Visit to the Pavilion of the Spanish Republic

In 1937, the government of the Spanish Republic took part in the International Exposition in Paris. The civil war that was at the time going on in Spain turned the Pavilion into a political testimony of the tragic situation endured in the country. 

The building of the Pavilion of the Spanish Republic was designed by the architects Josep Lluís Sert and Luís Lacasa as an empty container of around 1,400 m2, on three floors and with practically no walls. It was built in a short period of time and with mostly pre-fabricated components, such as chipboard panels and synthetic materials. Despite its ephemeral character, the result was a sober construction in line with architectural rationalism. 

On the occasion of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, the City Council commissioned a replica of the Pavilion by the architects Juan Miguel Hernández León (project) and Antoni Ubach and Miquel Espinet (construction). In 1994, the building was loaned to the Universitat de Barcelona to house the CRAI Pavilion of the Republic Library.

The visit will be conducted by El globus vermell.

El globus vermell is a cultural association founded in 2009 with the aim of forming critical and demanding citizens, involved in their urban context and taking an active role in the transformation of their cities into healthier, more sustainable environments.

They operate on three levels: cultural (guided visits, itineraries, workshops, publications, exhibitions, etc.); social (public participation, events, etc.); and planning (design, new construction and rehabilitation under the parameters of bio-architecture). They are part of the Educational Project of the City of Barcelona and the Pedagogical Innovation Council (CIP), under the Municipal Institute of Education. They are also signatories of the Civic Commitment to Sustainability. In 2012, they were awarded the COAC Medal in recognition of their work, and in 2017, the CIP’s Quality Seal. The founders of this collective are architects who, besides collaborating with El globus vermell, combine their work as planners with research, university lecturing, cultural administration and information on architecture and the city.