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Historical Archive which, thanks to its documental richness, provides a large amount of valuable –and in some cases unpublished– graphic documentation.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.
Al-fondaq és una paraula àrab que descriu una edificació que és a la vegada una pernocta per a viatgers i comerciants, i un magatzem comunitari d'excedents de gra. És el preludi espacial de la llotja. És l'origen directe de la paraula fonda. Aquest nom és un homenatge al patrimoni musulmà del nostre territori del Camp de Tarragona. Alfondac és una casa d'hostes on invitem els nostres clients a passar uns dies. Alfondac no és un nou concepte d'hotel, és una idea arcaica. Un acte fundacional de l'arquitectura és la hospitalitat. Acollir altres persones, estrangeres o amigues, estranyes o afins. A Alfondac probem i presentem el nostre sistema Homeful, una familia de components domèstics modulars que permeten una transformació ràpida, barata i durable d'edificis que fa temps que estan deshabitats, suggerint múltiples situacions que cada habitant pot configurar fàcilment segons les necessitats canviants diàries, setmanals, estacionals o de tota la vida. Els seus materials i processos són de molt baix impacte al medi ambient i es poden fabricar amb eines de bricolatge. Per tal de permetre l'oportunitat d'una vida digne a les generacions presents i futures, hem de construir menys i construir millor. El nombre d'habitatges antics abandonats augmenta exponencialment. Sovint és massa costós i cansat emprendre una reforma, amb elevats nivells d'incertesa en el temps, els costos i el resultat. Això comporta renovacions de qualitat extremadament baixes per maximitzar els beneficis de venda o lloguer, o bé rehabilitacions cares per a pocs privilegiats, que sovint condueixen a gentrificació. Alfondac és un prototip habitable. Cadascun dels hàbitats que el conformen qüestiona un paradigma del que és un espai domèstic i és una oportunitat per explorar relacions inesperades entre estances que encara tenen una forta càrrega patriarcal i higiènica -la cuina i el bany-, difuminant les seves fronteres i apropant-les a formes de vida més lliures i valentes.