133-428: The World Architecture Festival (WAF) is a architectural and design event held annually and considered to be one of the most prestigious events dedicated to the architecture and development industries. It was founded by Paul Finch and Jeremy Melvin for the purpose of showcasing and exhibiting architectural projects and is the world’s largest annual architectural event. It is the only architecture festival that combines
266-555: A Maghribian and, ultimately, Subsaharan pool of slaves. The Bank or Taula de canvi de Barcelona , often viewed as the oldest public bank in Europe, was established by the city magistrates in 1401. It originated from necessities of the state, as did the Bank of Venice (1402) and the Bank of Genoa (1407). In the beginning of the Early Modern period, Barcelona lost political primacy, but
399-457: A craft , and architecture became the term used to describe the highly formalized and respected aspects of the craft. It is widely assumed that architectural success was achieved through trial and error, with progressively less trial and more replication as results became satisfactory over time. Vernacular architecture continues to be produced in many parts of the world. Early human settlements were mostly rural . Expanding economies resulted in
532-555: A high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe. The name Barcelona comes from the ancient Iberian Baŕkeno , attested in an ancient coin inscription found on the right side of the coin in Iberian script as [REDACTED] , in Ancient Greek sources as Βαρκινών , Barkinṓn ; and in Latin as Barcino , Barcilonum and Barcenona . Other sources suggest that
665-603: A jihadist attack. Amaq News Agency attributed indirect responsibility for the attack to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). During the 2010s, Barcelona became the focus city for the ongoing Catalan independence movement , its consequent standoff between the regional and national government and later protests . In July 2023, Barcelona was announced as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for
798-561: A "decorated shed" (an ordinary building which is functionally designed inside and embellished on the outside) and upheld it against modernist and brutalist "ducks" (buildings with unnecessarily expressive tectonic forms). Since the 1980s, as the complexity of buildings began to increase (in terms of structural systems, services, energy and technologies), the field of architecture became multi-disciplinary with specializations for each project type, technological expertise or project delivery methods. Moreover, there has been an increased separation of
931-601: A Future Project or a Completed Building project and travel to where the festival is arranged to present the shortlisted project live to a jury panel. The entries are voluntary and the festival does not control who submits projects. In 2011, the sister event INSIDE Festival (for interior architecture and design) was added in the same venue and arranged at the same time as WAF. WAF maintains the World Buildings Directory as an official listing of all past and present projects entries to festivals. Entries can be submitted to
1064-732: A completely new style appropriate for a new post-war social and economic order, focused on meeting the needs of the middle and working classes. They rejected the architectural practice of the academic refinement of historical styles which served the rapidly declining aristocratic order. The approach of the Modernist architects was to reduce buildings to pure forms, removing historical references and ornament in favor of functional details. Buildings displayed their functional and structural elements, exposing steel beams and concrete surfaces instead of hiding them behind decorative forms. Architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright developed organic architecture , in which
1197-421: A criterion for the middle class as ornamented products, once within the province of expensive craftsmanship, became cheaper under machine production. Vernacular architecture became increasingly ornamental. Housebuilders could use current architectural design in their work by combining features found in pattern books and architectural journals. Around the beginning of the 20th century, general dissatisfaction with
1330-559: A day) in December to 310 (average 10 hours of sunshine a day) in July. According to Barcelona's City Council, the city's population as of 1 January 2016 was 1,608,746 people, on a land area of 101.4 km (39 sq mi). It is the main component of an administrative area of Greater Barcelona , with a population of 3,218,071 in an area of 636 km (246 sq mi) (density 5,060 inhabitants/km ). The population of
1463-442: A grid of streets to unite the old city and surrounding villages. There would also be wide streets to allow people to breathe clean air, gardens in the centre of each street block, integration of rich and poor giving both groups access to the same services, and smooth-flowing traffic. Urban quality, egalitarianism, hygiene, sunlight, and efficiency were all major keys for Cerdà's vision. Not everything he imagined would be realized within
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#17328515870911596-425: A largely industrial city. As part of the preparation for the games, industrial buildings along the sea-front were demolished and 3 km (2 mi) of beach were created. New construction increased the road capacity of the city by 17%, the sewage handling capacity by 27% and the amount of new green areas and beaches by 78%. Between 1990 and 2004, the number of hotel rooms in the city doubled. Perhaps more importantly,
1729-466: A live–judged awards programme, where shortlisted architects present their projects live in crit rooms to a judging panel, with seminars and networking events. One of these projects is then awarded the 'World Building of the Year' title. The World Architecture Festival was first held in 2008 as a "festival and live awards competition dedicated to celebrating and sharing architectural excellence from across
1862-430: A mainstream issue, with a profound effect on the architectural profession. Many developers, those who support the financing of buildings, have become educated to encourage the facilitation of environmentally sustainable design, rather than solutions based primarily on immediate cost. Major examples of this can be found in passive solar building design , greener roof designs , biodegradable materials, and more attention to
1995-436: A mere instrumentality". Among the philosophies that have influenced modern architects and their approach to building design are Rationalism , Empiricism , Structuralism , Poststructuralism , Deconstruction and Phenomenology . In the late 20th century a new concept was added to those included in the compass of both structure and function, the consideration of sustainability , hence sustainable architecture . To satisfy
2128-485: A nearby mountain. Barcelona averages 78 rainy days per year (≥ 1 mm), and annual average relative humidity is 72%, ranging from 69% in July to 75% in October. Rainfall totals are highest in late summer and autumn (September–November) and lowest in early and mid-summer (June–August), with a secondary winter minimum (February–March). Sunshine duration is 2,524 hours per year, from 138 (average 4.5 hours of sunshine
2261-428: A new contemporary architecture aimed at expanding human experience using historical buildings as models and precedents. Postmodernism produced a style that combined contemporary building technology and cheap materials, with the aesthetics of older pre-modern and non-modern styles, from high classical architecture to popular or vernacular regional building styles. Robert Venturi famously defined postmodern architecture as
