New call for COAC grants for local and international cooperation
Imatge:
© DAW OFFICE. Escola a Trionck Essyl, Senegal, a càrrec de l'arquitecte David Garcia Martinez. Seleccionat per als Ajuts COAC a la Cooperació 2015
In its desire to maintain the visibility of architecture's social commitment, the Architect’s Association of Catalonia is, for the fifth year running, opening the call for grants for local and international development projects related to architecture, urban planning and the social function of architects. The awarding of these grants reflects the commitment of the Association to devote 0.7% of its Central Services' annual budget to social causes.
Those eligible to apply for grants within the scope of this call include associations, NGOs, foundations and other non-profit bodies working in the field of cooperation with international and/or local development which have architects among their collaborators, whether salaried, volunteers or with a professional service contract. This call covers two main areas for grants: International Development Cooperation and Local Development Cooperation.
Within each of these two areas, there are five types of grant:
a) Building or renovation of housing
b) Building or renovation of community facilities
c) Building or renovation of infrastructures
d) Building or renovation of public spaces
e) Urban planning
Applicants, who must be members of the COAC, can send an email to coac@coac.cat requesting the necessary documents, which need to be submitted to any COAC branch or delegation before 1 pm on 17 May 2016.
For more information, contact coac@coac.cat.
Those eligible to apply for grants within the scope of this call include associations, NGOs, foundations and other non-profit bodies working in the field of cooperation with international and/or local development which have architects among their collaborators, whether salaried, volunteers or with a professional service contract. This call covers two main areas for grants: International Development Cooperation and Local Development Cooperation.
Within each of these two areas, there are five types of grant:
a) Building or renovation of housing
b) Building or renovation of community facilities
c) Building or renovation of infrastructures
d) Building or renovation of public spaces
e) Urban planning
Applicants, who must be members of the COAC, can send an email to coac@coac.cat requesting the necessary documents, which need to be submitted to any COAC branch or delegation before 1 pm on 17 May 2016.
For more information, contact coac@coac.cat.
31/03/2016
The COAC Archive and Library are collaborating in the exhibition ‘Barcelona. The Metropolis in the Age of Photography, 1860-2004’
Imatge:
© Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC)
The Historical Archive and the Library of the COAC are collaborating in the exhibition ‘Barcelona. The Metropolis in the Age of Photography, 1860-2004’, which can be visited at La Virreina until 26 June 2016. The COAC has lent for this exhibition a total of 69 documents, including photos and journals.
The exhibition, curated by Jorge Ribalta, explores photographic imagery of the city's urban development over a century and a half of history. It follows the connection between the city’s urban transformation, marked by the celebration of major events, from the 1888 Universal Exhibition through to the 2004 Forum of Cultures, and the historical role of photography in shaping the perception and public opinion of the city, from the emergence of multiple photographic techniques during the 1850s, up to the massive explosion of digital technologies, the Internet, mobile phones and social networks at the transition between the 20th and 21st centuries.
More information about the exhibition
31/03/2016
Professional associations join forces to launch a campaign in the defence of refugee rights
Imatge:
Camp de refugiats de Zaatari, prop de la ciutat jornada de Mafraq (Jordània)
The Intercollegiate Association of Professional Associations of Catalonia, to which the Architects' Association belongs, together with more than 100 other professional associations, is promoting a campaign to denounce the sub-human situation faced by refugees arriving on European soil.
It refers to a situation that worsened immediately after the preliminary agreement reached between the European Union and Turkey, which means expelling all those who arrived in Greece illegally, including those escaping from wars or suffering persecution, as in the case of Syrian refugees.
'Not one more minute of shame! For a Europe of the people'
Under this slogan, the professional associations are denouncing the current situation and stressing that human rights are the only values that should guide our society. Thus, they are urging all countries to prepare rapid and effective measures to improve aid to refugees.
To that end, they have drawn up a ‘Manifesto in Defence of Refugee Rights'. They were able to get all the public administrations, public and private institutions and NGOs to support this Manifesto, along with all those groups and citizens who want to reverse the current situation in which the migrants find themselves.
Sign in support of the Manifesto
Open event for handing out the Manifesto
As part of the campaign in favour of the refugees, the Associations are planning a number of actions.
The most immediate one is the event for handing out the Manifesto, taking place on Thursday, 17 March, at 1.15 pm, at the Office of the European Commission in Barcelona (Passeig de Gràcia, 90). The handing-out event will be undertaken by the deans and presidents of Associations along with the boards of the Associations and representatives of other supportive institutions.
