The Municipal Institute of Urban Planning has begun the demolition of 37 properties located northwest of Plaça de les Glòries. The main objective of this project is to expand the central park, which will reach 30,000 square meters, establishing itself as a green connection hub between the neighborhoods of Fort Pienc, Sagrada Família, El Clot, and Parc i la Llacuna del Poblenou.
Demolition work is concentrated on the section of Consell de Cent Street between Castillejos and Independència Streets. According to the plan, work on this first phase will continue until late spring, giving way to a new urban balcony featuring trees and play areas designed for all ages.
The end of the “sister houses” on Consell de Cent
The most controversial aspect of this redevelopment is the disappearance of an urban fabric with over a century of history. At the heart of this loss of heritage are numbers 600 and 602 on Consell de Cent Street, popularly known as the “sister houses.” Despite their historical and architectural value, these buildings are not included in the city’s current heritage protection programs.
At number 600 stands Casa Frederic Sanés, designed by Josep Graner (the architect behind the famous Casa de la Papallona). The building stands out for its unique crowning element adorned with female busts and a lobby that preserves detailed ceramics and painted ceilings of great artistic value.
A legacy of Barcelona in 1914
Just a few meters away, at number 602, stands the Casa Sebastià Bosch i Elías. This building, completed in 1916 and designed by Ramon Frexe Mallofré, completes the complex that was originally built on the site of the former Prat de La Diasi. This historic site was the point where the Rec Comtal irrigated the old backyards before the area was consolidated as part of Els Encants Vells.
As the machinery advances, these weeks represent the last opportunity to view the exterior of these Modernist facades. If the construction schedule remains unchanged, all traces of early 20th-century architecture in this part of Glòries will have completely disappeared before summer begins.