The Wanderers, the Chairs, and the Stories
The Metro station pouring out tourists, with clothes ready for the beach – but also cotton scarves on their neck, as the cold breeze of the spring insisted. It was almost time for sunset, and the clouds hovering above – when 3 strangers set their feet in La Barceloneta. Their faces are different, their gesture are distant, as they come from 3 different corners of the world. Walking by the sidewalk, they’re nothing like tourists – as they begun to enter Carrer de la Sal and recording every details; with notebook in one hand, recorder or pocket camera, and Watson’s faces next to Holmes.
Set in front of apartment’s doors, the chairs in Barceloneta apparently took their attention. These chairs, most of it planted permanently to the sidewalk – are like an extension of the living room. The street are short, divided the blocks and provides the pisos with light and fresh air. The neighborhood is quiet, and almost free of tourists – regardless the fact that it’s not a very distinct area from the touristic Joan de Borbo. Children playing balls in one corner, and there are skaters on the other - giving some particular sounds and ambience.
As an area famous for being a sailor’s and fishermen’s neighborhood, Barceloneta’s like an envelop, with layers of myths and stories enclosed. That’s exactly what have the wanderers found that night and on the following morning: different impressions and different faces, problem or not problem, rejection or acceptance. Their story begun on an encounter with a nice Mexican girl; a pop art collage artist whom neighbor turns out to be a very “sensitive” lady – shouting and swearing her to stop using spray on her work – who eventually brought the police to the site; claimed the street and the sidewalk as her space. Is this means problem?
The following morning, they got another impression from the local elders on the big plaza next to the market: contention, memories, everyday-life and hope. Nothing matters and nothing bothers; even if the pisos are tiny, the tourists seem to increase every year, and immigrants taking their spaces. Some memories about places came to surface, and some particular term reflects their view about immigrants. Is this means problem?With photos, recordings, and experiences in their pocket, the 3 wanderers went for brainstorming [of course with good meals accompanied – whether it’s with glasses of beer and tapas in Cerveseria, or glasses of wine and home-made cooking lunch].
From Philosophical View to Practical Positive Enhancement
Three wanderers sit in the crowded Cerveseria, with glasses of beer and tapas for dinner. They started another journey, this time in the intangible world of mind and thousands terabyte space inside their brain. They walked through the memory about the spaces, the furniture and the people. They passed several folders of facts and impressions – analyzing place, people and interaction. They stopped at some point, under the issue of friction and co-existing problem; and started to peel it up with several view from different philosophical – as well as socio-political backgrounds. Some cases arise. What kind of impression follows behind some particular terms like Moros or Paquis? In the short journey in the field of thoughts, the wanderers happened to think to destroy the negative connotation by some kind of intervention on the children of Barceloneta.
But experiences follow, and more stories becoming references.
Three students sit in a round dining table, after glasses of wine and a nice home-made cooking lunch. They started a second journey to the land of thoughts.
What is problem what is not? What is friction what is not? What is negative what is not?
What lies in the heart of Barceloneta’s people? The memory about the school and the soccer field or their destruction? The tourists and the immigrants? The simple life and memories about the sea?
What could be done for Barceloneta?
As they review all the thing experienced in Barceloneta, they encountered a simple fact: it's impossible to trace a real problem and give it a solution. They are all total strangers in La Barceloneta. What can 3 strangers possibly judge for only 3 days spent in La Barceloneta? What problem could they truly find? So instead of trying to be a perfect problem solver; they changed direction and decided to focus on the good side in Barceloneta and to enhance it. Then there they are, remembering their experience – and came up with the perfect implication of the blocks and streets in Barceloneta: the wind; the breeze that is so focal and mostly needed in Barceloneta. The whole structure and openings, and the spaces that made it possible for the wind to flow. Of all that thought, the balconies in Barceloneta took them to other tools for their intervention: los molinetes!
The Wind Vanes, the Kite and the Children of Barceloneta
Project : Vanes and Kite Workshop
Participants : Children of Alexandre Gali Elementary School (age 7-10)
Place : Alexandre Gali School, Parc de la Barceloneta
Aim : Gives awareness to the children about the nice breeze in Barceloneta and the configuration of the space that made the implication.
A Search for Children
08.30am. The sun was low, the streets were empty, and the clouds hovering above Barceloneta. Three wanderers started the day with hope and big expectation.
09.30am. The hope was fading, the faces changed, while the construction workers started to come. Three wanderers sit in front of the Community Centre of Barceloneta, being rejected by 3 schools. Pikima, a Basque lady in the reception of the Community Centre suggested for them to wait until 10.30am, when the director would come and might help them.
10.00am. After some other conversation with locals and a quick breakfast, they run to the library and find a possibility to arrange an activity there. Another suggestion to wait for the director, and an advice not to just invite some children to do the activity in the public space – for it might involves the local authority.
11.00am. A talk with Juanjo, a local owner of a kiosk in Parc de la Barceloneta; after a conversation with some help from Pikima. Some little hope, for them to make it in the park when the children come out from their schools.
12.30am. A door opener arrived. With Andres [who seems to be considered local by the secretary of the school] they entered the school and talked with the principal. Problem solved. The faces changed, the animo was high, and they started to run for equipments – before 03.00pm, which is the time they agreed with the school.
The Spinning Vanes, the Flying Kite and Smiling Faces
4 adults and 20 children walked to Parc de la Barceloneta, with a spinning vane in each hands, a kite with long tail, and smile on their faces. Suddenly, three wanderers became part of Barceloneta.
Click to see presentation
the 3 wanderers,
https://picasaweb.google.com/118123429836412410013/CitiesThroughTheSenses?authkey=Gv1sRgCKTb-d3Xw_bdXA#5621061788382541122
Agnes Stephania___Hernando Gomez___Michal Doukarsky
for
Metropolis - Ecosistema Urbano Workshop
Jose Luis Vallejo / Andres Walliser
Mil gracias a:
Tuhan YME
Los ninos de Escuela Alexandre Gali
El principal y la profesora de Alexandre Gali
Andres Waliiser y Jose Luis Vallejo
Pikima y Juanjo
Forn de pa Baluard
El Vaso de Oro
Los Metropolitanos
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