Controversy over the new Gaudí museum at the Teresianes College: families denounce not knowing anything about it

BarcelonaThe Teresianes de Ganduxer School, one of Antoni Gaudí's most unknown works, will host a museum in early 2028 that will combine heritage, art exhibitions, and activities to understand the creative evolution of the so-called " architect of God". The building, which until now was practically inaccessible to the public, will be named Museu Gaudí Teresianes. It has even received authorization from the Vatican, which is necessary because the property belongs to a religious congregation. But the families of the enrolled students feel "profoundly indignant" because they consider that they have been left "on the sidelines" of the project and that this change may have an impact on the educational function of the center, located in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district.

"We are not against heritage or culture. We are against decisions of this magnitude being made without effective participation of the families and without adequately assessing their consequences on the educational function and the environment of the center," state the families in a document accessed by ARA. They criticize that this project involves a change of use of a building originally conceived as a school and that this "opens very serious questions" about the impact it may have on "the educational function of the center, its identity, and its daily life".

According to the project by the study Arquitectura Genís Planelles, the museum would occupy three floors, totaling approximately 3,000 m², and would have surrounding gardens, part of which will be freely accessible. There will also be the Espai Gaudí 360°, dedicated to a permanent exhibition on the architect's life and artistic career, another floor dedicated to temporary exhibitions, and a digital and virtual reality room based on Gaudí's work process. The project, however, has opened a crisis of confidence between the families and the center, legally managed by the Fundació Escola Teresiana.

"They already have a company awarded, a budget of about 6 or 7 million euros, Vatican approval... There are many issues that are well tied up and that show it is not a minor project and that they have been working on it for a long time. And we have not been informed despite its potential scope," says Bea, one of the mothers who sends her children to the center and who knows the school well because she was a former student. She assures that it was never officially communicated to the families that the Gaudí museum would go ahead and that they fear the plan may "cut down their spaces".

Family members state that they are concerned about the works that need to be done and the possible consequences for the school environment and the neighborhood that the arrival of a "significant flow of visitors" could have. In this regard, parents opposed to how everything has been managed speak of the risk of "pressure", both in coexistence and in the security of a space that is currently educational. They fear that, in the long term, museum activity may end up gaining more weight than school activity.

"Gaudí is not just any artist, he is an eminence, and his work has been greatly promoted this year for the centenary of his death. There will be many visits, there will be anticipation because the space has never been opened to the public and it will be heavily promoted... I doubt that this is very compatible with the educational function: I find it hard to believe that in the same block there is a proper place for children and a semi-mass, if not mass, tourist spot, separated by a wall," explains Bea.

Meeting with the management

Families criticize that, despite prior communication from the school, it was "limited" and "without relevant or detailed content to understand the scope of the project," although they state that the school's administration has been aware of the project and has collaborated in its development. "We have not been informed clearly, completely, and in advance, which has generated a widespread feeling of lack of transparency and exclusion," they insist. In fact, they emphasize, they were informed of the news shortly before it was published in the media.

"We demand immediate transparency, full access to information, and the opening of a real dialogue process before irreversible decisions are made," state the families. Among other questions, they wonder what reasons there might be behind this decision. "If there were an economic need, we do not understand why it has not been explained to us and why less harmful options have not been put on the table, such as opening the space on weekends or during the summer months," says the same mother.

School sources confirm to ARA that a meeting has been called for Wednesday, which will include all involved parties, including the company awarded the project, the administration, and the families. For now, the families plan to hold a protest next Monday at 9 am in front of the school to demand information and to be heard, and they do not rule out further mobilizations.