Preface

It seems that four weeks fly by when you’re having fun.

Departing from finding home in Viva la Virgen – this collection of thoughts involves much more personal reflection. Read on and read with intent.

-Z

Days of Adjustment

Four weeks in Barcelona have marked a period of adjustment, belonging, and generally good moods.

The bad days seem numbered, and there’s still lots to do- constantly.

So much so writing can only come in short, quasi-productive, highly contemplative bursts.

The city has exposed itself to me in a number of ways: through encounters with people (good and bad), through the transportation infrastructure I use everyday, through beach vistas up and down the Catalonian coast, and through simple visits to small shops on carrer Joaquin Costa. Each view is a different face, a carefully constructed contour, of a much grander image: the image of the city of Barcelona.

Uncertainty + Adventure

I think there’s a certain beauty to uncertainty- if you ask anyone who has known me since my freshman year of college, you can bet that they’ve heard me wish that I was a freshman again. Freshman year of college: everything was new for me. The place, the people, and my daily routine were all dramatically different from my life before. It was a clean slate. A new identity. With this logic, I can conclude that these past four weeks in Barcelona have made me feel different. Not necessarily in a bad way. Reinvigorated, rejuvenated, and reinspired- for what it is, and what is to come.

When I got here, much like freshman year of college, everything was new again. A familiar feeling of not having any friends, being in a new place, and intoxicating freedom. Add into the mix an entirely new language and you’ve got an adventure. I was thrown into dorm life once again (this time in a much, much better space) and surrounded by people from around the world. At one point during a dinner in the residencia, five languages were spoken among us: English, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, and Hindi. All of us are residents of Unihabit.

This is what leads me to believe that adventure may be an overall sense of unfamiliarly. A keen wish and driving desire for “newness” and uncertainty- this is what drives any adventurous person. A natural sense of curiosity. Maybe adventure doesn’t have to be as extreme as it’s often portrayed. Maybe it’s trying an unfamiliar dish, taking the scenic route home, or running around with spinning fireworks.

After four weeks, however, that sense of newness begins to wear off and a period of adjustment begins. You don’t need google maps to find your way to places you frequent, you know how to get to and from basic services in your neighborhood, and you may even befriend some people who live or work near where you live. Regardless, adjustment to a new country is odd but refreshing in that I’ve still got lots of time left.

Some special moments below.

Correfoc – or fire run literally – is a Catalan tradition involving spinning fireworks, open streets, and lots of drumming. All symbolize a “casting” of demons into hell.

Plaça d'Europa – a special version of heaven with dogs and grass galore

View of Barcelona from Montjuic

This is the first city I’ve truly lived in. And it is densest. While I generally try not to compare the city of Barcelona to Knoxville (it’s just too much), the main differences lie in the idea of the layout of the city itself, which I’ve subconsciously experienced but never quite registered. The city is incredibly walkable and bikeable. Public transportation is democratized and efficient. The mere thought of getting on public transport to commute everyday is exciting- I’ve never ridden a bus or train in Knoxville. There is an entire branch of research that lies in the urbanism and transportation infrastructure of Barcelona- more on that later.

WHO WE ARE

Constructing my own personal image of Barcelona, whatever that may be, seems inherently important to me for a couple of reasons. First, as previously stated, this is the largest city I’ve ever lived in. With that comes a set of experiences, both good and bad, that are associated with living in a big city (like taking public transport.) Second, on a similar note, I think it’s important to see new cities and places as opportunities for growth. Experiencing and living across the Atlantic in this diverse city is a blessing. It is also an opportunity for me to get uncomfortable- a necessary object for personal growth not only as a person but as a designer as well. Third, I’m slowly but surely concluding that people and process are at the root of what we do. Not our own personal egos or agendas – but the thought that designers can positively change the world, at both the scale of the toothbrush and the scale of the city.

The way people interact in a city influences the way the city is designed. What those people value, whether it be something concrete like large public spaces or more abstract like social interaction, can be seen in the design and experience of a city. Something as intricate as a wide sidewalk can speak volumes about the social consequences of urban planning and design. Likewise, whether we believe it or not, cities are collections of cultural microcosms- despite our natural inclination to generalize many things in life, Barcelona is not one size fits all, nor is it probably a city that would like to brand itself that way. It is teeming with many different forms of life, in different places, at different times.

Instead, in my opinion, Barcelona can be thought of as a plate of spaghetti… if it was accidentally mixed with pesto, lasagna, and fettuccine then altogether forgotten and accidentally tossed onto a plate of tacos and fried rice. Much like design, it is beautifully messy. And this image is one that I think we can all benefit from. A diverse group of people, food, ideas, cultures, backgrounds, beliefs, religions that all mix together and interact with and influence one another. The beauty is in a respectful tolerance. This is a grand image- not one of homogeneity, of conflict, or of a boring normalcy.

I think we are all called to look at the ways and spaces we live in differently. Regardless of who you are: a hairdresser in Norway, a waitress in Barcelona, a rock climber in Greece, a mechanical engineer in China, a biologist in Japan – the spaces and places we choose to live, work, and play are not only an expression of who we are as individuals, but also what we give a damn about as a collective mashed mess of pasta, tacos, and fried rice.

A grand image. It sure is messy. And utterly necessary.

-Z