2394-575: A new wave of immigration (particularly from Latin America and from Morocco ) has gathered pace. In 1987, an ETA car bombing at Hipercor killed 21 people. On 17 August 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians on La Rambla , killing 14 and injuring at least 100, one of whom later died. Other attacks took place elsewhere in Catalonia. The Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy , called the attack in Barcelona
2527-464: A preselection, 224 projects from 43 countries have been shortlisted. All the shortlisted architects presented their work during the festival and the winners competed for the top award, the World Building of the Year. The judging panel was headed by Norman Foster and included Stefan Behnisch , Robert Stern and Zaha Hadid among the 40 architects on the panel. 1,900 visitors from 70 countries attended
2660-616: A school in its own right and a later development of expressionist architecture . Beginning in the late 1950s and 1960s, architectural phenomenology emerged as an important movement in the early reaction against modernism, with architects like Charles Moore in the United States, Christian Norberg-Schulz in Norway, and Ernesto Nathan Rogers and Vittorio Gregotti , Michele Valori , Bruno Zevi in Italy, who collectively popularized an interest in
2793-634: A structure's energy usage. This major shift in architecture has also changed architecture schools to focus more on the environment. There has been an acceleration in the number of buildings that seek to meet green building sustainable design principles. Sustainable practices that were at the core of vernacular architecture increasingly provide inspiration for environmentally and socially sustainable contemporary techniques. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system has been instrumental in this. Concurrently,
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#17328515870912926-602: A typical Mediterranean climate. However, both June and August are wetter than February, which is unusual for the Mediterranean climate. This subtype, labelled as "Portuguese" by the French geographer George Viers after the climate classification of Emmanuel de Martonne and found in the NW Mediterranean area (e.g. Marseille ), can be seen as transitional to the humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) found in inland areas. Barcelona
3059-465: Is 26 °C (79 °F). Generally, the summer or "holiday" season lasts about six months, from May to October. Two months – April and November – are transitional; sometimes the temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F), with an average temperature of 18–19 °C (64–66 °F) during the day and 11–13 °C (52–55 °F) at night. December, January and February are the coldest months, with average temperatures around 15 °C (59 °F) during
3192-432: Is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain . It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia , as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the province of Barcelona and is home to around 5.3 million people, making it the fifth most populous urban area of
3325-632: Is a major cultural, economic, and financial centre in southwestern Europe , as well as the main biotech hub in Spain. As a leading world city, Barcelona's influence in global socio-economic affairs qualifies it for global city status (Beta +). Barcelona is a transport hub , with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port, an international airport, Barcelona–El Prat Airport , which handles over 50 million passengers per year, an extensive motorway network , and
3458-474: Is common for professionals in all these disciplines to practice urban design. In more recent times different sub-subfields of urban design have emerged such as strategic urban design, landscape urbanism , water-sensitive urban design , and sustainable urbanism . Barcelona Barcelona ( / ˌ b ɑːr s ə ˈ l oʊ n ə / BAR -sə- LOH -nə ; Catalan: [bəɾsəˈlonə] ; Spanish: [baɾθeˈlona] )
3591-501: Is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good. I am happy and I say: This is beautiful. That is Architecture". Le Corbusier's contemporary Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is said to have stated in a 1959 interview that "architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins." The notable 19th-century architect of skyscrapers , Louis Sullivan , promoted an overriding precept to architectural design: " Form follows function ". While
3724-401: Is densely populated, thus heavily influenced by the urban heat island effect . Areas outside of the urbanized districts can have as much as 2 °C of difference in temperatures throughout the year. Its average annual temperature is 21.2 °C (70.2 °F) during the day and 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) at night. The average annual temperature of the sea is about 20 °C (68 °F). In
3857-498: Is extremely uneven. Half of the municipality or 50.2 km , all of it located on the municipal edge is made up of the ten least densely populated neighbourhoods containing less than 10% of the city's population, the uninhabited Zona Franca industrial area and Montjuïc forest park. Leaving the remaining 90% or slightly below 1.5 million inhabitants living on the remaining 52 km (20 sq mi) at an average density close to 28,500 inhabitants per square kilometre. Of
3990-467: Is found at and around the neighbourhood of la Sagrada Família where four of the city's most densely populated neighbourhoods are located side by side, all with a population density above 50,000 inhabitants per square kilometre. In 1900, almost a third (28.9 percent) of the population were children (aged younger than 14 years). In 2017, this age group constituted only 12.7% of the population. In 2017, people aged between 15 and 24 years made up 9 percent of
4123-547: Is home to two of the most prestigious universities in Spain: the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University . The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions . In addition, many international sport tournaments have been played here. Barcelona
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4256-426: Is often part of sustainable architecture practices, conserving resources through "recycling" a structure by adaptive redesign. Generally referred to as the spatial art of environmental design, form and practice, interior architecture is the process through which the interiors of buildings are designed, concerned with all aspects of the human uses of structural spaces. Urban design is the process of designing and shaping
4389-606: Is the Hindu temple architecture , which developed from around the 5th century CE, is in theory governed by concepts laid down in the Shastras , and is concerned with expressing the macrocosm and the microcosm. In many Asian countries, pantheistic religion led to architectural forms that were designed specifically to enhance the natural landscape . Also, the grandest houses were relatively lightweight structures mainly using wood until recent times, and there are few survivals of great age. Buddhism
4522-520: Is the 1st century AD treatise De architectura by the Roman architect Vitruvius , according to whom a good building embodies firmitas, utilitas , and venustas (durability, utility, and beauty). Centuries later, Leon Battista Alberti developed his ideas further, seeing beauty as an objective quality of buildings to be found in their proportions. In the 19th century, Louis Sullivan declared that " form follows function ". "Function" began to replace
