting enriched the sensory experience of the space, enabling a diverse range of cultural events, from performances to concerts and debates. In this process, educators and psychologists contributed tools to create a safe and nurturing environment, addressing participants' emotional needs and fostering collaborative learning dynamics.
The project's social dimension was further strengthened by the involvement of sociologists and experts in youth participation, who analyzed Un Cuarto en Llamas’ impact on the community, facilitating strategies for inclusion and social cohesion. Additionally, collaboration with youth and participation departments ensured the project’s integration with other local initiatives and its potential replicability in other urban contexts. The Parks and Gardens Directorate also contributed by incorporating plants and vegetation, fostering a multi-species ecosystemic atmosphere.
Un Cuarto en Llamas proposes a cultural policy exercise based on permeability and institutional openness to citizens through a transfer of power linked to spatial and curatorial self-management.
It seeks to transform traditional cultural management dynamics by rethinking the framework of youth engagement—where activities are often directed and coordinated by adults—and instead fostering a space for dialogue and cultural creation where young communities themselves define, manage, and transform the project according to their needs.
Unlike conventional models in which institutions retain control over programming and decision-making, this project ensured horizontal and autonomous participation, proving that public cultural spaces can be sustained through self-management and collective intelligence. This community participation was built on diversity and heterogeneity, creating an inclusive and democratic space rooted in networks of care, empathy, dialogue, and active listening.
Understanding culture as a tool for social transformation, Un Cuarto en Llamas actively worked to rebalance unequal access to cultural participation. By eliminating social and economic barriers, welcoming marginalized communities, and fostering a flexible space where users were active agents of participation and creation, the project provided a platform for traditionally excluded groups to freely express themselves—without filters or intermediaries—within a key cultural institution located at the heart of the city.
In contrast to dominant top-down and rigid planning practices, Un Cuarto en Llamas embraced a living, adaptable, and open model, serving as a reference for future initiatives aiming to democratize culture and rethink the relationship between institutions, citizens, and public space.
It seeks to transform traditional cultural management dynamics by rethinking the framework of youth engagement—where activities are often directed and coordinated by adults—and instead fostering a space for dialogue and cultural creation where young communities themselves define, manage, and transform the project according to their needs.
Unlike conventional models in which institutions retain control over programming and decision-making, this project ensured horizontal and autonomous participation, proving that public cultural spaces can be sustained through self-management and collective intelligence. This community participation was built on diversity and heterogeneity, creating an inclusive and democratic space rooted in networks of care, empathy, dialogue, and active listening.
Understanding culture as a tool for social transformation, Un Cuarto en Llamas actively worked to rebalance unequal access to cultural participation. By eliminating social and economic barriers, welcoming marginalized communities, and fostering a flexible space where users were active agents of participation and creation, the project provided a platform for traditionally excluded groups to freely express themselves—without filters or intermediaries—within a key cultural institution located at the heart of the city.
In contrast to dominant top-down and rigid planning practices, Un Cuarto en Llamas embraced a living, adaptable, and open model, serving as a reference for future initiatives aiming to democratize culture and rethink the relationship between institutions, citizens, and public space.
The methodology of Un Cuarto en Llamas was based on the transfer of power through mediation, self-management, and mentorship, creating a truly participatory and horizontal space for young communities.
Three Levels of Mediation
Colectivo Masquepalabras implemented a thoughtful mediation approach to strengthen youth engagement across three dimensions:
With the space: Tools were provided to help participants take ownership of the space and manage it collectively.
Between participants: Community-building dynamics fostered a sense of belonging, mutual support, and collaboration.
Digital: Social media and online platforms were leveraged with tailored communication strategies to ensure accessibility and participation.
Horizontal Assembly and Collective Management
The assembly was the project’s central governing body—a space for self-governance where all individuals and collectives could participate. Through collective decision-making, cultural programming was managed, reinforcing autonomy and a sense of belonging. Colectivo Masquepalabras facilitated these spaces and ensured clear communication within the community.
