In this first stage, the catalogue focuses on the modern and contemporary architecture designed and built between 1832 –year of construction of the first industrial chimney in Barcelona that we establish as the beginning of modernity– until today.
The project is born to make the architecture more accessible both to professionals and to the citizens through a website that is going to be updated and extended. Contemporary works of greater general interest will be incorporated, always with a necessary historical perspective, while gradually adding works from our past, with the ambitious objective of understanding a greater documented period.
The collection feeds from multiple sources, mainly from the generosity of architectural and photographic studios, as well as the large amount of excellent historical and reference editorial projects, such as architectural guides, magazines, monographs and other publications. It also takes into consideration all the reference sources from the various branches and associated entities with the COAC and other collaborating entities related to the architectural and design fields, in its maximum spectrum.
Special mention should be made of the incorporation of vast documentation from the COAC Historical Archive which, thanks to its documental richness, provides a large amount of valuable –and in some cases unpublished– graphic documentation.
The rigour and criteria for selection of the works has been stablished by a Documental Commission, formed by the COAC’s Culture Spokesperson, the director of the COAC Historical Archive, the directors of the COAC Digital Archive, and professionals and other external experts from all the territorial sections that look after to offer a transversal view of the current and past architectural landscape around the territory.
The determination of this project is to become the largest digital collection about Catalan architecture; a key tool of exemplar information and documentation about architecture, which turns into a local and international referent, for the way to explain and show the architectural heritage of a territory.
We kindly invite you to help us improve the dissemination of Catalan architecture through this space. Here you can propose works and provide or amend information on authors, photographers and their work, along with adding comments. The Documentary Commission will analyze all data. Please do only fill in the fields you deem necessary to add or amend the information.
The Arxiu Històric del Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya is one of the most important documentation centers in Europe, which houses the professional collections of more than 180 architects whose work is fundamental to understanding the history of Catalan architecture. By filling this form, you can request digital copies of the documents for which the Arxiu Històric del Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya manages the exploitation of the author's rights, as well as those in the public domain. Once the application has been made, the Arxiu Històric del Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya will send you an approximate budget, which varies in terms of each use and purpose.
La cooperativa del Camp de l'Albi és un edifici agrícola industrial, d'estil noucentista i obra de Cèsar Martinell projectat a semblança d'altres construccions agroindustrials de l'època. Tot i haver sofert nombroses modificacions i afegits, es manté la vistosa nau principal, formada per un edifici en planta rectangular de planta baixa i pis amb coberta de planxa metàl·lica a dues aigües sostinguda per encavallades de fusta. La façana d'aquest cos és l'element més destacat del conjunt amb llur combinació de materials i formes. A la planta baixa, que parteix d'un sòcol de pedra hi ha la portalada en marc de pedra i llinda en forma de triangle. Al pis, hi ha l'element més característic i en la genuïna línia de Martinell, un enorme finestral en arc apuntat, subdividit per pilarets verticals amb vitralls entremig, concebut per aportar llum a l'interior. Tot i que l'arcada i els pilarets són fets en maó a la base de la volta, en dues pilastres centrals i a les cantonades hi apareix la pedra buixardada. Allà on no hi apareix la pedra o el maó és arrebossat i pintat. La façana ve rematada per un ràfec amb arcuacions cegues a sota i un esplèndid remat als extrems. Pensant a facilitar el sistema de producció, i per aprofitar el desnivell del terreny, es va adossar una nau transversal a la part posterior, accessible per als carros que lliuraven les olives o altra producció. Altrament, a l'esquerra de l'edifici principal mitjançant una portalada en arc de maó rebaixat s'accedeix a un bell pati interior amb tres robustes voltes de pedra de mig punt. Totes les finestres del conjunt original són de secció rectangular vertical i allindades amb un acabat triangular escalonat de maó.