An imminent challenge for the City Council
Barcelona City Council is in a race against the clock to revitalize the Casa de la Premsa before 2029, the year in which the centenary of the Universal Exhibition and the historic building will be celebrated. After announcing last spring that the executive project could only be completed this term, new options are now being explored to achieve effective rehabilitation.
Plans for a community space
The immediate goal is to rehabilitate the building to maintain its current function as a community space, without turning it into a library. To achieve this, the City Council needs to agree on a new location for the Francesc Boix Library, which is currently awaiting an extension, and which would share facilities with another facility that has not yet been defined.
Cautious optimism among neighbors
The councilor of Sants-Montjuïc, Raquel Gil, recently communicated this situation to the residents of Poble-sec. He adopted a cautious tone in relation to the ongoing negotiations, but expressed an optimistic view on possible solutions for the rehabilitation of the Press House. “We are working on options that could improve services in the neighborhood,” he assured during the neighborhood council meeting.
Controversy over the relocation of the library
The project to relocate and expand the Francesc Boix Library at the Casa de la Premsa, announced in 2019, generated negative reactions among some residents and neighborhood entities. The main concern was that this new location would move the equipment away from the center of Poble-sec, affecting access for regular users. In addition, there were doubts about whether the space would be sufficient to accommodate both the neighborhood function and the librarian.
A project with a vision for the future
Despite the objections, the City Council continued with the project, integrating it into the library master plan 2030. This initiative foresees the creation of five new libraries and the relocation or expansion of seven more in the coming years, including the Biblioteca Francesc boxwood At the same time, tenders were put out for the rehabilitation of the Press House, awarded to the Onl architecture studio.
Looking to the future
With its eyes set on the centenary of the Universal Exhibition, the City Council seeks not only to preserve the Casa de la Premsa, but also to transform it into a fundamental pillar for the Poble-sec community. The collaboration with the neighbors and the response to their needs will be key to ensure that this emblematic building continues to be a living and relevant space for future generations.