EMAV Can Batlló / JAAS

Built in 1878 on the plots of Can Mangala, the Can Batlló compound shares a long history of growth and transformation with Barcelona. The city’s industrial heyday saw the complex expand and new buildings rise. Over time, however, these fell into disuse, culminating in a recent community-led initiative to repurpose the largely abandoned structures. This project, which develops the programme for a media school in the compound´s 7th nave, is the cornerstone of a larger effort to open Can Batlló to the Gran Vía and the greater public. In approaching this project, the Barcelona-based architect vowed to respect the architectural heritage of the building, maintain its original typological traits and make their additions completely reversible.