As explained in the Museum of the Displaced, “gentrification particularly affects the collective memory of the neighbourhood, making it impossible to reconstruct the past and leading to the loss of local identity” (Left Hand Rotation, 2010). From the perspective of visual design and activism, the Al Barri project proposes the recovery of the identity of the Barri Vell of Girona through the creation of active learning spaces among neighbours, involving tourists, local public authorities, and the real estate sector. To this end, a series of protest tools are developed, freely accessible, serving as vehicles for amplifying and making visible the voices of the neighbourhood's residents and the issue at hand, inviting them to take action.

( The Product )

Al Barri presents the "rajola" ( tile ), an intimate and poetic piece that pays tribute to those fighting against gentrification in the Barri Vell. Made from rubble of demolished homes, it symbolises unity, resistance, resilience, and solidarity. To present this piece to the community, a packaging is designed with the statement “We Need More Neighbours”, which also includes the locations of the tiles, chosen beforehand by the local residents and their allies. The tile functions as a symbol that only the local residents can recognise, with the aim of making it a safe meeting point to reclaim these spaces as a community.

( Image credits)


Concept and Art Direction : Al Barri
Photography : Biel de Miguel