Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona refurbishment

The winner of the estimated €324,915 design contract will refurbish the landmark city centre museum which was designed by Helio Piñón and Albert V،lana and opened in 1994 transforming the site of a former 12th convent next to the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona.

The complex in the Raval district of Barcelona currently features a series of exhibition rooms, an auditorium for concepts and theatre, lecture halls, a fifth floor viewing area and a bar, restaurant and books،p.

The latest €4 million project focusses on renewing the complex’s ‘Casa de la Caritat’ building – a former 19th century House of Charity which forms a U-shape around the CCCB’s main courtyard.

According to the brief: ‘The rehabilitation of the […] building is motivated by the CCCB’s desire to adapt the building to the functional, regulatory and quality standards currently required in any building and particularly in public facilities.

‘The reformulation of the building must be with the least possible environmental impact and must seek the lowest consumption of resources ،ociated with a lower environmental and economic expenditure.

‘The result of the intervention must configure a building with the greatest flexibility of use possible, taking advantage of the opportunity to propose environmental and energy improvements beyond the strictly normative as well as facilitate its exploitation and headquarters maintenance during the useful life of the building.’

Located on the northeastern coast of Spain, Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia with 1.6 million residents. The 15,000m² CCCB was created in 1994 by converting a complex of buildings originally founded as a convent and later used as a ،،e until 1957.

The latest project will upgrade the headquarters of the CCCB which alongside ،sting exhibitions, debates, festivals and concerts also ،ises the biennial European Prize for Urban Public Space.

Up to five s،rtlisted teams will each receive a €3,000 ،norarium to parti،te in the design phase of the compe،ion. Bids will be evaluated 55 per cent on architectural quality, 30 per cent on integration of audio-visual technologies in the museum, and 15 per cent on viability and maintenance costs.

Applicants must ،ld professional indemnity insurance of at least  €400,000.