Warning call from the College of Architects in Collboni for the future Thyssen Museum

BarcelonaThe project to install the future Carmen Thyssen Museum in Barcelona's former Cine Comedia continues to generate controversy. This time, the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC) has publicly expressed its disagreement with a project that, they believe, raises many questions. Therefore, they have sent a letter to the mayor, Jaume Collboni, asking him to halt the project—currently in the public consultation phase—and open a participatory process and an ideas competition to improve it. The letter, finalized during a debate this Thursday at the COAC headquarters, welcomes the intention to bring the Thyssen collection to Barcelona, ​​but expresses the architects' concerns about a project that would practically double the existing ceiling volume. The sector has expressed reservations about the urban planning implications of an operation that requires a modification of the Metropolitan General Plan, and about the fact that it could further congest an area—the intersection of Gran Via and Rambla de Catalunya—that already suffers from significant tourist pressure.

The first to speak was the dean of the COAC (Official College of Architects of Catalonia), Guim Costa, who emphasized the importance of the College taking a stance on a project that "will transform the image of the city." Following him, a series of presentations followed, explaining the Palau Marcet transformation project and the concerns it raises. Speakers included the president of the Association of Urban Architects of Catalonia, Sebastià Jornet, and the architect and president of the Eixample Right Neighbors Association, Jaume Artigues.

During their presentations, they highlighted issues such as the fact that the project not only doubles the existing building volume but also sets aside 2,750 m²² for commercial and restaurant use. This issue exacerbates what they consider the crux of the debate: that a plot of land designated for public facilities could end up being developed for commercial use without any alternative compensation for the city. In short, what does the Thyssen offer the city—in the form of new facilities, for example—in exchange for the city council modifying the Metropolitan General Plan?

Absence of the City Council

During the subsequent discussion, highly critical voices were heard regarding the project, which was even described as an "outrageous act." Most of the speakers lamented the lack of specifics about the museum project and its actual contribution to the city's public interest that would justify modifying the Metropolitan General Plan. Representatives from the City Council had also been invited to the debate but declined to participate. According to Marta Cervelló, secretary of the COAC senior group, one of the arguments they raised was precisely that "they are changing this document."