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Date of Award

Spring 2014

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Major

Art History & LACS Hispanic Studies

First Advisor

Kathleen Curran

Second Advisor

Thomas Harrington

Abstract

This project explores the architecture and urban planning of Barcelona between the late 1880s, the beginning of the Modernist Movement, to present day Barcelona through three events: the 1888 Universal Exposition, the 1929 International Exhibition and the 1992 Olympic Games. The distinct layout plans and modern construction strategies established during each event contributed to the overall restoration and renewal of the monumental groundwork and infrastructure of Barcelona. In these diverse periods, the economy and society prospered through the creation of spectacular structures and plans, which evidence a negotiation of modernity with the historical tradition upon which a Catalan cultural identity was constructed. I studied the time frame between 1930-1986, concentrating on exclusive architectural plans, city planners and groups, as well as architects that aimed to reconstruct the city during and after the Franco regime. The repression of Catalan culture, poor living conditions, and overpopulation inflicted a large setback for Spain during the 40 years of Franco’s control; however, the 1980s ignited a successful social and political recovery due to the objective of re-modernizing and reconstructing the city. These three events, the 1888 Universal Exposition, the 1929 International Exhibition, and the 1992 Olympic Games, as well as the post-Franco years, demonstrate how Barcelona has become a multicultural, prosperous, and internationally-known city after decades of modern progression.

Comments

Senior thesis completed at Trinity College for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Hispanic Studies. Full text access limited to the campus community only.

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