Contemporary architecture for students

Now that is low season and I have time to put my blog upto date, I'd like to share I enjoyed giving 2 contemporary architecture tours for student groups in December.

One of them was for the Lycée Jeanne d'Arc de Montaigu (France). The kids were doing a project on sustainable developpement, and had taken Barcelona as a remarkable example of how a city can grow sustainable. They were interested in seeing how our local Agenda21 program was affecting the city.

To their request, we visited the Sant Martí district, which has changed a lot these last 20 years or so. First, the Olympic Village - former industrial area transformed into a residential + beach/marina/leisure area for the 1992 Olympics.

Then we went to the Forum area, that suffered a major redesign for the international event of the Forum of Cultures in 2004 and now is a main congress hub (with meeting buildings, hotels, offices...), as well as a must-see place for anyone interested in the latest contemporary architecture.

Diagonal Mar Park

Next we followed the Diagonal Avenue up-the-street crossing two signature parks (Diagonal Mar by Miralles & Tagliabue, and Central del Poblenou by Jean Nouvel).

We then explored the area that is going through a transformation process right now - the 22@District, underneath Diagonal Av. from Forum to Glories. We learnt how old industrial architecture is being restored and adapted to new uses, and how brand-new buildings are being created using the latest green technologies.

We finished, coudln't be otherwise, with the breathtaking Agbar Tower - also conceived taking into account environmental points.

Parc Central del Poblenou

The other one was for the students of Fanshawe College (Canada), with whom I spent 2 days touring Barcelona and had specially requested to include as much contemporary architecture as possible. So one afternoon we also went to the Forum and walked up Diagonal Avenue. Being design students their favorite sites there were the two parks, where they couldn't stop taking pictures! However, we were quite exhausted from a long day walking around the city, so after the second park we decided to take the tramway back to their hostel, which was walking distance from Agbar Tower, by the way.

I had done a few Contemporary Architecture Tours before, but it was the first time I did it for young people, and I must say it was a very challenging but rewarding experience!