The UIC Barcelona School of Architecture and the Consortium of Health and Social Care of Catalonia (CSC) have signed a cooperation agreement based on the exchange of knowledge between the two institutions that allows progress toward a new urban model and the construction of housing adapted to the needs of older and dependent people. The signing of the agreement was attended by the rector of UIC Barcelona, Xavier Gil, and the director of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, Josep Lluis i Ginovart. The president of the CSC, Manel J. Ferré y Montañés, and managing director, José Augusto García, were also present on behalf of the Consortium.

The agreement, which will last for four years, provides for the implementation of joint research and teaching projects (seminars, symposia or workshops) aimed at the development of urban environments and the construction of housing adapted to the specific needs of older people, a social group that is increasingly present in western societies. The agreement also provides for visits by Architecture students to one of the care centres associated with the CSC. 

“The pandemic has shown us that architecture and urban planning are determining factors in terms of people’s quality of life and health. We need to focus on urban planning and a new model of housing that places the individual at the centre, and to do this, we must start by looking at the needs of the most vulnerable groups, including, without a doubt, older people.” said Josep Lluis i Ginovart, director of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture.

 “We believe in a new urban model that must form part of a new way of caring for our older people, a care model that the CSC is working hard on and has now incorporated the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture to rethink everything about care facilities following the terrible consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic on retirement homes,” said José Augusto García Navarro, general director of CSC.

This cooperation agreement is preceded by academic events held by both institutions at the beginning of March 2021 in which experts from the fields of care and architecture addressed the future of the care system for the elderly after the outbreak of COVID-19.