The Lost Dream of Barcelona

This drawing, in part, depicts a possibility of what Barcelona might look like, had Ildefons Cerdà's vision been fully realized. As can be seen in the texture of the buildings, Cerdà's original plan split the city into squares, each containing two sides of buildings and a large area of greenery in the center. His design could meet the demands of a large city, while still incorporating verdant pockets open space. Sadly, this aspect of his design was abandoned as the city was built. Now Barcelona is dense with buildings that occupy the space Cerdà wanted to leave open. This drawing communicates aspects of Cerdà's vision while acknowledging how much of its beauty has been lost over time. Despite this, the true story of Barcelona's architecture lies not in what it currently is, but in the relationship between the city today and the city Cerdà dreamt of.