Crossroads - center for urban agriculture in Barcelona

Barcelona, a city balancing historical architecture with modern urbanization, faces challenges like rapid growth, environmental degradation, and the strain of mass tourism. A key feature of the city is the Eixample grid designed by Ildefons Cerdà in 1859, which, while promoting light and air, has become rigid and disconnected from contemporary needs. This thesis proposes an urban agriculture center in the transforming Poblenou neighborhood, which is being overtaken by commercial developments and losing its working-class identity. The proposal seeks to merge ecology, sustainability, and social interaction by integrating agriculture into the urban fabric. By breaking the monotony of the Eixample grid, the center would promote local food production, green spaces, and community engagement. The building, elevated on stilts, maximizes public outdoor space beneath it for markets and events while promoting stormwater absorption and better air circulation. Designed to foster education, sustainability, and social interaction, the center would include spaces for workshops, storage, and practical plant education. This project aligns with Barcelona's ongoing efforts, like the Superilla initiative, to create more sustainable and livable urban spaces, reconnecting the rural and urban environments to improve the city’s overall quality of life.