4655-509: Is the design of commercial buildings that serves the needs of businesses, the government and religious institutions. Industrial architecture is the design of specialized industrial buildings, whose primary focus is designing buildings that can fulfil their function while ensuring the safe movement of labor and goods in the facility. Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor public areas, landmarks, and structures to achieve environmental, social-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves
4788-630: Is understood almost universally. Catalan is also very commonly spoken in the city: it is understood by 95% of the population, while 72.3% can speak it, 79% can read it, and 53% can write it. Knowledge of Catalan has increased significantly in recent decades thanks to a language immersion educational system. After Catalan and Spanish, the most spoken languages in Barcelona are those from North Africa, such as Amazigh and Arabic , followed by Bengali , Urdu , Panjabi , Mandarin Chinese , Romanian , English, Russian and Quechua , according to data collected by
4921-404: The 1992 Summer Olympics . The process of urban regeneration has been rapid, and accompanied by a greatly increased international reputation of the city as a tourist destination. The increased cost of housing has led to a slight decline (−16.6%) in the population over the last two decades of the 20th century as many families move out into the suburbs. This decline has been reversed since 2001, as
5054-551: The Crown of Aragon , which conquered many overseas possessions and ruled the western Mediterranean Sea with outlying territories in Naples and Sicily and as far as Athens in the 13th century. Barcelona was the leading slave trade centre of the Crown of Aragon up until the 15th century, when it was eclipsed by Valencia . It initially fed from eastern and Balkan slave stock later drawing from
5187-729: The European Union after Paris , the Ruhr area, Madrid and Milan . It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea , located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs , bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range. According to tradition, Barcelona was founded by either the Phoenicians or the Carthaginians , who had trading posts along
5320-480: The Medieval period, guilds were formed by craftsmen to organize their trades and written contracts have survived, particularly in relation to ecclesiastical buildings. The role of architect was usually one with that of master mason, or Magister lathomorum as they are sometimes described in contemporary documents. The major architectural undertakings were the buildings of abbeys and cathedrals . From about 900 onward,
5453-523: The Philippines . There is a Japanese community clustered in Bonanova , Les Tres Torres , Pedralbes , and other northern neighbourhoods, and a Japanese international school serves that community. In 2007 most of the inhabitants stated they are Roman Catholic (208 churches). In a 2011 survey conducted by InfoCatólica, 49.5% of Barcelona residents of all ages identified themselves as Catholic . This
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5586-691: The Second Spanish Republic later in the Spanish Civil War , until its capture by the fascists in 1939. After the Spanish transition to democracy in the 1970s, Barcelona once again became the capital of an autonomous Catalonia. Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner , which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The city
5719-638: The Spanish Civil War , the city, and Catalonia in general, were resolutely Republican. Many enterprises and public services were collectivized by the CNT and UGT unions. As the power of the Republican government and the Generalitat diminished, much of the city was under the effective control of anarchist groups. The anarchists lost control of the city to their own allies, the Communists and official government troops, after
5852-556: The Umayyads in the early 8th century, it was conquered after a siege in 801 by Charlemagne 's son Louis , who made Barcelona the seat of the Carolingian " Hispanic March " ( Marca Hispanica ), a buffer zone ruled by the Count of Barcelona . The Counts of Barcelona became increasingly independent and expanded their territory to include much of modern Catalonia , although in 985, Barcelona
5985-412: The 'design' architect from the 'project' architect who ensures that the project meets the required standards and deals with matters of liability. The preparatory processes for the design of any large building have become increasingly complicated, and require preliminary studies of such matters as durability, sustainability, quality, money, and compliance with local laws. A large structure can no longer be
6118-429: The 16 completed buildings winning their category. Awards 2011 Gallery of some of the 2011 winners The fifth World Architecture Festival (WAF) was moved to Singapore at Marina Bay Sands and was held from October 3 to 5 2012. The festival awards was nicknamed «The Architectural Oscars» at the time. The World Architecture Festival was at the time the world's largest global architectural awards programme. Paul Finch
6251-563: The 1980s and 1990s as more people sought a higher quality of life in outlying cities in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. After bottoming out in 2000 with 1,496,266 residents, the city's population began to rise again as younger people started to return, causing a great increase in housing prices. Spanish is the most spoken language in Barcelona (according to the linguistic census held by the Government of Catalonia in 2013) and it
6384-636: The 1990s, and similar to other migrants, many Latin Americans have settled in northern parts of the city. There exists a relatively large Pakistani community in Barcelona with up to twenty thousand nationals. The community consists of significantly more men than women. Many of the Pakistanis are living in Ciutat Vella . First Pakistani migrants came in the 1970s, with increasing numbers in the 1990s. Other significant migrant groups come from Asia as from China and
6517-562: The 2009 winners The third World Architecture festival took place in Barcelona at the CCIB Forum (Centro de Convenciones Internacionales de Barcelona) November 3 to 5 2010. The festival was the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in 2010. More than 500 entries from 65 countries competed in 15 main categories and in over 20 further sections. The festival had 5 awards sections, 42 categories and more than 100 types of buildings. The competition
6650-500: The 2024–2026 term. This means it will be the hub for discussion around global challenges including culture, heritage, urban planning and architecture. In addition to being the capital through 2026, it will also host the UIA World Congress of Architects for that year. The honour is befitting of Barcelona, as its history is peppered with architectural achievement and various iconic styles and influences. From its ancient Roman roots, to
6783-514: The 73 neighbourhoods in the city, 45 had a population density above 20,000 inhabitants per square kilometre with a combined population of 1,313,424 inhabitants living on 38.6 km at an average density of 33,987 inhabitants per square kilometre. The 30 most densely populated neighbourhoods accounted for 57.5% of the city population occupying only 22.7% of the municipality, or in other words, 936,406 people living at an average density of 40,322 inhabitants per square kilometre. The city's highest density
