Sarrià-Sant Gervasi in the Spotlight

Sarrià-Sant Gervasi is the featured district for Barcelona’s World Capital of Architecture programme this September, hosting a series of architectural tours, workshops, debates, and cultural events. The initiative, part of the city’s final stretch as UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture 2026, follows earlier programmes in Eixample, Les Corts, Sants-Montjuïc, Nou Barris, Horta-Guinardó, and Sant Martí. Over 100,000 people have taken part in the capital’s architecture programme since its launch, according to reporting by El Periódico published on 2 September 2026. The full programme runs until the official closure on 13 December.

Events Across the District

The central venue for the month is the Dipòsit del Rei Martí, a former underground water reservoir near Gaudí’s Torre Bellesguard. Rediscovered in 2001 and renovated in 2015 by architectural studio Archikubik, the space spans nearly 600 square metres across seven naves supported by arches and Catalan ceramic vaults. Throughout September, the Dipòsit hosts a range of activities, including the exhibition From Party Walls to Facades. A Legacy for the City, which opens on 17 September. The space also features Sound and Space | Resonant Architecture, an immersive 360º piano concert by architect and musician Gerard Guerra, who uses the building’s acoustics to explore the relationship between music and architecture. Other events include:

  • Jane’s Walk, viewing the district through the urban philosophy of Jane Jacobs
  • Close your eyes and listen to Vallvidrera, a soundscape exploration of Collserola
  • From the fence, a site visit to the under-construction Sarrià-Sant Gervasi Urban Guard police station
  • Torrent Viu, a tour of a cooperative housing project
  • Let’s improve the neighborhood, a workshop for children to reimagine public space

Debates focus on contemporary urban challenges, including public facilities at the Joan Maragall Library, the link between housing and health, and how shared walls can influence domestic and community life.

Architecture at Street Level

The programme is building towards World Architecture Day on 5 October. Ahead of this, the Architecture Showcases initiative will transform shop windows across Barcelona into temporary exhibition spaces from 3 to 10 October, displaying architectural models from local firms. The call for participation, open to businesses, architects, and studios, aims to bring architecture into everyday public view and connect the World Capital of Architecture with the European Capital of Local Commerce. Further details are available on the Barcelona City Council’s official programme page.

Primary sources: barcelona.cat. Reported by diarieljardi.cat, El Periódico, 20minutos.es, archikubik.com, orldarchitecture.org, elnacional.cat, archdaily.pe, metalocus.es, El Jardí.