Journal of a Gadabout – Antoni Remesar [Polis Research Centre]

What are the monuments for?

Journal of a gadabout 16 by Dr. A. Remesar

Lefebvre (Lefebvre, Henry, 1973) pointed out the contradictions inherent to the monument. He defends it insofar as it “projects on the ground a worldview and a transcendence, a beyond“; but he rejects it because when it “organizes a space, colonizes and oppresses its surroundings”, (… and) “full of symbols it offers them for contemplation (passive) and social conscience when they are out of date and have lost their meaning“. Continue reading What are the monuments for?

Public space: the use of vertical and air planes

Journal of a Gadabout (14) by Dr. A. Remesar

The public space is structured in four planes: that of the ground, the vertical (not exclusively of facade); the plane of the air and a fourth plane that can be called zenital. The most studied is the horizontal plane, built from infrastructures, elements of urban service (lighting, vegetation, signage, etc.) and interfacing with urban systems (water, electricity, gas, etc.), with the omnipresent elements of paving. (see)

The study of the vertical plane is reduced to the analysis of the facades, although the vertical containment of public space goes beyond the facades. (see)

Continue reading Public space: the use of vertical and air planes

Francoist symbols in Barcelona

Journal of a Gadabout (13) by Dr. A. Remesar

In Decembre 2007 it was approved the LAW 52/2007, of December 26, by which rights are recognized and extended and measures are established in favor of those who suffered persecution or violence during the civil war and the dictatorship. This Law is known as Law of Historical Memory. Continue reading Francoist symbols in Barcelona

Barcelona: Shanties Again

Journal of a gadabout (12) by Dr. A. Remesar

From july 2008 to February 2009, the MUHBA (Museum of History of the City of Barcelona) showed the exhibition “Shanties. The Informal City“. The brochure of the exhibition explained:

“Shantyism, an urban phenomenon of the first magnitude in Barcelona extending from the beginning of the 20th century to almost the time of the 1992 Summer Olympics, created a veritable “informal city” beside the old urban nuclei, the Eixample district and the various forms of growth of the urban periphery. This informal city stretched across Montjuïc hill, the seafront, some interstitial spaces of the selfsame Eixample and the hills surrounding the city. Continue reading Barcelona: Shanties Again

Public space and terrorism

Journal of a gadabout (11) by Dr. A. Remesar

After the terrorist attack of August 2017, a controversy over the use of obstacles in the public space was unleashed in different media with the aim of trying to find solutions to those attack and in order:

1.- To difficults attacks with cars in very busy spaces
2.- To increase the safety of pedestrians

They were shuffling solutions of concrete barriers, large flowerpots …. On the eve of the Christmas holidays, the City of Barcelona, has tightened security in several areas of the city, including Las Ramblas, scene of the August attack. Continue reading Public space and terrorism

Shame !!!!

Journal of a gadabout (10) by Dr. A. Remesar

10,000 policemen occupying the streets, the public space

More than 700 citizens injured for defending the right to vote

Polling stations sealed Continue reading Shame !!!!

Tourism Phobia?

Journal of a gadabout (9)

In the summer of 2017, three major issues have focused the public sphere (public opinion) in Barcelona. The strike of the access controllers at the airport, the inexhaustible saga of the referendum of October the 1st and tourism phobia.

On this last point, some direct actions of youth groups linked to the CUP have on social networks and print and broadcast media.Tourism represents approximately 15% of GDP in the city and, therefore, it is dangerous to give the image that tourists are not welcome in Barcelona.

But citizens reactions against tourism are not new, several years ago persist, as the ecological footprint of tourism is felt increasingly.

2014 “We make beach” Neighborhood Network of Ciutat Vella

“The beach and its surroundings become massive tourism consumption products: every time thousands of rent lads occupy large areas of the beach in a new mode of privatization and commercialization of the public space. And a place where the false moral of some prevent such natural and ancient practices as nudism, practiced without problems during our days on our beaches. Snack bars and bars extend their invasive terraces along the litoral, while everyday commerce disappears shifted by stores of souvenirs and fast food. Even mobility is conditioned by an avalanche of vehicles such as rental bicycles, segways, go-cars and others, which fill the narrow streets of La Barceloneta and the entire Passeig Marítim, as we see in all the Old Town . Added to that is the expulsion of neighbors transformation storey house in tourist apartments, a drama that denounce years. This practice, which destroys the social fabric, coexistence and living conditions, has recently risen in the neighborhood of La Barceloneta, a series of protests that come to blaze with the increasingly numerous voices against a city model that ignores the neighborhood and only seeks the benefit of a few”.

In November 2014, Zosen and Mina Hamada, in collaboration with GR170, performed a mural at the Polidor Center of Sant Adrià de Besòs (hop Festival) , which explains the origin of this “tourism phobia”- As they explain

“We used typical Barcelona icons revisited with our vision of the city. As a big patchwork or publicity banners we talk about tourism industry, gentrification, police brutality, government hipocresy, political corruption, national pride, mass media…
As the slogan from the city says: “Barcelona la millor botiga del món”
(Barcelona the best shop of the world) wow!“

Domènech i Montaner- Hospital de Sant Pau

In a context

Continue reading Tourism Phobia?

Against urban corruption

Journal of a gadabout (8) by Dr. A. Remesar

Espai Jove Boca Nord is a youth and public equipment belonging to the Horta-Guinardo District that aims to respond to the needs, concerns and demands of young people.
From Espai Jove Boca Nord we intend to provide services for the youth of the district and the city with resources and spaces that dignify the conditions of the young people. We talk about 2,300 m2 of young people and young people. We talk about a model of equipment that has resources to offer spaces and highly singularized programs. Continue reading Against urban corruption

Veritas in simplice: Portraits of an epigram by Judith Massana

Journal of a gadabout (7) by Dr. A. Remesar

The District of Sant Andreu (Barcelona) has a new space for creation and dissemination of culture. This is the Bostik Factory, an initiative by the architect, photographer and activist Xavier Basiana, the creator of the Ivanow Factory. Continue reading Veritas in simplice: Portraits of an epigram by Judith Massana

Rabat. Royal Patronage for urban art

Journal of a gadabout (6) by Dr. A. Remesar

I recommend a visit to Rabat. Ahead of they conclude the works of what we call “the third Rabat”.

The first is the victorious Ribat (Ribat al-Fath), as stated in the monolith of entry into the old limits. It includes the medina and the city center designed by Prost following the recommendations of Forestier, both two under the orders of Marshal Lyautey.

A center expanded in several districts of French flavour: Ocean – site of the corniche suffering remodelling and pressure of the projects Kasr al Bahr and Sephira; Les Orangers, Aviation, Belvedaire… and the most bourgeois of all Agdal Hay Riad. Continue reading Rabat. Royal Patronage for urban art