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#17328515870916916-658: The 7th century, incorporating architectural forms from the ancient Middle East and Byzantium , but also developing features to suit the religious and social needs of the society. Examples can be found throughout the Middle East, Turkey, North Africa, the Indian Sub-continent and in parts of Europe, such as Spain, Albania, and the Balkan States, as the result of the expansion of the Ottoman Empire . In Europe during
7049-514: The Catalans, shortly before the dynastic union between the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon in 1492. Barcelona became the centre of Catalan separatism , briefly becoming part of France during the 17th century Reapers' War and again in 1812 until 1814 under Napoleon . It was the capital of Revolutionary Catalonia during the Spanish Revolution of 1936 , and the seat of government of
7182-456: The Catalonian coast. In particular, some historians attribute the foundation of the city directly to the historical Carthaginian general, Hamilcar Barca , father of Hannibal , who supposedly named the city Barcino after his family in the 3rd century BC, but this theory has been questioned. Archeological evidence in the form of coins from the 3rd century BC have been found on the hills at
7315-677: The Catalonian coast. In the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona . After joining with the Kingdom of Aragon to form the confederation of the Crown of Aragon , Barcelona, which continued to be the capital of the Principality of Catalonia , became the most important city in the Crown of Aragon and the main economic and administrative centre of the Crown, only to be overtaken by Valencia , wrested from Moorish control by
7448-452: The Eixample district, but the iconic octagonal superblocks with chamfered corners for better visibility are his direct brainchild and remain immensely helpful even 170 years later. The district and its ideals were not appreciated at the time. The city council awarded the design of the extension plan to another architect. The Spanish government was the one to step in and impose Cerdà's plan, laying
7581-734: The Gothic and Modernisme movements, Barcelona has thrived through the way it ties together architecture and culture. Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula , facing the Mediterranean Sea , on a plain approximately 5 km (3 mi) wide limited by the mountain range of Collserola , the Llobregat river to the southwest and the Besòs river to the north. This plain covers an area of 170 km (66 sq mi), of which 101 km (39.0 sq mi) are occupied by
7714-468: The Republican government. Massive, but peaceful, demonstrations on 11 September 1977 assembled over a million people in the streets of Barcelona to call for the restoration of Catalan autonomy. It was granted less than a month later. The development of Barcelona was promoted by two events in 1986: Spanish accession to the European Community , and particularly Barcelona's designation as host city of
7847-520: The Roman walls have been incorporated into the cathedral. The cathedral, Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Barcelona, is also sometimes called La Seu , which simply means cathedral (and see, among other things) in Catalan. It is said to have been founded in 343. The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century, becoming for a few years the capital of all Hispania . After being conquered by
7980-476: The Romans, it was a colony with the surname of Faventia , or, in full, Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino or Colonia Julia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino . Pomponius Mela mentions it among the small towns of the district, probably as it was eclipsed by its neighbour Tarraco (modern Tarragona ), but it may be gathered from later writers that it gradually grew in wealth and consequence, favoured as it
8113-471: The University of Barcelona. Barcelona is one of the most densely populated cities in Europe. For the year 2008 the city council calculated the population to 1,621,090 living in the 102.2 km sized municipality, giving the city an average population density of 15,926 inhabitants per square kilometre with Eixample being the most populated district. In the case of Barcelona though, the land distribution
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#17328515870918246-533: The aesthetic was of overriding significance. His work goes on to state that a building is not truly a work of architecture unless it is in some way "adorned". For Ruskin, a well-constructed, well-proportioned, functional building needed string courses or rustication , at the very least. On the difference between the ideals of architecture and mere construction , the renowned 20th-century architect Le Corbusier wrote: "You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces: that
8379-573: The architect should strive to fulfill each of these three attributes as well as possible. Leon Battista Alberti , who elaborates on the ideas of Vitruvius in his treatise, De re aedificatoria , saw beauty primarily as a matter of proportion, although ornament also played a part. For Alberti, the rules of proportion were those that governed the idealized human figure, the Golden mean . The most important aspect of beauty was, therefore, an inherent part of an object, rather than something applied superficially, and
8512-411: The architectural bounds prior set throughout history, viewing the creation of a building as the ultimate synthesis – the apex – of art, craft, and technology. When modern architecture was first practiced, it was an avant-garde movement with moral, philosophical, and aesthetic underpinnings. Immediately after World War I , pioneering modernist architects sought to develop
8645-508: The awards ceremony. The competition opened for entries on April 1 and closed on June 30, 2011. In 2011 Michael Sorkin , Ben van Berkel , Jo Noero , Odile Decq and Professor Kongjian Yu , and Tim MacFarlane were members of the jury. The opening night was held in Media-ICT (by Cloud 9) which was later to win the World Building of the Year Award. The World Building of the Year was elected from
8778-696: The city is Barna . Barça is only applied to the local football club FC Barcelona , not to the city. Another common abbreviation is 'BCN', which is also the IATA airport code of the Barcelona-El Prat Airport . The city is referred to as the Ciutat Comtal in Catalan and Ciudad Condal in Spanish (i.e., "Comital City" or "City of Counts"), owing to its past as the seat of the Count of Barcelona . The origin of
8911-472: The city itself. It is 120 km (75 mi) south of the Pyrenees and the Catalan border with France. Tibidabo , 512 m (1,680 ft) high, offers striking views over the city and is topped by the 288.4 m (946.2 ft) Torre de Collserola , a telecommunications tower that is visible from most of the city. Barcelona is peppered with small hills, most of them urbanized, that gave their name to
9044-583: The city may have been named after the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca , who was supposed to have founded the city in the 3rd century BC, but there is no evidence its name in antiquity, Barcino , was connected with the Barcid family of Hamilcar. During the Middle Ages , the city was variously known as Barchinona , Barçalona , Barchelonaa , and Barchenona . An abbreviated form sometimes used by locals for
