Trànsit

TRÀNSIT is an anthropized nature that proposes a place of rest and refuge on the Santa Mònica terrace. Through 14 mulberry trees and a system of irrigation and monitoring, this refuge is a living entity capable of creating a microclimate and effectively reducing temperature.
 

In a context of climate emergency, the project explores and reclaims urban tree coverage as essential living infrastructure. A unique irrigation system reveals the amount of water consumed by each tree, while a series of sensors monitor the impact of this group of trees on their surroundings.

If the city did not exist, Barcelona would be a forest of holm oaks. However, long ago, modern urban planning displaced these native, bulky, slow-growing, and chaotic trees in favour of more efficient and optimized species. With very small tree pits and minimal maintenance, species like fruitless mulberries offer wide canopies with dense foliage, as well as thin, vertical trunks that make them easy to manage and integrate into the urban environment. The pavilion builds on this premise to provide a shaded space during summer.

TRÀNSIT is a climate refuge conceived with a radically temporary approach, committed to continuing its life after being dismantled. The project lives on through the relocation of its trees, spreading into new spaces of comfort throughout the city and turning the ephemeral into an opportunity for regeneration. In this way, the proposal aims to generate a positive urban-scale impact, understanding the Santa Mònica pavilion as a temporary stop in its journey.

Temporary intervention by La cuarta piel + Raquel Vázquez for the Climatic Shelter 2025 call

With the collaboration of Belloch Forestal (tree supply), Doctor Árbol (consulting), Public House (structural engineering), Urban Digit (monitoring)
Production: Santa Mònica Team + La cuarta piel + Raquel Vázquez 
Installation support: Grop 

Acknowledgements: Mateu Sans, Jerome Lorente, Marisa Riera, Iñigo Muñoz, Vicente Castillo

La cuarta piel is an art and architecture collective formed by Iñigo Barrón (Madrid, 1995) and César Fuertes (Madrid, 1995), working at the intersection of design, research, and pedagogy. They develop proposals from concept to fabrication, with a focus on process care and diverse forms of collaboration. Their work engages with contemporary landscapes through situated processes, blending reflection and enjoyment. Despite their young age, their projects have been exhibited at institutions such as CC Las Cigarreras, Centro Centro, La Casa Encendida, CCCC, or IVAM and recognized by awards such as Arquia/innova ex aequo or ADI-FAD Cultura.

For this project, they collaborate with Raquel Vázquez Romero (Madrid, 1995), an architect and 3D artist focused on exploring relationships between digital and physical landscapes.