Context
Blind walls are anonymous walls that divide properties. Although they play no role in the building’s external appearance, they can end up being exposed to public view in a permanent provisional state because of urban planning changes. When this happens, it creates a discontinuity in the landscape, a rupture in the urban fabric, which can cause serious structural and habitability problems for the affected and neighbouring buildings and they have a marked visual impact on the public space.
Twenty-five years ago, with the aim of eliminating these urban discontinuities and creating new façades that are integrated into the urban landscape, the Programme for the Remodelling of Blind Walls in the city of Barcelona was launched.
Citizens can apply for subsidies to improve these blind walls and, as a result, enhance the thermal insulation of the building. Alternatively, they can use the funds to create new openings to make their homes more comfortable, among other interventions.
Architects who do not know the usual party wall programme organised by the IMPU and who wish to participate beyond the International Ideas Competition can use the link to the website to obtain more information.
Programme for the Remodelling of Blind Walls
Here is a sample of party walls which have received intervention through these annual competitions organised by the IMPU:
The competition's main goals
As part of Barcelona’s nomination as the World Capital of Architecture 2026 by UNESCO-UIA,
Fundació Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona City Council have launched this international
competition of ideas to remodel 10 permanent blind walls, spread across the city’s 10 districts,
aiming to leave a lasting legacy in Barcelona, and is calling on the world community of young
architects to participate.
The competition's Jury will select for each of the locations a winning proposal from among those presented in that location, and a second and third prize.
The winning proposals will be implemented whenever possible for their inauguration in 2026 as part of the programme of activities of the World Capital of Architecture and as a legacy of
enduring material of Barcelona as the 2026 World Architecture Capital UNESCO-UIA.
Winners
Check the winning proposals for each of the 10 blind walls.
Competition
The contestants will have to propose ideas for the intervention on the blind walls established according to the chosen location. These proposals will have to follow a series of requirements, some of them common to all of them and others specific to each one.
According to its typological characteristics, environment, urban conditions, orientation, etc. different requirements are raised for each location. The requirements to which the proposal must respond are reflected in the Summary Sheet for each location. These requirements can be found in the brief rules.
(updated on October 11, 2024)
Mandatory compliance requirements
Specific concepts according to locations
Urban regulations
Despite being a competition of ideas, the proposals presented must consider the planning legality of the city of Barcelona. Strict compliance with all current regulations is not required in this regard, but rather a realistic and executable proposal. The proposal will be adapted to comply with the regulations during the development phase of the project, if this is the case. In any case, the following should be considered:
Eligibility
The competition has two eligibility criteria:
Title of architect
The AUTHOR(S) of the proposal must have the right to use the title of Architect in their country of origin or residence.
Maximum age
All participants must have been born on or after 1 January 1989.
Jury members
As technical consultants (with voice but no vote). Technical Directorate of the Municipal Institute of Urban Landscape and Quality of Life: Montserrat Prado, architect and technical director. Marta Guitart, architect. Jon Ajanguiz, architect Roger Pedro, architect.
- Architectural quality of the proposal
- Architectural quality and design
- Connection with the environment
- Energy efficiency and life cycle of materials
- Construction coherence and feasability
Calendar
Launch of the competition | June 10, 2024 |
Questions | June 10 to June 20, 2024 |
Publication of answers | July 1, 2024 |
Submission of proposals | Deadline August 5 23:59 GMT+2 |
Jury meeting and decision | September 9-17, 2024 |
Publication of results | September 25, 2024 |
All deadlines in the above table are set at 23:59, Barcelona time (GMT+2), on each of the dates indicated. Any submissions that are not submitted by this deadline will not be considered.
Prizes
First prize
3.000,00 €
Second prize
1.500,00 €
Third prize
750 €
There are 3 prizes for each of the 10 locations.
Up to three honourable mentions with no monetary prize may be awarded for each site, to be
decided by the Jury
The winning proposals will be implemented whenever possible for their inauguration in 2026 as part of the programme of activities of the world capital of architecture and as a legacy of enduring material of Barcelona as the 2026 World Architecture Capital UNESCO-UIA.
Online exhibition of all the proposals
Consult the online exhibition of all the proposals presented on the competition.
Q&A
Contestants will be able to ask questions anonymously through the section of the website enabled for that purpose. The answers to all questions will be published in a single document on the dates established in the calendar.
The organiser of the competition reserves the right to answer similar inquiries together. During the Q&A period, the contest organisers will be able to post any inquiries and follow-up questions they deem appropriate in the website section designated for this purpose.
The formulation of the question will be anonymous and will not contain data that allows the identification of the applicant. Questions that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted, published or answered.