9177-441: The classical "utility" and was understood to include not only practical but also aesthetic, psychological, and cultural dimensions. The idea of sustainable architecture was introduced in the late 20th century. Architecture began as rural, oral vernacular architecture that developed from trial and error to successful replication. Ancient urban architecture was preoccupied with building religious structures and buildings symbolizing
9310-411: The coldest month, January, the temperature typically ranges from 12 to 18 °C (54 to 64 °F) during the day, 6 to 12 °C (43 to 54 °F) at night and the average sea temperature is 13 °C (55 °F). In the warmest month, August, the typical temperature ranges from 27 to 31 °C (81 to 88 °F) during the day, about 23 °C (73 °F) at night and the average sea temperature
9443-504: The constant engagement with the divine and the supernatural , and many ancient cultures resorted to monumentality in their architecture to symbolically represent the political power of the ruler or the state itself. The architecture and urbanism of classical civilizations such as the Greek and Roman civilizations evolved from civic ideals rather than religious or empirical ones. New building types emerged and architectural style developed in
9576-647: The contemporary ethos a building should be constructed in a manner which is environmentally friendly in terms of the production of its materials, its impact upon the natural and built environment of its surrounding area and the demands that it makes upon the natural environment for heating, ventilation and cooling , water use , waste products and lighting . Building first evolved out of the dynamics between needs (e.g. shelter, security, and worship) and means (available building materials and attendant skills). As human cultures developed and knowledge began to be formalized through oral traditions and practices, building became
9709-744: The creation of proto-cities or urban areas , which in some cases grew and evolved very rapidly, such as Çatalhöyük in modern-day Turkey and Mohenjo-daro in modern-day Pakistan . Neolithic archaeological sites include Göbekli Tepe and Çatalhöyük in Turkey, Jericho in the Levant, Mehrgarh in Pakistan, Skara Brae in Orkney , and Cucuteni-Trypillian culture settlements in Romania , Moldova and Ukraine . In many ancient civilizations, such as those of Egypt and Mesopotamia , architecture and urbanism reflected
9842-476: The day and 9 °C (48 °F) at night. Large fluctuations in temperature are rare, particularly in the summer months. Because of the proximity to the warm sea plus the urban heat island , frosts are very rare in the city of Barcelona. Snow is also very infrequent in the city of Barcelona, but light snowfalls can occur yearly in the nearby Collserola mountains, such as in the Fabra Observatory located in
9975-500: The decorative richness of historical styles. As the first generation of modernists began to die after World War II , the second generation of architects including Paul Rudolph , Marcel Breuer , and Eero Saarinen tried to expand the aesthetics of modernism with Brutalism , buildings with expressive sculpture façades made of unfinished concrete. But an even younger postwar generation critiqued modernism and Brutalism for being too austere, standardized, monotone, and not taking into account
10108-514: The design of one person but must be the work of many. Modernism and Postmodernism have been criticized by some members of the architectural profession who feel that successful architecture is not a personal, philosophical, or aesthetic pursuit by individualists; rather it has to consider everyday needs of people and use technology to create livable environments, with the design process being informed by studies of behavioral, environmental, and social sciences. Environmental sustainability has become
10241-404: The earliest settlement at the site of present-day Barcelona is unclear. The ruins of an early settlement have been found, including different tombs and dwellings dating to earlier than 5000 BC. In Greek mythology, the founding of Barcelona had been attributed to the mythological Hercules . According to tradition, Barcelona was founded by Punic ( Phoenician ) settlers, who had trading posts along
10374-420: The economy managed to achieve a balance between production capacity and imports. In the context of the wider early recovery of Catalonia from the 17th-century crisis in the second half of the century, increasing maritime activity since 1675 doubled traffic in the port of Barcelona compared to figures from the beginning of the 17th century. In the late 17th and early 18th century, Barcelona repeatedly endured
10507-463: The effects of war, including the 1691 bombing, the sieges of 1697, 1704, 1705, 1706, and the 1713 blockade and ensuing 1714 siege and assault. In the 18th century, the population grew from 30,000 to about 100,000 inhabitants, as the city became one of the key mercantile centres in the Western Mediterranean, with inland influence up to Zaragoza , and to the south up to Alicante . A fortress
10640-587: The emphasis on revivalist architecture and elaborate decoration gave rise to many new lines of thought that served as precursors to Modern architecture. Notable among these is the Deutscher Werkbund , formed in 1907 to produce better quality machine-made objects. The rise of the profession of industrial design is usually placed here. Following this lead, the Bauhaus school, founded in Weimar , Germany in 1919, redefined
10773-559: The festival. In 2008, the World Building of the Year was awarded to: Bocconi University , Italy (by Grafton Architects). Gallery of some of the 2008 winners The second World Architecture Festival took place in Barcelona at the Centre Convencions International Barcelona (CCIB) on November 4 to 6 2009. Projects from 67 countries participated in the competition. 272 projects were shortlisted, in 15 categories. A jury of architects and industry figures from around
10906-416: The first handbook that emphasized the practical rather than the theoretical aspects of architecture, and it was the first to catalog the five orders. In the early 19th century, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin wrote Contrasts (1836) that, as the title suggested, contrasted the modern, industrial world, which he disparaged, with an idealized image of neo-medieval world. Gothic architecture , Pugin believed,
11039-768: The following award categories – Completed Building, Future Project, Landscape or Inside. Each year the World Architecture Festival publishes a list of the winners of the awards on their official website. WAF organises an annual architectural and design event for architects, designers and suppliers to gather together and celebrate, learn and discover. It provides an opportunity for architects to present their projects and ideas, highlighting innovative design solutions, sustainable practices, and cultural diversity in architecture. The festival aims to promote architectural innovation, recognize outstanding projects, and stimulate meaningful and impactful conversations about
11172-610: The foot of Montjuïc with the name Bárkeno written in an ancient script in the Iberian language . Thus, we can conclude that the Laietani , an ancient Iberian (pre-Roman) people of the Iberian peninsula, who inhabited the area occupied by the city of Barcelona around 3–2 BC , called the area Bàrkeno, which means "The Place of the Plains" (Barrke = plains/terrace). In about 15 BC, the Romans redrew
