Arenas shopping/cimema plaza espa帽a

Arenas shopping/cimema plaza españa

Ellfar · 2011-04-03T21:01:13+02:00

Explore critiques of Arenas de Barcelona's shopping and cinema complex at Plaza España, focusing on its architectural shortcomings and lack of originality.

Ellfar New member

Member since 03 April 2011

EllfarNew member03 April 2011 19:01:13

Arenas Plaza Espa帽a, Barcelona.
The arquitect for this project should be charged destruction of public property. What a shame that such an interesting structure with such a history has been completely ruined by such a dull project. I have watched with interest the construction of this project for the last 7 years and now that it is open I only have ten things to say聟
1) Does Barcelona need another shopping/cinema complex after Heron city, La Illa, Gran Via II, La Maquinista, Icaria, Diagonal Mar etc....in Short No
2) Museum de Rock...hmmm as a huge rock fan very disappointing, also how can they have a Beatles room, a rolling stones room but no Led Zeppelin Room?
3) What a waste of an amazing building. Instead of using the round structure with all of those window openings the place feels cramp, dark and is completely artificially lit inside. Plus very few views from the inside of the brick exterior wall.
4) Why build a dome roof that is not glass/transparent? I have seen water storage silos with better roofs.
5) Views from the roof platform, Museum of contemporary art OK, Park OK, Gran Via...poor with direct view of sex shop! Plaza Espa帽a hotel UGLY, view also of Telefonica with mobile phone tower on roof NASTY...
6) Same dull chain shops inside selling the same crap as all the others.
7) Ugly steel painted beams inside everywhere when the exterior was a brick structure, what is it trying to be.
8) Complete lack of reference to the original building i.e. a bull ring, no bulls, no historic photos, no reuse of the interior, for example the benches saved and used to make seating areas.
9) Why did they not make a circular walkway round each floor with the shops in the centre so that I could enjoy views of Barcelona through the windows of the original brick structure?
10) Why a shopping centre/cinema? Surely a botanical garden with glass dome roof, or some kind of concert venue, museum, circus or sports complex- climbing wall, swimming pool, roller skating circuit on the roof etc聟 Complete lack of imagination.
A TURD WRAPPED IN SILK.

JPope Serial expat

Member since 29 July 2010

JPopeSerial expat04 April 2011 07:39:49

220

I haven't been yet, but considering how long they spent with the construction, anything short of amazing is pretty poor.

As for the fact that it is yet another soulless mall of the same high street shops, people seem to like that, it will be packed and people will spend loads of money there. If they didn't they would stop building more of them.

It is a shame when Barcelona has so many amazing independent shops

andyTHEO Member

Member since 19 November 2010

andyTHEOMember08 April 2011 21:44:54

I am new to the city but share many of Ellfar's sentiments. I visited the centre on the first day and my conclusion was "nothing special".

The two things I hated:
(1) once you are inside it is difficult to tell that this was a former bullring - you can see the original walls "accidentally" - if you happen to wander to the ends of the walkways.
(2) The lack of natural light inside. Frankly depressing.

I suppose that during the drawn-out construction, money became tight so audacity, imagination and "fantasia" were secondary.