Vila Olimpica

Vila Olimpica
1989-1992
Presented by Mathias Fitzer

After winning the bid to host the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, Barcelona needed to construct a number of new facilities to house athletes, competitions, and accommodations for spectators. At the same time, the city desired a stronger connection to the sea and new business opportunities. The firm Martorell, Bohigas, and Mackay designed the master plan for the project, which was to host both the temporary functions of the Olympic Games as well as the permanent functions of a city. The architectural centerpiece of the final design is "twin" towers with a shopping center, restaurants, a casino, and a fish sculpture by Frank Gehry at their base. One tower is a concrete office building and the other is a steel-framed hotel, and both are the tallest buildings in Spain. The project also encompasses many blocks of residential structures, which served as housing for athletes during the games and were sold as apartments afterward. The beaches of Barcelona were expanded, bringing more people to the sea and increasing economic activity in the neighborhood. Some athletic facilities were built along the beach, which are used today as public recreation facilities. This project was highly successful in hosting the Olympic Games and created a new neighborhood in the city that connects it to the sea.