Designed by 100 Architects, “La Barcelonita” is a planned intervention in one of the famous corners in Barcelona, Spain’s Westfield La Maquinista outdoor shopping district. It took inspiration from that location’s characteristic colorful summer attitudes and beach hues.
The project is a special kind of street intervention that was created with simplicity and efficacy in mind. It creates a central point where multiple pedestrian pathways meet, promoting a dynamic circular flow around the intervention and energizing the public space.
The entire proposal centers on this pedestrian node, which uses its location and geometric layout to its advantage. It functions as a ball joint to articulate a seamless pedestrian transition between two streets while drawing onlookers’ attention with its shapes and colors.
Geometric and Functional Layout
The objects and pavements are arranged in various stripes that radiate outward from the geometric center of the perfect circle that it inscribes. Each stripe’s user-friendly amenities include floor graphics, hidden trampolines, and volume-based elements like ribbons, slides, and seating features. Taking advantage of a blank wall, the project includes an inhabited vertical labyrinth with the appearance and feel of a beach cabin. It appeals to children’s curiosity and invites them to explore, climb, and move around it before leading them to a slide that returns them to the main playscape area.
Furthermore, the project’s central Food and Beverage (F&B) Kiosk helps to add a level of commercial dosage, increasing revenues and attracting people. “La Barceloneta” is more than just a playground; it also spurs business ventures in nearby retail establishments. Through increased foot traffic and longer customer stays at La Maquinista’s locations, the project enhances the shopping experience in general.
Project Info
Project: La Barcelonita
Design: 100 Architects (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Team: Marcial Jesús, Javier González, Mónica Páez, Lara Broglio, Ponyo Zhao, Keith Gong, Cosima Jiang, Michelle Aldora, Jango Zhang & Yuntong Liu.
Management Team: Matias Hernandez, Jenny Fan & Eva Jiang
Client: Unibail – Rodamco – Westfield
Size: 500 m2
Status: Built
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Photography: Dídac Balanzó
Videography: Catherine Gomez (Go Mess!)
