New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Project category

Identify the award category for which this project is being submitted
Regaining a sense of belonging

Email user
p_megias@gencat.cat

Basic information
Project title
Ancient Church of Vilanova de la Barca

Full Project Title
Intervention on the Ancient Church of Vilanova de la Barca

Please provide a short, catchy description of your project to be used in communication towards the public.
The ruins of a church in the town of Vilanova de la Barca abandoned since the 1936 Spanish Civil War bombings were refurbished and desacralized to recover them for the Community. The new building was designed to become a new multiple uses space for cultural and social events. The design kept its original mystical atmosphere recalling the aesthetics of Northern Europe churches or the wide rooms of the medieval castles. The structure maintains the original stone walls with open white brick walls.

What was the geographical scope of your project?
Local

Where was your project implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Spain

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
Vilanova de la Barca Town Council

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your project won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Is your project fully completed
Yes

Please indicate a date (mm/yy)
2016-12-04

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organisation
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project)
- Name of the organisation(s): CATALAN LAND INSTITUTE (INCASOL)
  Type of organisation: Public authority (European/national/regional/local)
  First name of representative: CRISTINA
  Last name of representative: CLOTET
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Spain
  Function: HEAD OF INTERNATIONALIZATION OFFICE
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Carrer Corsega 273
  Town: Barcelona
  Postal code: 08008
  Country: Spain
  Direct Tel: +34 932 28 60 41
  E-mail: c_clotet@gencat.cat
  Website: https://incasol.gencat.cat/ca/inici
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://twitter.com/incasolcat
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): incasolcat
- URL: https://www.instagram.com/incasolcat/
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): incasolcat
- URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/incasol
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): incasol
- URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP-5hgcI-2RcPR6WekzOM_w
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): @incasol7532
In case my project is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my project in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Previous participants

Description of the project
Please provide a summary of your project.
In the town of Vilanova de la Barca there was an abandoned church which was damaged and in ruins since the 1936 Civil War bombing. This project proposed the refurbishing of this space, desacralizing it and recovering it for the Community. This new building was designed to be a new common multiple uses space so it could be used for cultural and social events. The design kept in mind the origins of the space, so that it holds this mystical atmosphere recalling the image of Northern Europe churches or the wide rooms of the medieval castles.
The structure maintained the original stone walls, with open white brick walls on the new areas. The design proposed collage-like walls and complementing materials reflecting the mixture of uses of the building since its creation as well as the new and modern ones.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.
community

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
aesthetics

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
society

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
identity

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
rehabilitation

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The key objective of the project is to recover an abandoned church to transform it into a meeting space to add a value to this venue, designing it to reflect the past and the future of the area. Instead of demolishing the ancient ruins and building a brand new structure, we decided to recover all the possible elements of the ancient ruins reduce wasting and use new more efficient materials to complement them. Thus, the walls, which were severely damaged, were maintained and any new materials were fully sustainable from local industries We achieved a higher level of efficiency and sustainability reducing waste material and using traditional techniques reducing CO emissions with local source materials and also promoting industry in the area.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
We wanted to create a new space for the people. The studies and surveys conducted in the village revealed that the inhabitants wanted this space to be recovered for the people, allowing them to find a new meeting area, in which culture, society and education are able to grow and flourish. The design of the new building transforms the uses of the abandoned lot into a beautiful space intended to create a new inspiring spirit for the village. Also, this exceptional building creates a new touristic interest in the area.
The mysticism was attained by matching the light coloured stone walls with white brick areas and a new ceiling which is conceived as a tile shell. The outer façade opts for the continuity of the original walls while the interior represents the contrast and discontinuity. It’s a dialogue of complementary elements between the new and the original design, between the present and the past

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The building is fully accessible, following all the latest norms and guidelines on building design. The wide open design of the building allows the participation of any citizen in the activities held on the space.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project
The cultural heritage of the town is transformed into a new and modern space for the citizens for any kind of social and cultural uses.
The design always kept in mind the plant of the ancient church and the best way to preserve old ruins. The damaged stone walls were incorporated as a representative and foundational base of the new building, giving a new life to these ruins which had been abandoned and unused for a long period
Before defining the project there were surveys conducted to define the need of the village were open to all the inhabitants and the results were considered on setting the future uses definition and the design of the area.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was.
The ancient church was in ruins since the bombings of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, thus making the building unsafe and unfit for any kind of common use. It was an old claim of the citizens of Vilanova to refurbish the ruins of the old church, which is in itself the only valuable historical heritage building of the town. Another claim of the citizens was to have more spaces for social and cultural events, such as exhibitions, cultural events and social gatherings. With this in mind, the city council started a refurbishment projected in 2014, which was concluded in 2016.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your project. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was.
The combination of new design and humble materials with the original large stones and the tile ceiling are a fresh contribution to the classical refurbishing of an ancient building. The aim was not to recover and rebuild the church for its original use, but to create a new space able to accommodate new uses without forgetting the original uses of the space.
Also the use of bright colours use contrast with other refurbishing works as the original church was a dark classical church, and this new project creates a space with was fully lighted both with natural and artificial light, but maintaining the spirit of the old building

Please give information on the results, outcomes and impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for. This includes also benefits from the project for direct and indirect beneficiaries
The project aimed bringing the space for the people keeping the mystical air of the ancient church but adding the presence of light and wide spaces to make a room which is exceptionally well furbished to hold concerts and cultural events, as well as social and educational ones.
The mysticism was attained by matching the light coloured stone walls with white brick areas and a new ceiling which is conceived as a tile shell. The outer façade opts for the continuity of the original walls while the interior represents the contrast and discontinuity. It’s a dialogue of complementary elements between the new and the original design, between the present and the past.

Please provide documents showing the results, outcomes and impacts of your project
Web link
Web link
- https://issuu.com/conarquitectura/docs/ca62_01
Please highlight the innovative character of the project, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the project
The combination of new design and humble materials with the original large stones and the tile ceiling are a fresh contribution to the classical refurbishing of an ancient building. The aim was not to recover and rebuild the church for its original use, but to create a new space able to accommodate new uses without forgetting the original uses of the space.
Also the use of bright colours use contrast with other refurbishing works as the original church was a dark classical church, and this new project creates a space with was fully lighted both with natural and artificial light, but maintaining the spirit of the old building.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your project.
A throughout analysis of the site was conducted. The aspects studied were social needs, possible uses, structural and aesthetics aspects of the rehabilitation project.

Please describe which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and context. This may involve for example aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings etc.
This project exemplifies that a well thought project can turn the an ancient buildings into a fully operative space for modern uses without forgetting the original use and spirit of the ruins.
This experience can be transferred to any other examples of historical ruins refurbishment, as the model can be adapted to the usage, state and traits of the site.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addresses by providing local solutions
It is a global challenge to offer solutions to recover for the communities’ ancients spaces on cities and villages, especially on villages that have not previous social meeting venues.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below
{Empty}

By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the project and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary.
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted project, is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes