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Between 3 and 10 October 2026, around 100 shops across Barcelona’s ten districts became temporary architecture galleries, displaying approximately 120 physical models from 70 architectural practices. The initiative, Aparadors d’Arquitectura, took architectural work beyond museums and professional venues, placing it in spaces residents encounter as part of their daily routines.

Visitors gather outside Cereria Subirà in Barcelona to view architectural models displayed as part of Aparadors d’Arquitectura, which transformed around 100 local shops into temporary exhibition spaces | Courtesy of Construnews

Organised through Barcelona City Council’s programme as World Capital of Architecture 2026, the exhibition coincided with World Architecture Day on 5 October. It also connected the city’s designation as European Capital of Local Commerce with its architectural celebrations, bringing together two sectors through a shared public programme. The Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) encouraged local practices to participate, presenting the initiative as an opportunity to introduce their work to nearby residents.

For one week, Barcelona’s everyday shops became a citywide exhibition of architecture, bringing the profession into the ordinary routines of neighbourhood life.

Rather than distributing models randomly, organisers sought to connect participating practices and projects with businesses in their surrounding neighbourhoods. Where possible, architects were encouraged to exhibit work developed locally, creating a relationship between the models on display and the streets around them.

The exhibition covered a broad range of projects, including housing, public facilities, renovations and urban interventions. At Santa Caterina Market, visitors could see a model of the market’s restoration within the building itself. Elsewhere, architecture practice b720 exhibited models of projects including BlueTechPort, Glòries Tower and La Sagrera Station in a Barcelona showroom.

An interactive map allowed visitors to locate participating businesses and plan walking routes, while information cards explained the projects and identified their designers. These materials made the exhibition accessible without specialist architectural knowledge, allowing visitors to discover projects through familiar commercial spaces.

Architectural models displayed in the window of Barcelona’s historic Cereria Subirà candle shop as part of Aparadors d’Arquitectura, held from 3 to 10 October 2026 | Courtesy of Construnews

For participating practices, the initiative offered something different from a conventional industry exhibition. Instead of presenting work primarily to clients, peers or established architectural audiences, studios could reach people who might otherwise have little direct contact with the profession.

The programme gave architectural practices a way to introduce their work to neighbours without asking those neighbours to seek out architecture.

Although the exhibition concluded on 10 October, its wider significance lies in the approach to architectural communication. By combining existing models, local businesses and neighbourhood walking routes, Barcelona created a public-facing platform without relying on a dedicated exhibition venue.

For practices and cities elsewhere, it offers a model for developing relationships between architects and local communities, using everyday urban spaces to make architectural work more visible and accessible.

معلومات إضافية

Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) – Aparadors d’Arquitectura

Barcelona City Council – Aparadors d’Arquitectura programme

Europa Press – Barcelona combines architecture and local commerce