Mentorship and Professional Support
A multidisciplinary team added a layer of professionalization. Experts in cultural management, communication, design, illustration, and audiovisual production provided mentorship and guidance at every stage of artistic project development. Additionally, masterclasses were tailored to participants' needs, offering valuable training and growth opportunities.
Three Levels of Mediation
Colectivo Masquepalabras implemented a thoughtful mediation approach to strengthen youth engagement across three dimensions:
With the space: Tools were provided to help participants take ownership of the space and manage it collectively.
Between participants: Community-building dynamics fostered a sense of belonging, mutual support, and collaboration.
Digital: Social media and online platforms were leveraged with tailored communication strategies to ensure accessibility and participation.
Horizontal Assembly and Collective Management
The assembly was the project’s central governing body—a space for self-governance where all individuals and collectives could participate. Through collective decision-making, cultural programming was managed, reinforcing autonomy and a sense of belonging. Colectivo Masquepalabras facilitated these spaces and ensured clear communication within the community.
Mentorship and Professional Support
A multidisciplinary team added a layer of professionalization. Experts in cultural management, communication, design, illustration, and audiovisual production provided mentorship and guidance at every stage of artistic project development. Additionally, masterclasses were tailored to participants' needs, offering valuable training and growth opportunities.
Un Cuarto en Llamas is a cultural space model developed by and for young people, with high potential for transferability and replicability across different contexts. Its structure—based on self-management, architectural flexibility, and social accessibility—allows for implementation in public and private institutions, cultural centers, social organizations, and independent collectives.
Key Elements for Replication
Horizontal Governance and Self-Programming: The space is managed through open assemblies, working committees, and self-programming systems, granting young people full agency to decide which activities take place. This model can be applied to any space seeking to empower its community with decision-making power.
Flexible Design and Reversible Architecture: The spatial intervention follows a minimal invasion approach, using modular furniture and non-invasive assembly systems. This enables the space to be adapted for different uses without generating waste or altering pre-existing structures—an approach that can be easily implemented in other environments.
Accessibility and Free Participation: All activities are open-access, removing economic barriers to participation. This principle can be integrated into any institution aiming to democratize cultural access through mixed or collaborative funding models.
Horizontal Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Knowledge is exchanged collectively and non-hierarchically, fostering peer-to-peer and intergenerational learning. This approach can be replicated in educational programs and learning spaces that seek to break away from traditional models.
Strengthening Community Networks: The project has shown that youth-led cultural self-management not only generates creative spaces but also builds strong communities and intergenerational support networks. This impact can be reproduced in neighborhoods, municipalities, and other cities.
More than just a space, the project is a model of an alternative cultural institution.
Key Elements for Replication
Horizontal Governance and Self-Programming: The space is managed through open assemblies, working committees, and self-programming systems, granting young people full agency to decide which activities take place. This model can be applied to any space seeking to empower its community with decision-making power.
Flexible Design and Reversible Architecture: The spatial intervention follows a minimal invasion approach, using modular furniture and non-invasive assembly systems. This enables the space to be adapted for different uses without generating waste or altering pre-existing structures—an approach that can be easily implemented in other environments.
Accessibility and Free Participation: All activities are open-access, removing economic barriers to participation. This principle can be integrated into any institution aiming to democratize cultural access through mixed or collaborative funding models.
Horizontal Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Knowledge is exchanged collectively and non-hierarchically, fostering peer-to-peer and intergenerational learning. This approach can be replicated in educational programs and learning spaces that seek to break away from traditional models.
Strengthening Community Networks: The project has shown that youth-led cultural self-management not only generates creative spaces but also builds strong communities and intergenerational support networks. This impact can be reproduced in neighborhoods, municipalities, and other cities.
More than just a space, the project is a model of an alternative cultural institution.
Un Cuarto en Llamas addresses global challenges such as the lack of accessible cultural spaces for young people, the crisis of democratic participation, urban loneliness, and the need for sustainable cultural models. In response to these issues, the project develops local solutions that can be scaled and adapted to other contexts.
