In its over 90-year history, the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC) has established itself as a leading institution both nationally and internationally. 

The design for the COAC building emerged from a contest held in 1958 and is made up of two parts: a lower trapezoidal structure (which houses the exhibition space and auditorium) and an eight-storey tower. A recent renovation project turned it into the Open Architecture Centre of Barcelona, taking advantage of its prime location to create a central hub connected to its surroundings and physically and visually linked to a series of pre-existing public spaces. An indoor/outdoor viewpoint overlooking the Plaça Nova was added to the second floor as a space for holding cultural events open to the public, reflecting the goal of turning the building into a meeting point.