The Buildings We Once Were | Workshop

Description

Workshop
The Buildings We Once Were

October 27 – November 6, 2026. What is your earliest memory of your school? Is it linked to its architecture? The spaces we inhabit transform us: they influence our emotional, mental, and physical states, leaving a lasting mark on our memories. Yet, as years pass and we stop visiting them, recalling those spaces can become difficult.

"The Buildings We Once Were" is a workshop designed for older adults that highlights their memories and experiences regarding school. Through shared recollection and creative making, participants will revisit the schools of their childhood and reflect on the role architecture plays in shaping our experiences and lives.

Over the course of four sessions, two groups of people aged 60 and older will meet weekly, guided by an educator. In the first part of each meeting, they will reminisce about the school building—its relationship with the city, the classroom, and play areas—as well as the rituals and personal experiences associated with it. In the second part, they will gather around tables to use creative making and hands-on processes to evoke memories of specific situations, emotions, sensations, and gestures linked to the school environment. The project will culminate in a large collaborative model, which will be displayed during a fifth, celebratory session attended by all participants.

Workshop curated by:

L’Ufficio Design, a creative team comprising Enzo Vignolo—an architect specializing in healthy spatial design and sustainability—and Montse Morilla—a performer and designer specializing in body-centered design and movement therapy. Both teach at ELISAVA and LCI Barcelona, ​​creating work that bridges architecture, design, and the performing and visual arts to craft sensory environments. With guidance from:

Elena Fernández Gamarra, who holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Barcelona and a Master’s degree in Clinical Gerontology from the University of Southern California. She specializes in caregiver support and organizational development with a psychosocial perspective, and is a member of the scientific leadership team for the "Siempre Acompañados" (Always Accompanied) program by the La Caixa Foundation.

Workshop led by:

Reyes Gallegos, who holds a PhD in Architecture from the ETSA (School of Architecture) at the University of Seville, where she also teaches. As a researcher, she has led the "La Ciudad Viva" (The Living City) urban rehabilitation project—which takes a community-based approach—for the Regional Government of Andalusia, the Seville City Council’s "Plan Reaviva" (Revive Plan)—winner of the 2020 COAS award from the Seville College of Architects—and the documentary *Ellas en la ciudad* (Women in the City).
Schedule
October 27 and 28, and November 3 and 4, at 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Friday, November 6, at 5:00 p.m.
Duration
2 hours

Notes
Free activity; reservation required.

To book for groups, please contact us at: 955394302 // rcaixaforumsevilla@magmacultura.com