Following a long debate about the need for an architectural reference center in the city, Mayor Jaume Collboni confirmed the decision. The building, located in an inner block on Rosselló Street, is a representative example of rationalism and received the FAD award in 1961.
“"The city needed a reference and interpretation center"
The new house will be managed by the Mies van der Rohe Foundation, which will relocate its central offices there. This new use of the former Gustavo Gili building, an icon of modern architecture by Joaquim Gili and Francesc Bassó, is considered the most significant legacy of the capital status, promoted by Unesco and the International Union of Architects (UIA).
The capital status, celebrated in Barcelona after Rio de Janeiro (2020) and Copenhagen (2023), will feature 1,500 multidisciplinary activities across the city's ten districts, running from February 12 to December 13, 2026. The presentation took place at the Canódromo de la Meridiana.