11305-412: The form of the classical orders . Roman architecture was influenced by Greek architecture as they incorporated many Greek elements into their building practices. Texts on architecture have been written since ancient times—these texts provided both general advice and specific formal prescriptions or canons. Some examples of canons are found in the writings of Vitruvius in the 1st century BC. Some of
11438-462: The form was defined by its environment and purpose, with an aim to promote harmony between human habitation and the natural world with prime examples being Robie House and Fallingwater . Architects such as Mies van der Rohe , Philip Johnson and Marcel Breuer worked to create beauty based on the inherent qualities of building materials and modern construction techniques, trading traditional historic forms for simplified geometric forms, celebrating
11571-484: The fortress is a museum and Montjuïc is home to several sporting and cultural venues, as well as Barcelona's biggest park and gardens . The city borders on the municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs to the north; the Mediterranean Sea to the east; El Prat de Llobregat and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to the south; and Sant Feliu de Llobregat , Sant Just Desvern , Esplugues de Llobregat , Sant Cugat del Vallès , and Montcada i Reixac to
11704-450: The functional aspects that it has in common with other human sciences. Through its own particular way of expressing values , architecture can stimulate and influence social life without presuming that, in and of itself, it will promote social development.... To restrict the meaning of (architectural) formalism to art for art's sake is not only reactionary; it can also be a purposeless quest for perfection or originality which degrades form into
11837-470: The future and processes of the built environments. The World Architecture Festival was held for the first time on 22–24 October 2008 in Barcelona. Its programme director was Paul Finch. An important part of the festival was the awards programme. The competition was open to building completed within the past 18 months, between January 1, 2007 and June 20, 2008. There were 722 entries competing in 17 categories, comprising 96 building types from 63 countries. After
11970-417: The globe". The first four events were held in Barcelona , from 2008 to 2011, at which point the festival moved to Singapore for four years. Since 2016, host cities have included Berlin and Amsterdam . Over a thousand projects are entered in the competition for the awards each year and more than 550 of these are shortlisted for live presentation at the festival. The architects pay a submission fee to enter
12103-555: The groundwork for many more tensions between the Spanish and Catalan administrations. Regardless, some of the upper class citizens of Barcelona were excited by the new plan and began a race to build "the biggest, tallest, most attractive house" in the district. Their interest and money fueled the rich diversity that we now see in the district's architecture. In the end, Cerdà's ideas would have a lasting impact on Barcelona's development, earning it international recognition for its highly efficient approach to urban planning and design. During
12236-415: The hallmark of the ultra modern urban life in many countries surfaced even in developing countries like Nigeria where international styles had been represented since the mid 20th Century mostly because of the leanings of foreign-trained architects. Residential architecture is the design of functional fits the user's lifestyle while adhering to the building codes and zoning laws. Commercial architecture
12369-586: The many country houses of Great Britain that were created in the Neo Gothic or Scottish baronial styles. Formal architectural training in the 19th century, for example at École des Beaux-Arts in France, gave much emphasis to the production of beautiful drawings and little to context and feasibility. Meanwhile, the Industrial Revolution laid open the door for mass production and consumption. Aesthetics became
12502-521: The material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art . Historical civilisations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements. The practice, which began in the prehistoric era , has been used as a way of expressing culture by civilizations on all seven continents . For this reason, architecture is considered to be a form of art . Texts on architecture have been written since ancient times. The earliest surviving text on architectural theories
12635-602: The most important early examples of canonic architecture are religious. Asian architecture developed differently compared to Europe, and the Buddhist , Hindu and Sikh architectural styles have different characteristics. Unlike Indian and Chinese architecture , which had great influence on the surrounding regions, Japanese architecture did not. Some Asian architecture showed great regional diversity, in particular Buddhist architecture . Moreover, other architectural achievements in Asia
12768-498: The movements of both clerics and tradesmen carried architectural knowledge across Europe, resulting in the pan-European styles Romanesque and Gothic. Also, a significant part of the Middle Ages architectural heritage is numerous fortifications across the continent. From the Balkans to Spain, and from Malta to Estonia, these buildings represent an important part of European heritage. In Renaissance Europe, from about 1400 onwards, there
12901-516: The nature of architecture and whether or not architecture is distinguished from building. The earliest surviving written work on the subject of architecture is De architectura by the Roman architect Vitruvius in the early 1st century AD. According to Vitruvius, a good building should satisfy the three principles of firmitas, utilitas, venustas , commonly known by the original translation – firmness, commodity and delight . An equivalent in modern English would be: According to Vitruvius,
13034-467: The neighbourhoods built upon them, such as Carmel (267 m or 876 ft), Putxet (es) (181 m or 594 ft) and Rovira (261 m or 856 ft). The escarpment of Montjuïc (173 m or 568 ft), situated to the southeast, overlooks the harbour and is topped by Montjuïc Castle , a fortress built in the 17–18th centuries to control the city as a replacement for the Ciutadella. Today,
13167-640: The new means and methods made possible by the Industrial Revolution , including steel-frame construction, which gave birth to high-rise superstructures. Fazlur Rahman Khan 's development of the tube structure was a technological break-through in building ever higher. By mid-century, Modernism had morphed into the International Style , an aesthetic epitomized in many ways by the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center designed by Minoru Yamasaki . Many architects resisted modernism , finding it devoid of
13300-497: The notion that structural and aesthetic considerations should be entirely subject to functionality was met with both popularity and skepticism, it had the effect of introducing the concept of "function" in place of Vitruvius' "utility". "Function" came to be seen as encompassing all criteria of the use, perception and enjoyment of a building, not only practical but also aesthetic, psychological and cultural. Nunzia Rondanini stated, "Through its aesthetic dimension architecture goes beyond
