architecture

Australia's RMIT University opens its European campus in Barcelona

June 7, 2013 01:41 AM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, which is one of Australia’s main universities, will offer Master and PhD programmes in Barcelona. The RMIT University, which has three campuses in Melbourne and two in Vietnam, is now coming to Europe and will coordinate its activities in the continent from Barcelona. The Australian education institution will also cooperate with several Catalan universities, in particular the UPC, the UPF and ELISAVA. The Catalan Minister for Economy and Knowledge, Andreu Mas-Colell, attended the opening ceremony. He underlined that Australia’s higher education system is “the most internationalised in the world”. He also stated that the RMIT campus in Barcelona “is a bridge towards Europe, the Mediterranean Area and Latin America”.

The work in Tarragona’s Cathedral reveal polychromes dating from the 14th to 16th centuries

September 17, 2012 10:07 PM | CNA / Laura Quintana

The renovation work in Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Tarragona have revealed tens of polychromes on the walls of this temple of transition from Romanesque to Gothic. The grey painting layer that covered the walls of the building concealed these polychromes which date from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The Medieval artworks were mostly painted in shades of red and green. This is the fourth phase of the renovation work that started in 2010 and have cost €3 million, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture.

Barcelona’s Can Framis Museum opened its restructured collection this weekend

September 3, 2012 08:16 PM | CNA

The permanent collection of the Can Framis Museum, located in a functionalist venue built three years ago, reopened its doors this Saturday. The museum, run by the Fundació Vila Casas, has restructured its permanent collection of contemporary paintings originating from the 1960’s onwards. The works are by various artists born or living in Catalonia and includes 45 new paintings, 20 of which are new acquisitions.

Ascó Nuclear Power Plant’s information centre receives international award for architecture

August 9, 2012 11:07 PM | CNA / David Tuxworth

The information centre at Ascó Nuclear Power Plant in Catalonia has won one of the prestigious International Architecture Awards, organised by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Arquitecture and Design. Ascó’s building, located in Southern Catalonia and designed by the Catalan architects Olga Felip and Josep Camps, was one of 81 projects from 21 countries to receive the prize. The jury highlighted the incorporation of the centre with the nuclear power plant, and its harmony with the surrounding landscape. The materials selected by the architects are designed to emulate day and night.

A new interactive museum unveils Catalan Art-Nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí’s universe

July 4, 2012 01:58 AM | CNA / Núria Julià

The ‘Gaudí Experiència’ offers the visitor, in 9 different languages, an interactive experience, diving into the work of the Catalan genius who designed the Sagrada Família, La Pedrera, the Casa Batlló and the Parc Güell. In fact, the new museum is located next to the famous park. It shows how nature’s elements including cypress trees, water and the Montserrat Mountain inspired Gaudí.

A project from Girona wins international award for designing a sustainable home in Alaska

July 2, 2012 06:36 PM | CNA /Anna Corbatera

An architectural project drawn up by teachers, ex-teachers and students at the University of Girona (UdG) got the third prize in the ‘Living Aleutian Design Competition’, one of the most prestigious sustainability competitions of the world. The test consisted in making a house of 150 square meters which was 100% sustainable in Alaska, a place that must stand extreme weather.

A community art centre built around Barcelona’s Roman wall with thermae from the 1st century

March 14, 2012 11:54 PM | CNA / Anna Veciana

Catalonia’s capital discovers the new Pati Llimona community and art centre, after two years of renovation and enlargement works. The centre shows 17 metres of the Roman wall circling the old Barcino, which are integrated in the building. It also displays the wall’s gate facing the sea. Excavations have also unveiled thermae from the 1st century AC, which are on display together with other remains. The new Pati Llimona will focus its cultural activity mainly on photography.

Gaudí and the Sagrada Família travel to the Vatican

November 24, 2011 08:53 PM | CNA

An exhibition on Barcelona’s Sagrada Família Basilica and Antoni Gaudí’s architectural techniques are on show in the Vatican. It focuses on the art, science and spirituality displayed at the Catalan architect’s church. Pope Benedict XVI declared the Sagrada Família a basilica one year ago during a visit to Barcelona. At the time he commented on the beauty of the temple and spoke of his personal admiration for the work of Gaudí.

Lleida’s theatre and congress centre La Llotja gets Chicago’s International Architecture Award

August 24, 2011 10:34 PM | CNA

Lleida’s unique building receives one of the world’s most prestigious architecture awards. The city’s Mayor, Àngel Ros, is said to be proud and highlighted that 75,000 people have already gone through the cultural and business facility since its opening in 2010. La Llotja, designed by the Dutch firm Mecanoo and the Catalan Labb Arquitectura, can be used as a theatre or a conference centre.