This year’s Queen Mary Annual Catalan Lecture was the first to focus on architecture. We counted on the presence of Carles Baiges to deliver this very special lecture. Carles is a Catalan architect and a member of Lacol, a cooperative architecture studio in Barcelona.
Carles explained Lacol’s project and what their cooperative system really means in contrast to conventional housing. Some of Lacol’s crucial aims are the sustainability and efficiency of their buildings, as well as making the most of the space available and being mindful of the different kinds of families who can live in a house. This is so that several options matching current housing needs can be offered. He also focused on the social aspects and talked about Lacol’s buildings as a communal project, where high levels of resident participation are a key feature.
In the Q&A, the attendees posed questions about different subjects, such as the pros and cons of communal living, the legal aspects of this kind of project, diversity and other cooperative housing strategies, which Carles answered in great detail.
CENTRE FOR CATALAN STUDIES (Queen Mary University of London) 