13433-475: The official 2013 shortlist. The festival's organiser's were i2i Events Group. The super-jury included Ken Yeang , Patrick Bellew , Jeanne Gang , Dietmar Eberle and Ken Tadashi Oshima . Awards 2013 Gallery of some of the 2013 winners The seventh annual WAF was held in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands from 1 to 3 October 2014. The event had more than 2000 attendees. Awards 2014 The eight annual WAF
13566-707: The official listing of all past and present projects awarded by WAF. You can browse/search the directory by these categories: Architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning , designing , and constructing buildings or other structures . The term comes from Latin architectura ; from Ancient Greek ἀρχιτέκτων ( arkhitéktōn ) 'architect'; from ἀρχι- ( arkhi- ) 'chief' and τέκτων ( téktōn ) 'creator'. Architectural works, in
13699-413: The outside perception of the city was changed making, by 2012, Barcelona the 12th most popular city destination in the world and the 5th amongst European cities. The death of Franco in 1975 brought on a period of democratization throughout Spain. Pressure for change was particularly strong in Barcelona, which considered that it had been punished during nearly forty years of Francoism for its support of
13832-583: The physical features of cities, towns, and villages. In contrast to architecture, which focuses on the design of individual buildings, urban design deals with the larger scale of groups of buildings, streets and public spaces, whole neighborhoods and districts, and entire cities, with the goal of making urban areas functional, attractive, and sustainable. Urban design is an interdisciplinary field that uses elements of many built environment professions, including landscape architecture , urban planning , architecture, civil engineering and municipal engineering . It
13965-544: The political power of rulers until Greek and Roman architecture shifted focus to civic virtues. Indian and Chinese architecture influenced forms all over Asia and Buddhist architecture in particular took diverse local flavors. During the Middle Ages , pan-European styles of Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals and abbeys emerged while the Renaissance favored Classical forms implemented by architects known by name. Later,
14098-458: The population; those aged between 25 and 44 years made up 30.6 percent of the population; while those aged between 45 and 64 years formed 56.9% of all Barcelonans. In 1900, people aged 65 and older made up just 6.5 percent of the population. In 2017, this age group made up 21.5 percent of the population. In 2016, about 59% of the inhabitants of the city were born in Catalonia and 18.5% coming from
14231-421: The profession of landscape architecture is called a landscape architect . Interior architecture is the design of a space which has been created by structural boundaries and the human interaction within these boundaries. It can also be the initial design and plan for use, then later redesigned to accommodate a changed purpose, or a significantly revised design for adaptive reuse of the building shell. The latter
14364-453: The recent movements of New Urbanism , Metaphoric architecture , Complementary architecture and New Classical architecture promote a sustainable approach towards construction that appreciates and develops smart growth , architectural tradition and classical design . This in contrast to modernist and globally uniform architecture, as well as leaning against solitary housing estates and suburban sprawl . Glass curtain walls, which were
14497-512: The related vocations, and the appellation was often one of regional preference. A revival of the Classical style in architecture was accompanied by a burgeoning of science and engineering, which affected the proportions and structure of buildings. At this stage, it was still possible for an artist to design a bridge as the level of structural calculations involved was within the scope of the generalist. The emerging knowledge in scientific fields and
14630-502: The rest of the country. In addition to that, 22.5% of the population was born outside of Spain, a proportion which has more than doubled since 2001 and more than quintupled since 1996 when it was 8.6% and 3.9% respectively. The most important region of origin of migrants is Europe, with many coming from Italy (26,676) or France (13,506). Moreover, many migrants come from Latin American nations such as Bolivia , Ecuador or Colombia . Since
14763-469: The richness of human experience offered in historical buildings across time and in different places and cultures. One such reaction to the cold aesthetic of modernism and Brutalism is the school of metaphoric architecture , which includes such things as bio morphism and zoomorphic architecture , both using nature as the primary source of inspiration and design. While it is considered by some to be merely an aspect of postmodernism , others consider it to be
14896-501: The rise and any outbreaks of disease would devastate the population. To solve the issue, a civil engineer named Ildefons Cerdà proposed a plan for a new district known as the Eixample . The citizens of Barcelona had begun to demolish the medieval wall surrounding and constricting the city. Cerdà thought it best to transform the land outside the walls into an area characterized by a scientific approach to urbanization. His proposal consisted of
15029-433: The rise of new materials and technology, architecture and engineering began to separate, and the architect began to concentrate on aesthetics and the humanist aspects, often at the expense of technical aspects of building design. There was also the rise of the "gentleman architect" who usually dealt with wealthy clients and concentrated predominantly on visual qualities derived usually from historical prototypes, typified by
15162-604: The roles of architects and engineers became separated. Modern architecture began after World War I as an avant-garde movement that sought to develop a completely new style appropriate for a new post-war social and economic order focused on meeting the needs of the middle and working classes. Emphasis was put on modern techniques, materials, and simplified geometric forms, paving the way for high-rise superstructures. Many architects became disillusioned with modernism which they perceived as ahistorical and anti-aesthetic, and postmodern and contemporary architecture developed. Over
15295-461: The street fighting of the Barcelona May Days . The fall of the city on 26 January 1939, caused a mass exodus of civilians who fled to the French border. The resistance of Barcelona to Franco 's coup d'état was to have lasting effects after the defeat of the Republican government. The autonomous institutions of Catalonia were abolished, and the use of the Catalan language in public life
15428-572: The systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and soil conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions that will produce the desired outcome. The scope of the profession includes landscape design ; site planning ; stormwater management ; environmental restoration ; parks and recreation planning; visual resource management; green infrastructure planning and provision; and private estate and residence landscape master planning and design; all at varying scales of design, planning and management. A practitioner in
15561-545: The town as a castrum (Roman military camp) centred on the " Mons Taber ", a little hill near the Generalitat (Catalan Government) and city hall buildings. The Roman Forum, at the crossing of the Cardo Maximus and Decumanus Maximus , was approximately placed where current Plaça de Sant Jaume is. Thus, the political centre of the city, Catalonia , and its domains has remained in the same place for over 2,000 years. Under
