Category: News

Why do we exist? What do we live for? What is our purpose in life? These questions, always hard to answer, are a representation of our constant search for the meaning of life, on both a collective and individual level. Even when we’re at work, we want whatever we’re doing to be something that not only provides us with money, but also happiness, passion, and a sense that we are achieving our personal goals.

The Japanese have developed a technique called Ikigai, which, although lacking a direct translation into English, is essentially an analysis that helps us define what it is that feeds the motivation that makes us get out of bed each morning. This can be identified by reflecting on four areas: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

The space where these four ideas intersect allows us to pinpoint which activity could provide us with balance and total satisfaction. In other words, something that you’re passionate about, that pays well, and that the world needs. If you can’t be paid for the activity, a lack of money will mean you’ll eventually have to give it up. This concept also applies to your inner or spiritual life. You might work in a profession that you’re very talented at, which provides something the world needs and pays you well, but if you don’t enjoy it, you’ll feel a certain emptiness that, in the long-run, will throw you off balance. 

The everyday hustle and bustle of life, plus our desire to get every last second out of the weekend, both keep us from really thinking. What do I want? Why do I do what I do? It’s always good to take a moment and reflect, so that we can continue to grow.

Each year, during the last weekend of October, 48H Open House Barcelona is held in the city. This event allows you to discover the great architectural riches of the Catalan capital, for free.

Moreover, the 2019 installment is a special edition, marking the 10th anniversary of the event, which remains committed to its goal of promoting architecture as something that should be recognized as an essential part of any culture.

In its 10th edition, Open House Barcelona will be centered around the topic of Female Architects. Thus, the event has decided to select ten professionals from the industry, with each one representing a different part of the festival, or one of its geographical areas.

Indeed, one of the secrets that makes Barcelona so well-known for its architecture is the harmonious way in which Gothic, Romanesque and Modernist architectural styles coexist in the city, in addition to myriad contemporary trends. This fact is even more evident at Open House Barcelona, where you can visit buildings from all of these different styles, taking an authentic trip through the history of architecture and art, all in a single weekend.

The event goes beyond simple, superficial visits, offering attendants the possibility of participating in guided tours with professionals, allowing you to gain an even more detailed understanding of each building.

So, don’t miss out on the opportunity to walk around the city’s Gothic Borough and visit the discreet, majestic Cathedral with its impeccable Gothic style, or the terraces of the Catedral del Mar. Plus, take a moment to enjoy the fascinating modernist works that are open to the public, like the Antigua Fábrica Casaramona (Caixaforum) or the Arc de Triomf.

In total, more than 200 spaces throughout Barcelona, as well as different cities in the Metropolitan Area and Maresme County, will open their doors with the goal of making the city’s great architectural riches more accessible, not only to professionals, but also those simply interested in the world of architecture.

Link to the different activities of the 48h Open House Barcelona

With the arrival of the new year, there are news trends, new designs, and, of course, new colors. The Pantone company, whose chromatic color scale is the most well-known one in the visual arts world, has for more than 20 years presented the “Pantone Color of the Year”, an exact trend-setting color that defines product development and leaves its mark on the textile industry, industrial design, packaging, etc.

Behind the selection of this color is a rigorous process of identifying and analyzing trends and new influences. This can include the analysis of the film industry, art collections, fashion, popular travel destinations, etc. Anything goes when it comes to choosing the perfect color capable of moving anyone.

2019 will be a “coral” year, or, more specifically, Living Coral 16-1546. Vibrant, but still maintaining that bit of serenity that reminds us of sea beds, Living Coral is a tone that, according to Pantone, warmly envelops and nurtures us with the tranquility and strength to confront changes in our environment.

In response to the constant integration of technology and social media in our lives, this color seeks to be an authentic characteristic that connects with the consumer by providing the warmth it embodies.