This is an event to be attended by anyone wishing to show their support for the refugees and to denounce the precarious humanitarian situation in which they find themselves.
It refers to a situation that worsened immediately after the preliminary agreement reached between the European Union and Turkey, which means expelling all those who arrived in Greece illegally, including those escaping from wars or suffering persecution, as in the case of Syrian refugees.
'Not one more minute of shame! For a Europe of the people'
Under this slogan, the professional associations are denouncing the current situation and stressing that human rights are the only values that should guide our society. Thus, they are urging all countries to prepare rapid and effective measures to improve aid to refugees.
To that end, they have drawn up a ‘Manifesto in Defence of Refugee Rights'. They were able to get all the public administrations, public and private institutions and NGOs to support this Manifesto, along with all those groups and citizens who want to reverse the current situation in which the migrants find themselves.
Sign in support of the Manifesto
Open event for handing out the Manifesto
As part of the campaign in favour of the refugees, the Associations are planning a number of actions.
The most immediate one is the event for handing out the Manifesto, taking place on Thursday, 17 March, at 1.15 pm, at the Office of the European Commission in Barcelona (Passeig de Gràcia, 90). The handing-out event will be undertaken by the deans and presidents of Associations along with the boards of the Associations and representatives of other supportive institutions.
This is an event to be attended by anyone wishing to show their support for the refugees and to denounce the precarious humanitarian situation in which they find themselves.
16/03/2016
El COAC apoya la campaña para reformar la Via Laietana
Imatge:
© Victor Lozano I Creative Commons
El Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya, a través de su Demarcación de Barcelona, se ha sumado al reclamo de comerciantes y vecinos para reformar la Via Laietana y convertirela en el eje cívico de Ciutat Vella.
Así, con el título "Por un nuevo eje cívico, humanicemos la Via Laietana", el manifiesto ya cuenta con el apoyo de 115 colectivos, asociaciones y profesionales que piden al Ayuntamiento de Barcelona eliminar un carril de tráfico rodado y reestructurar la Via para recuperar espacio para los peatones, mejorando la situación e incrementando la anchura de las aceras
La Via Laietana se construyó a principios del siglo XX para unir el área urbana con el Puerto, escenario capital del actividad económica de la ciudad, pero la evolución de la ciudad ha hecho que esta vía sea todo lo contrario: una barrera física que divide Ciutat Vella en dos. Así, con el paso de los años, el aumento de la intensidad de tráfico ha generado altos niveles de emisiones de dióxido de carbono y unas aceras que no propician las relaciones humanas sino que merman el potencial de barrio, influyendo en el abandono progresivo de sus edificios majestuosos.
La remodelación se ha ido aplazando desde hace más de una década, pero ahora, que se han realizado las reformas de otros ejes como la Diagonal, el passeig de Gràcia, el Paral·lel, el calle Balmes o la ronda General Mitre, se considera que ya no se puede demorar más la recuperación de la Via Laietana como gran eje barcelonés, referente de convivencia, progreso y ciudad.
Así, con el título "Por un nuevo eje cívico, humanicemos la Via Laietana", el manifiesto ya cuenta con el apoyo de 115 colectivos, asociaciones y profesionales que piden al Ayuntamiento de Barcelona eliminar un carril de tráfico rodado y reestructurar la Via para recuperar espacio para los peatones, mejorando la situación e incrementando la anchura de las aceras
La Via Laietana se construyó a principios del siglo XX para unir el área urbana con el Puerto, escenario capital del actividad económica de la ciudad, pero la evolución de la ciudad ha hecho que esta vía sea todo lo contrario: una barrera física que divide Ciutat Vella en dos. Así, con el paso de los años, el aumento de la intensidad de tráfico ha generado altos niveles de emisiones de dióxido de carbono y unas aceras que no propician las relaciones humanas sino que merman el potencial de barrio, influyendo en el abandono progresivo de sus edificios majestuosos.
La remodelación se ha ido aplazando desde hace más de una década, pero ahora, que se han realizado las reformas de otros ejes como la Diagonal, el passeig de Gràcia, el Paral·lel, el calle Balmes o la ronda General Mitre, se considera que ya no se puede demorar más la recuperación de la Via Laietana como gran eje barcelonés, referente de convivencia, progreso y ciudad.
12/04/2016