Cultural Democratization and Youth Participation. Cultural access remains centralized and restricted by economic and institutional barriers. Un Cuarto en Llamas restores agency to young people, allowing them to program and manage their own cultural space without intermediaries. This model of self-programming and collective decision-making addresses the crisis of participation in cultural institutions, fostering a more horizontal and inclusive form of governance.
Social Cohesion and Sense of Belonging. In large cities, unwanted loneliness has become a structural problem, exacerbated by the lack of communal spaces. Un Cuarto en Llamas builds community through creativity and culture, providing a safe space where young people can express themselves, connect, and form mutual support networks.
Sustainability and Ecological Transition. In a world overwhelmed by overproduction and resource consumption, the project proves that a cultural space can operate with minimal environmental impact. Reversible architecture, lightweight materials, and the reuse of existing infrastructure reduce waste and resource consumption, aligning with ecological transition models.
Solidarity Economy and Equitable Access. Economic precarity prevents many young people from accessing cultural production and participation. Un Cuarto en Llamas ensures that all activities remain free, exploring funding models based on public and community collaboration. It also creates professional opportunities for young artists and emerging collectives, facilitating fair access to the cultural industry.
Cultural Democratization and Youth Participation. Cultural access remains centralized and restricted by economic and institutional barriers. Un Cuarto en Llamas restores agency to young people, allowing them to program and manage their own cultural space without intermediaries. This model of self-programming and collective decision-making addresses the crisis of participation in cultural institutions, fostering a more horizontal and inclusive form of governance.
Social Cohesion and Sense of Belonging. In large cities, unwanted loneliness has become a structural problem, exacerbated by the lack of communal spaces. Un Cuarto en Llamas builds community through creativity and culture, providing a safe space where young people can express themselves, connect, and form mutual support networks.
Sustainability and Ecological Transition. In a world overwhelmed by overproduction and resource consumption, the project proves that a cultural space can operate with minimal environmental impact. Reversible architecture, lightweight materials, and the reuse of existing infrastructure reduce waste and resource consumption, aligning with ecological transition models.
Solidarity Economy and Equitable Access. Economic precarity prevents many young people from accessing cultural production and participation. Un Cuarto en Llamas ensures that all activities remain free, exploring funding models based on public and community collaboration. It also creates professional opportunities for young artists and emerging collectives, facilitating fair access to the cultural industry.
Un Cuarto en Llamas has had a significant impact on the youth community, providing a sense of belonging in an urban context marked by social fragmentation and lack of cultural accessibility.
During its emergence phase (September 2022 - February 2023), the project achieved:
270+ cultural activities, from concerts and poetry readings to exhibitions, masterclasses, and performances, offering spaces for expression and learning.
610+ young professionals leading the programming, designing and managing the cultural offer through self-governance.
15,000+ visitors, who found a space for connection and collective creation, strengthening community identity.
600,000+ media interactions, amplifying the project's impact and giving visibility to young voices.
Key achievements include:
The creation of a space that belongs to those who inhabit it, allowing young people to reclaim their agency and strengthen their sense of community.
The emergence of collectives rooted in the territory, revitalizing civic participation and restoring community networks.
In December 2024, we conclude the project’s follow-up, validating a replicable cultural institution model, essential for addressing the challenges of contemporary society through dialogue and community-driven cultural action.
During its emergence phase (September 2022 - February 2023), the project achieved:
270+ cultural activities, from concerts and poetry readings to exhibitions, masterclasses, and performances, offering spaces for expression and learning.
610+ young professionals leading the programming, designing and managing the cultural offer through self-governance.
15,000+ visitors, who found a space for connection and collective creation, strengthening community identity.
600,000+ media interactions, amplifying the project's impact and giving visibility to young voices.
Key achievements include:
The creation of a space that belongs to those who inhabit it, allowing young people to reclaim their agency and strengthen their sense of community.
The emergence of collectives rooted in the territory, revitalizing civic participation and restoring community networks.
In December 2024, we conclude the project’s follow-up, validating a replicable cultural institution model, essential for addressing the challenges of contemporary society through dialogue and community-driven cultural action.