15694-401: The urban area was 4,840,000. It is the central nucleus of the Barcelona metropolitan area , which relies on a population of 5,474,482. In 1900, Barcelona had a population of 533,000, which grew steadily but slowly until 1950, when it started absorbing a high number of people from other less-industrialized parts of Spain. Barcelona's population peaked in 1979 at 1,906,998, and fell throughout
15827-472: The west. The municipality includes two small sparsely-inhabited exclaves to the north-west. According to the Köppen climate classification , Barcelona has a hot summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa ), with mild winters and warm to hot summers, while the rainiest seasons are autumn and spring. The rainfall pattern is characterized by a short (3 months) dry season in summer, as well as less winter rainfall than in
15960-461: The world judged the competition's 45 Awards. The winners of the 15 categories of completed buildings competed for the Building of the Year Award. In addition to the categories from the 2008 festival three new sections were added: Interiors and Fit-out, Structural Design and Future Projects. In 2009, 1,507 architects from 71 countries came to Barcelona for the festival. Awards 2009 Gallery of some of
16093-497: The years, the field of architectural construction has branched out to include everything from ship design to interior decorating. Architecture can mean: The philosophy of architecture is a branch of philosophy of art , dealing with aesthetic value of architecture, its semantics and in relation with development of culture . Many philosophers and theoreticians from Plato to Michel Foucault , Gilles Deleuze , Robert Venturi and Ludwig Wittgenstein have concerned themselves with
16226-437: Was sacked by the army of Almanzor . The sack was so traumatic that most of Barcelona's population was either killed or enslaved. In 1137, Aragon and the County of Barcelona merged in dynastic union by the marriage of Ramon Berenguer IV and Petronilla of Aragon , their titles finally borne by only one person when their son Alfonso II of Aragon ascended to the throne in 1162. His territories were later to be known as
16359-498: Was a revival of Classical learning accompanied by the development of Renaissance humanism , which placed greater emphasis on the role of the individual in society than had been the case during the Medieval period. Buildings were ascribed to specific architects – Brunelleschi, Alberti , Michelangelo , Palladio – and the cult of the individual had begun. There was still no dividing line between artist , architect and engineer , or any of
16492-510: Was associated with a move to stone and brick religious structures, probably beginning as rock-cut architecture , which has often survived very well. Early Asian writings on architecture include the Kao Gong Ji of China from the 7th–5th centuries BC; the Shilpa Shastras of ancient India; Manjusri Vasthu Vidya Sastra of Sri Lanka and Araniko of Nepal . Islamic architecture began in
16625-641: Was based on universal, recognizable truths. The notion of style in the arts was not developed until the 16th century, with the writing of Giorgio Vasari . By the 18th century, his Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects had been translated into Italian, French, Spanish, and English. In the 16th century, Italian Mannerist architect, painter and theorist Sebastiano Serlio wrote Tutte L'Opere D'Architettura et Prospetiva ( Complete Works on Architecture and Perspective ). This treatise exerted immense influence throughout Europe, being
16758-486: Was built at Montjuïc that overlooked the harbour. Much of Barcelona was negatively affected by the Napoleonic wars , but the start of industrialization saw the fortunes of the province improve. In the mid-1850s, Barcelona was struggling with population density as it became an industrial, port city and European capital. The city's density was at 856 people per hectare, more than double that of Paris. Mortality rates were on
16891-579: Was director of the festival. There were over 700 entries from more than 60 countries. Awards were given in 33 categories and 301 entries were shortlisted. The competing projects were judged after a presentation during the festival. In the jury choosing the World Building of the Year 2012 were Ben van Berkel , Moshe Safdie , Mok Wei Wei , Jürgen Mayer , Yvonne Farrell , Peter Cook , Kenzo Tange , Sou Fujimoto , Jeanne Gang , Dietrich Ebermarle and Charles Jencks among others. Over 1800 architects, designers and press from more than 60 countries attended. There
17024-505: Was held in Singapore at Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre from 4 to 6 November 2015. The ninth annual WAF was held in Berlin, Germany from 16 to 18 November 2016. The tenth annual WAF was held in Berlin, Germany from 15 to 17 November 2017. The eleventh annual WAF was held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 28 to 30 November 2018. The World Buildings Directory ( browse directory ) hosts
17157-443: Was open for entries on April 2 to July 9 and the shortlist was announced in late August. The shortlisted projects were presented at the festival. Awards 2010 Gallery of some of the 2010 winners The fourth World Architecture Festival (WAF) was held in Barcelona from November 2 to 4, 2011, at Centre de Convencions Internacional de Catalunya. More than 700 projects were entered for the competition. More than 1,300 people attended
17290-660: Was some criticism of the list of speakers being white, male, over 40 since of the 44 speakers on the festival 4 were women and 9 Asians. Awards 2012 Gallery of some of the 2012 winners The sixth annual WAF was held in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands from 2 to 4 October 2013. It was attended by over 2,100 architects and designers from 68 countries. WAF was collocated with INSIDE World Festival of Interiors. The entries competed in 29 award categories across three category groups of completed buildings, landscape projects and future projects: More than 300 projects from 50 countries made
17423-557: Was suppressed. Barcelona remained the second largest city in Spain, at the heart of a region which was relatively industrialized and prosperous, despite the devastation of the civil war. The result was a large-scale immigration from poorer regions of Spain (particularly Andalusia , Murcia and Galicia ), which in turn led to rapid urbanization. In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics . The after-effects of this are credited with driving major changes in what had, up until then, been
17556-404: Was the only "true Christian form of architecture." The 19th-century English art critic, John Ruskin , in his Seven Lamps of Architecture , published 1849, was much narrower in his view of what constituted architecture. Architecture was the "art which so disposes and adorns the edifices raised by men ... that the sight of them" contributes "to his mental health, power, and pleasure". For Ruskin,
17689-630: Was with a beautiful situation and an excellent harbour. It enjoyed immunity from imperial burdens. The city minted its own coins; some from the era of Galba survive. Important Roman vestiges are displayed in Plaça del Rei underground, as a part of the Barcelona City History Museum (MUHBA); the typically Roman grid plan is still visible today in the layout of the historical centre, the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter). Some remaining fragments of
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