The New Architecture Tour and Palau de la Musica

Olympic Port: Built in just two years using prefabricated materials, the project won the FAD prize in 1992. The port was designed as a large square surrounded by seafood restaurants and bars.

It has 800 moorings. The breakwater was built 3 meters under water and is 70% effective in reducing the force of the waves but does not interrupt the view over the sea, making it far more attractive.

At the Olympic Port you will find the sculpture Fish, made in copper by the Californian sculptor Frank O. Gehry, the Meteorological Centre by the Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza, the Sailing School, the Hotel Arts (tallest building in Barcelona) by Bruce J Graham, architect of the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Mapfre Tower, etc...

Forum 2004:
The Universal Forum of Cultures: The Forum was the initiative of the Barcelona City Council which hoped to start a event that would be repeated every four years in a different city, and represent to the cultural world what the Olympic Games represents to the sporting world.
In 2004, cultures all over the world were invited to the city to talk about peace, tolerance, diversity and sustainable development. The event lasted 140 days. Its urbanistic legacy is the following:
- The Forum building. Original building by the Swiss architects, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. It is a large, navy blue triangle, the roof of which is covered with a layer of water to shield against the sun, reflecting its rays and minimizing heat absorption.
- Forum Park Bathing Area. A new concept of sandless beaches where the depth of the water is controlled and shallow areas maintained. There is also a salt water swimming pool.
- The Forum Square and the Water Treatment Works. Under the square is one of the biggest wastewater treatment works in Europe.
- Photovoltaic panel. The largest urban solar panel in the continent, it generates enough electricity for 1000 houses and saves annually 440 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
- Auditorium Park. Placed between the esplanade and the sea, the auditorium park covers over 4 hectares and is used for concerts, festivals, and other open air events.
- The incinerator. Filters were put in the chimneys to avoid odors. The smoke turns a turbine which produces electricity, demonstrating the viability of sustainable development.
- CCIB Barcelona International Convention Centre. Work of the Spanish architect, Jose Luis Mateo, the building makes full use of natural light. Completely versatile, facing the sea, the building has 45 diaphanous halls in 3 floors and a basement.

22@ & Agbar Tower: The 22@Barcelona project transformed 200 hectares of old industrial land in Poble Nou into an innovative productive district which offers modern spaces for the strategic concentration of several Knowledge activities.

A new compact city model has thus been created, where groundbreaking companies cohabit with universities, research and training centers, as well as homes, services and green areas.

Torre Agbar: It was commissioned by and named after the company that supplies the city with water, Aigues de Barcelona, which made it their headquarters.

Work of the French architect Jean Nouvel, inaugurated in 2005, the building represents a geyser bubbling out of the ground. Red at the bottom, blue in the middle with white foam at the top, it has the rounded shape of the peaks of Montserrat and it is a Gaudinian parabolic arch.

Following the double skin principal, the outside layer has 4,000 windows of varying textures and angles. At night the lighting system allows varying chromatic combination.

El Teatre Nacional de Catalunya & L'Auditori: The TNC, work of Ricard Bofill in the Placa de les Arts de Barcelona, is a complex made up of two separate structures. The main building, in the style of an ancient Greek temple, houses the main theater and the little theater as well as the main hall, the artists’ area, offices and all the auxiliary services. The second building houses the Tallers Sala.

Beside the theater is the Auditorium, work of the Navarrian architect Rafael Moneo. As well as offering concerts, it is used for teaching and the diffusion of music.

It is in the center of the new pole of urban development of Placa de les Glories, which brings together the three widest and longest avenues in the city, Diagonal, Gran Via and Meridiana.

The same musical complex houses the OBC (Barcelona Symphony Orchestra), the Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya and the Museu de la Musica.

From here there is a magnificent view of the Agbar Tower.

Itinerary
- Via Laietana
- Olympic Port and Village
- Diagonal Mar
- Forum
- 22@ District
- Agbar Tower
- Teatre Nacional

Includes
- Officially-licensed English-speaking local experts specialized in architecture
- Comfortable roomy air-conditioned bus
- View of the best new architecture buildings in Barcelona

Excludes
- Hotel pick up
- Meals and drinks
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional activities cost

Not Available
- July 9, 2009

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