In this first stage, the catalogue focuses on the modern and contemporary architecture designed and built between 1832 –year of construction of the first industrial chimney in Barcelona that we establish as the beginning of modernity– until today.
The project is born to make the architecture more accessible both to professionals and to the citizens through a website that is going to be updated and extended. Contemporary works of greater general interest will be incorporated, always with a necessary historical perspective, while gradually adding works from our past, with the ambitious objective of understanding a greater documented period.
The collection feeds from multiple sources, mainly from the generosity of architectural and photographic studios, as well as the large amount of excellent historical and reference editorial projects, such as architectural guides, magazines, monographs and other publications. It also takes into consideration all the reference sources from the various branches and associated entities with the COAC and other collaborating entities related to the architectural and design fields, in its maximum spectrum.
Special mention should be made of the incorporation of vast documentation from the COAC Historical Archive which, thanks to its documental richness, provides a large amount of valuable –and in some cases unpublished– graphic documentation.
The rigour and criteria for selection of the works has been stablished by a Documental Commission, formed by the COAC’s Culture Spokesperson, the director of the COAC Historical Archive, the directors of the COAC Digital Archive, and professionals and other external experts from all the territorial sections that look after to offer a transversal view of the current and past architectural landscape around the territory.
The determination of this project is to become the largest digital collection about Catalan architecture; a key tool of exemplar information and documentation about architecture, which turns into a local and international referent, for the way to explain and show the architectural heritage of a territory.
We kindly invite you to help us improve the dissemination of Catalan architecture through this space. Here you can propose works and provide or amend information on authors, photographers and their work, along with adding comments. The Documentary Commission will analyze all data. Please do only fill in the fields you deem necessary to add or amend the information.
The Arxiu Històric del Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya is one of the most important documentation centers in Europe, which houses the professional collections of more than 180 architects whose work is fundamental to understanding the history of Catalan architecture. By filling this form, you can request digital copies of the documents for which the Arxiu Històric del Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya manages the exploitation of the author's rights, as well as those in the public domain. Once the application has been made, the Arxiu Històric del Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya will send you an approximate budget, which varies in terms of each use and purpose.
Three-storey rectangular building between partitions made up of three vertical sections: two at the sides (multi-purpose hall and theatre) and a central section (stairwell) that separates and distributes.
The roof of the halls is gabled with the ridge perpendicular to the main façade. The roof of the stairwell, on the other hand, is flat with a terrace. The facing, made of plastered and painted brick, is of well-squared ashlars with a bush-hammered plinth in the central section and smooth in the side sections. The crown of the building is characterised by a structure of two pediments flanking the quadrangular section of the staircase. The pediments are almost identical and have smooth, undecorated tympana. One of them has a balcony decorated with corbel-shaped corbels, arranged on a frieze that runs along the entire façade, ornamented with rectangular elements that imitate pilasters and are crowned by spheres.
As for the openings, they are distributed symmetrically on the ground floor and first floor, with the exception of the balcony described above, which would be independent and the only opening on the second floor. The entrance door is on the ground floor, flanked by eight symmetrically distributed openings consisting of two segmental arch doors and two lintelled windows. The first floor has a central balcony with a basket-handle arch and a projecting balustrade, which is flanked by three balcony windows. Its characteristic, and what gives the building its value, is the use of elements of classical design such as pilasters with Ionic capitals and semicircular arches decorated with plant motifs.
This building was inaugurated in 1922, and throughout its history it has undergone several phases of restoration.
Promoted by the Borràs industrial family, who had a factory in the municipality, it became one of the most important cultural centres in Castellbell i el Vilar. Since 1991, it has been owned by the town council.
In December 2001 serious structural problems were detected that forced the closure of its activity and even the temporary eviction of a savings bank located on the ground floor of the building. At that time, significant cracks were detected in one of the walls and the ceiling had caved in. When its structure was analysed, it was found that one of the central beams in the room had collapsed by about 15 centimetres.
Almost a year and a half later (in 2003) the first works began: renovation of the roof and replacement of the trusses - which were all wooden and were found to be badly damaged - with metal ones. In addition, the walls most at risk were tied down and the opportunity was taken to carry out an initial remodelling of the hall. With this intervention, the theatre was able to reopen.
In 2008, work began on renovating the stage machinery - electrically operated curtain rails, renovation of the entire electrical installation, lighting, curtains... - and the wooden stage was replaced with new, fireproof flooring. Finally, all the stairs to the stage were renovated, the doors and accesses were readapted and the dressing rooms and exterior façade were redone.