Arenas Plaza España, Barcelona.
The arquitect for this project should be charged destruction of public property. What a shame that such an interesting structure with such a history has been completely ruined by such a dull project. I have watched with interest the construction of this project for the last 7 years and now that it is open I only have ten things to say
1) Does Barcelona need another shopping/cinema complex after Heron city, La Illa, Gran Via II, La Maquinista, Icaria, Diagonal Mar etc....in Short No
2) Museum de Rock...hmmm as a huge rock fan very disappointing, also how can they have a Beatles room, a rolling stones room but no Led Zeppelin Room?
3) What a waste of an amazing building. Instead of using the round structure with all of those window openings the place feels cramp, dark and is completely artificially lit inside. Plus very few views from the inside of the brick exterior wall.
4) Why build a dome roof that is not glass/transparent? I have seen water storage silos with better roofs.
5) Views from the roof platform, Museum of contemporary art OK, Park OK, Gran Via...poor with direct view of sex shop! Plaza España hotel UGLY, view also of Telefonica with mobile phone tower on roof NASTY...
6) Same dull chain shops inside selling the same crap as all the others.
7) Ugly steel painted beams inside everywhere when the exterior was a brick structure, what is it trying to be.
8) Complete lack of reference to the original building i.e. a bull ring, no bulls, no historic photos, no reuse of the interior, for example the benches saved and used to make seating areas.
9) Why did they not make a circular walkway round each floor with the shops in the centre so that I could enjoy views of Barcelona through the windows of the original brick structure?
10) Why a shopping centre/cinema? Surely a botanical garden with glass dome roof, or some kind of concert venue, museum, circus or sports complex- climbing wall, swimming pool, roller skating circuit on the roof etc
Complete lack of imagination.
A TURD WRAPPED IN SILK.