Fira de Barcelona is a nearly century-old institution, heir to the legacy of the great exhibitions of 1888 and 1929. The Montjuïc pavilions hold an intangible historical value that deserves to be highlighted. For this reason, our proposal aims to give maximum visibility to this heritage and turn the congress palace into a space where the past and future of the fair intertwine.
The building, constructed for the 1929 Exhibition based on a project by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, has a long history linked to trade fair use. It is classified as a BCIL (Cultural Asset of Local Interest), and its façades and roof shape are to be preserved, while openings that were made randomly over time will be reversed.
The building consists of two rectangular halls, each about 58 meters wide, with lengths of 108 and 125 meters, respectively, and a total surface area of 18,000 m². They are laterally connected along one of their long sides, slightly offset, with a height difference of about 2 meters. The halls are open-plan, featuring a metal structure with pillars approximately 11 meters high, arranged in a grid of about 11 x 10 meters, giving them a slender appearance characteristic of late 19th and early 20th-century metal constructions such as markets, train stations, and industrial buildings.
The roof is lightweight, forming a folded plane following the double slopes of the trusses, with skylights allowing natural zenithal light. The lower level has a structure of concrete pillars and double-brick vaults, characteristic of our architectural context, with notable examples such as those created by Rafael Guastavino. Over time, the building has undergone modifications to meet functional and safety requirements, most of which are reversible and have not significantly altered the original construction. Some structural issues are evident, mainly due to the construction process itself and the fact that the building was built in phases with different contracts. This is particularly noticeable where the structure meets the enclosures, where significant cracks have appeared due to the lack of expansion joints around the perimeter.
On the other hand, the program for the new congress palace envisions a total area of about 30,000 m², requiring an expansion primarily achieved through internal subdivisions. The program includes spaces such as a 2,000-seat auditorium and a 1,000 m² hall, both of which are incompatible with the existing structural spans.
The challenge, from a heritage perspective, is to maintain the building’s character while incorporating the required functions, enhancing its intrinsic values. Beyond the façades, volumetry, and decorative elements, these values include the open-plan nature of the space and the vaulted structure of the lower level.
Based on these considerations, our proposal includes:
- A new UMBRACLE, maintaining and highlighting the existing metal structure that connects lobbies, circulation areas, and halls to ensure continuity in spatial perception. This recalls the origins of the original structure and its relationship with similar exhibition and industrial structures from the 19th and early 20th centuries across Europe.
- Minimizing interventions on the existing metal structure, limiting reinforcements to the large congress halls and auditorium. We propose using Fink beams, which will allow all trusses and the upper sections of the pillars to remain intact. This intervention affects only 16 of the approximately 144 existing pillars and can be easily reversed if the building’s use changes in the future.
- Preserving the vaults of the lower level, reinforcing the ceiling above, removing all existing partitions, and allocating this space for event rooms and multipurpose areas. This creates a continuous space that respects the original structure and vaults, integrating them into the central atrium.
- Expanding the lower level by excavating to physically and visually connect this space with the rest of the new palace, allowing natural light to enter.
- Addressing the connection between the structure and enclosures to restore the original façades, including their sgraffito decorations and other ornamental elements.
- Renovating the roof by removing the existing fiber cement panels and constructing a new lightweight roof that enhances the visibility of the original trusses and lattice pillars. The new gabled roof maintains the original serrated shape and integrates both north-facing skylights for natural lighting and ventilation, as well as south-facing photovoltaic panels to optimize energy production and reduce solar impact.
- Enhancing and maximizing natural lighting through the restored and expanded skylights, incorporating intelligent interior screens to prevent overexposure and allow automated lighting control. Below the existing structure, a network of slats improves light diffusion, provides solar protection, and enhances the umbracle effect.
- Renovating the flat section of the roof as a publicly accessible terrace and viewpoint, incorporating greenery and a new ramp to eliminate architectural barriers.
- Strategically placing mechanical and technical equipment so they are not visible from the exterior, positioning them in the junction between the building and the rear embankment, as well as in the level difference between the two main bodies, ensuring functionality without altering the external perception.
- Considering Montjuïc’s natural surroundings as part of the site’s heritage and incorporating its greenery into the interior as an extension of the landscape. The interior garden serves both as an organizing element for the space and as a heritage link between Montjuïc and Barcelona.
