2017 - Territori - Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona

2017 | Mixed Use, Mixed Time, Mixed People

The first Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism (SBAU 2017) focused on the concept of “Imminent Commons” as a solution to address the problems of social inequality and environmental degradation in cities around the world, under the co-direction of Hyungmin Pai and Alejandro Zaera-Polo.

In this context, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) and the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) presented the “Mixed Use, Mixed Time, Mixed People” exhibition at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. The exhibition wanted to stress how the soul of a city is embodied in its public spaces and buildings; these spaces and buildings not only define a society's character and shared values, but also create its commons.

The AMB has long recognised the importance of building public facilities in strategic locations throughout the city, offering essential services to its citizens. These centres, including markets, health centres, libraries, cultural centres, and schools, are designed to be nodal attractors in every neighbourhood, providing necessary services and fostering shared values within a 10-minute walk from every house.

However, with much of the metropolitan area of Barcelona already urbanised, there is little space left to build these necessary facilities. That's why the AMB has been creating mixed-use buildings that host functions that foster complex urban relationships in the same space. Mixed-use buildings also allow for intergenerational use of the same space, creating a richer and more diverse use of public spaces and buildings.

Mixed-use buildings are essential to defining the identity of each neighbourhood and district. These buildings should not be rare artefacts but solid, domestic buildings that are open to society and easily accessible to everyone. Public spaces attached to these buildings become places where families and friends can play, interact and coexist together, and are often used for public events. By mixing different building types and activities in the same space, facilities become more diverse and can be used for longer hours and by a wider range of social groups.

In the exhibition, the AMB displayed, in collaboration with the IAAC, a selection of the city's mixed-use public facilities. Through drawings and videos, the exhibition highlighted how these buildings engage with urban life, creating a more dynamic and intensive use of public spaces.
Overall, the exhibition presented a new paradigm for sustainable and innovative urban development in response to the challenges of a rapidly urbanising city, while also serving as a platform to inspire a broader dialogue on the future of our cities.