Manresa has announced a series of events to honour the legacy of architect and urban planner Quico Mestres Angla, who passed away in 2013. The programme includes the launch of a new book titled Espai Quico Mestres. Tres miradas sobre la ciudad, the inauguration of the Espai Quico Mestres at the Torre de Santa Caterina, and a presentation at the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) in Barcelona.
The details were revealed during a press conference on 23 October, attended by Manresa's mayor, Marc Aloy Guàrdia, Jordi Ludevid, president of the Asociación Observatori Quico Mestres, and Conxita Tarrés, Mestres' widow. This series of events aims to highlight Mestres' significant contributions to the urban transformation of Manresa and to promote the new publication.
Event schedule
The programme consists of three key events, ranging from academic to community-focused activities. The first event, organised in collaboration with the Fundación Universitaria del Bages (FUB), will take place on 28 October at 19:00 in the FUB2 auditorium, located at Av. de les Bases, 3. This event will present the book and explore a pedagogical approach inspired by Mestres' urban planning philosophy, which viewed urbanism as a tool for education and social cohesion.
The second event is the public inauguration of the Espai Quico Mestres Angla, scheduled for 13 December at 11:00. This celebration will mark the official opening of the new interpretative viewpoint around the Torre de Santa Caterina, a historically significant site recognised as a Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN).
The series will conclude with an institutional presentation in Barcelona on 14 January 2027 at 19:00, held at the COAC in Plaça Nova. This event aims to disseminate the project on a national level, showcasing a model of pedagogical urbanism and the impact of Mestres' work on contemporary Catalan architecture.
Espai Quico Mestres Angla
The Espai Quico Mestres Angla is the result of a five-year municipal initiative developed in partnership with the Asociación Observatori Quico Mestres. The association has contributed the educational project Tres miradas sobre la ciudad and the architectural design by Batlle and Roig Arquitectura, which respectfully enhances the surroundings of the Torre de Santa Caterina, transforming it into an open-air classroom and a premier interpretative viewpoint.
The space features accessible pathways, corten steel railings with informative panels, and a viewing platform constructed from authentic Manresa stone. A memorial plaque, aligned with the alley where Mestres was born, adds a significant symbolic touch to the site.
The educational proposal Tres miradas sobre la ciudad emphasises the importance of understanding three strategic aspects of the city: “The supporting territory,” “The built city,” and “What the city gives us,” offering a positive and demanding perspective on urban life for schools and citizens alike.
Quico Mestres' legacy
Quico Mestres Angla (1948–2013) was a pioneering architect and urban planner, instrumental in shaping modern democratic Manresa. His strategic vision informed the first General Urban Planning Plan of Manresa in the democratic era (1981) and the General Plan of 1997. His expertise extended beyond Manresa, directing the General Plan of Sabadell in 1992. Mestres' influence is evident in numerous landmark projects that have defined the contemporary city, including the redesign of the Plaça de Sant Domènec, the comprehensive revitalisation of the historic centre, the restoration of the Kursaal Theatre, and the establishment of the FUB university campus.
