Ukrainian architect Vitaliy Vorobey designed a public space for Barcelona’s green area inspired by the multicultural identity of this Catalonian city, which the architect experiences as imbued with the spirit of creative freedom, a place where everyone can find their purpose in life. He draws inspiration from this idea to come up with a project he describes with the slogan ““For all of us”.
A slogan consisting of only a few simple words, “For all of us”, sums up the significance of the Flatness project by architect Vitaliy Vorobey with Aleksey Zvolanski for Barcelona.
The project, completed in 2019 but not yet built, was intended for the green part of the Catalonian city: a highly versatile, flexible public space designed to host events of various kinds and provide a gathering-place for a variety of activities, or for simply relaxing.
The title of the project, “Flatness”, is a reference to the prevalently horizontal character of the construction, consisting of volumes underlined by the uniform colours of the surfaces defining the outdoor spaces.
The architects responded to the need for a space capable of developing the city’s creative potential by hosting performances and artistic events of various kinds. Flatness includes an art gallery and an exhibition room for hosting temporary exhibitions and artistic performances, as well as outdoor spaces appropriate for a variety of uses.
The key feature of these open-air outdoor spaces is that they seem to extend into the natural setting around the construction, conveying a profound sense of freedom. These are spaces meant to be used and experienced in a variety of different ways. Their uniform colour, emphasised by bold overhangs and shadows, and the presence of a body of water bring to mind a metaphysical dimension that induces a spirit of meditation, so that they look like spaces intended for meditative walks. The aggregation of volumes and forms designed by the architects, on the other hand, makes the area ideal for active pastimes such as skateboarding and rollerblading. A number of elements, such as the stairway and the path over the body of water, make it the perfect setting for outdoor events such as fashion shows, performances, and street culture competitions (such as skateboard, graffiti and breakdancing contests). Architect Vitaliy Vorobey images the spaces animated with artworks by emerging artists or ordinary users who accept the challenge expressed in the slogan inspiring the entire project, “For all of us”.
(Agnese Bifulco)
Images courtesy of Vitaliy Vorobey https://vitaliyvorobey.com/
Project Name - Flatness
Location - Barcelona, Spain
Site Area (m2)- 13,800 sq m
Built-up Area (m2) - 4,050 sq m
Head Architect - Vitaliy Vorobey https://vitaliyvorobey.com/
List of Team Members – Vitaliy Vorobey, Aleksey Zvolanski
