In Catalonia, architecture has, for centuries, been our most powerful means of expression, a tool capable of shaping our identity and projecting it to the world. Today, at a time when design and construction are in constant dialogue with our gastronomy and culture, to admire our heritage is not merely an act of contemplation, but a way of sensing the aspirations that have driven our progress. Taking advantage of this year’s commemorations, and with a focus on the legacy of Antoni Gaudí and many other masters, we invite you on a journey that goes beyond the façades. It is a route in which architecture becomes a companion to cuisine and landscape, telling the story of who we are and where we are heading. Discover how stone, iron and glass have been transformed into a cultural and gastronomic experience that engages both space and visitor alike. Let yourself be carried away by proposals designed to inspire. From industrialisation to the birth of modernity It all began with an act that seemed purely industrial yet contained the seed of a revolution: the construction of the first factory chimney in Barcelona in 1832. That plume of smoke did more than signal the dawn of the steam age — it announced that Catalan architecture would never be the same again. Industrialisation and the strong economic growth of the 19th century demanded a new paradigm, propelling the country towards full modernity and into urban and social territories that had previously been unexplored. The planning of new buildings and public spaces, the creation of entire neighbourhoods and the development of new infrastructure transformed the landscape and the very face of the region. It was not simply a matter of factories; it was about responding to an emerging bourgeoisie class eager to express its prosperity, and to a society calling for housing, schools and cultural centres. From the grand townhouses of the upper bourgeoisie to the industrial complexes that line our rivers, architecture began to seek bold and innovative solutions. This spirit of enquiry, forged in the 19th century, remains at the core of our character — a distinctive outlook that has endured through every historical upheaval and continues to shape the present with ambition and a powerful desire for transformation. Can you imagine the determination of those architects who, brick by brick, were laying the foundations of a formidable cultural identity? From Modernista geniuses to a distinct identity of flavour: architecture with its own signature When you think of Catalonia, the silhouette of the Sagrada Família or the organic forms of La Pedrera are likely to come to mind. Modernisme, spearheaded by figures such as Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch, was a desire for renewal and disruption that extended far beyond architecture to become a comprehensive way of life. The movement connected Catalonia with the European avant-garde, projecting it onto the international stage through an exuberant creativity that integrated wrought iron, stained glass, mosaic and fine woodwork into every detail. Following the exuberance of Modernisme came Noucentisme, with its search for order and Mediterranean harmony, and later the Rationalism of the 1920s. Figures and groups such as GATCPAC reshaped contemporary architecture with functional and revolutionary proposals that continue to inspire today. This constant evolution shows that Catalonia has always been a laboratory of ideas — a restlessness that found in the transformative momentum of the 1992 Olympic Games the starting point for opening up dialogue with all kinds of fields. The dialogue between architecture and gastronomy is therefore not a recent phenomenon. By the late 20th century, as Catalan cuisine gained growing international recognition and creativity flourished in the kitchen, architecture became an essential ally. Wineries, markets and restaurants began to express their distinctiveness through design, learning to combine craftsmanship with productive landscapes and aesthetic ambition with pragmatism. This longstanding partnership has enabled the exploration of narratives that, for decades, have engaged visitors and transformed our pantry into an unforgettable cultural experience.