The goal of this project is to create an Atlas that brings together the study of some buildings whose common feature is that their use have changed on more than one occasion, as well as to generate a «Theory of Reuse in Architecture» derived from the study of all of them and, as a conclusion, to generate an Action Protocol for a practical application of the theory.

To approach the study of buildings which program have changed over time, hosting activities for which they had not been planned , it is something that has not been done so far in a systematic way. If we analyse thoroughly these buildings and conducted a study of its characteristics throughout its existence, we can derive a number of general and specific guidelines about the answers that their architecture has given to the change of use, and its ability to accommodate various programs, despite not being designed to do so. And this lesson that architecture has given us many times throughout history, we understand that it is more relevant than ever. To reuse the existing park is the first and simplest manifestation of the idea of sustainability applied to architecture and one of the possible solutions to the current situation of our cities. The aim of this project is thus directly related to the challenge chosen «Action on climate change and efficient use of resources and raw materials», since the existing park is understood as an urban resource available to be reused at maximum efficiency.

From the point of view of the city, the purpose of this project and its challenges are also important. These architectures that have endured, even improving its qualities, some uses for which they were not designed, offer a lesson on the affectations that these changes produce on its urban context: on neighbouring buildings, on their neighboUrhood and even on the entire city. In this sense, the conclusions and guidelines to be derived from registration, examination, analysis and comparison of researched buildings include the transformation of their immediate environment and, by extension, the activation of important sectors of the city. Therefore, the challenge must also be that the definition of this «Theory of Achievement in Architecture» has to be, at the same time, applicable in a structural level, so that a group of reused buildings may come to operate as a ‘net’ inside the same neighboUrhood or in the whole entire city.

To this end the proposed research is focused on Barcelona. Urban processes generated systemically as a result of the reuse and transformation of buildings can generate a theory exportable and applicable to other cities with similar problems. If in the nineties the «Barcelona model» meant the export of a particular form of city planning, currently exporting the Barcelona experience in recycling empty architectural buildings can be of great interest to other cities that also have large quantity abandoned infrastructures.