En Paral·lel

Abstract

The urban transformation of Paral·lel, one of the principal avenues marking the boundary of the Eixample, is a topical issue in Barcelona. A few years ago, the rehabilitation of the emblematic Molino (BOPBAA arquitectos) was the first step in a socio-cultural movement to recover the memory of a street that, less than a century ago, was the place to go for entertainment, leisure and vice in the city. Rehabilitation of the theatre was followed by diagnostic studies and interventions proposed by a versatile team of eight young architects, determined to rediscover the present-day potential of the avenue. The results suggest a rich urban imaginary that refers, without nostalgia, to its glorious past (splendidly illustrated in the recent exhibition at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona). The LUB's Aperitius format highlights the main issues of debate about the future of Paral·lel.