Open House architecture festival to offer rare glimpse into Barcelona buildings

The 17th edition of 48H Open House BCN, an architecture festival that seeks to promote architecture as an essential component of culture, will take place on October 24 and 25.

The festival will open a total of 217 buildings to the public for free, featuring 63 spaces never before included in the program. In total, over 200 activities and seven different itineraries will be available for guests to enjoy. 

The event combines heritage, renovation, and contemporary architecture, opening the doors to spaces not usually open to the public, such as the Llotja de Mar, the Estel Building, Recircular l’Eixample, Cubicup, CEM Espronceda, the Palau del Marquès d’Alfarràs, the Ethnological and World Cultures Museum, CEU Abat Oliba University, Hotel Arts, and Reforma Badalona.

Six cities will help host the festival, including Barcelona, ​​Badalona, ​​L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despí, Vilassar de Dalt, and Sitges. 

This year’s theme is "Life Without Architecture," inviting people to imagine what would happen if architecture suddenly ceased to exist. In this spirit, the festival aims to raise awareness of a presence that accompanies citizens every day and is an integral part of their daily lives.

48H Open House BCN is free to everyone, featuring over 200 spaces that can be visited without prior registration. As in previous years, printed maps will be available to help visitors plan their routes and organize their visits. 

That said, the organizers remind everyone that waiting times may vary depending on the size of the spaces and the volume of visitors.