Xarranca Pavilion Design

The Europe pavilion for the BCN RE.SET Tricentenari commemoration by Urban-Think Tank in collaboration with ESARQ is based on the concept of the game XARRANCA. Originally a children's game where, through a hopping journey through multiple spaces, the goal is to reach "cielo", the sky.

The XARRANCA pavilion is a three-dimensional representation of the journey through the multiple houses of Europe, the collective exchange of individual experiences, and the journey to reach the destiny of cielo - an integrated dream Europe - as reflected in the terminus point of the sea. The pavilion is an expression of both the erasure of boundaries and a celebration of differences. Its placement on the plaza allows for free movement through the canopies, while its colored houses are a sculptural statement on the diversity of Europe but also the historic barrio on the beach that was torn down for the Barcelona Olympics.

Through a collaboration with the local community of craftsmen, fishermen, and historians, the pavilion is built out of local and recycled wood, and compressed earth, clay, and sand. The creation of the pavilion from the design to the building is a participatory action, combining the collective knowledge of the neighborhood and city.