Architecture and Olympic design trail

In October 1986, Barcelona was chosen to host the 1992 Olympic Games. Over the following six years, the city was transformed so it could welcome people from around the world in the summer of 92. Architecture and design were major agents of this change. Urban areas were revitalised and new amenities and sports venues were built.

Mount Montjuïc became the focal point of the event and home to the main sporting infrastructures, such as the Olympic Stadium and the sports arena, the Palau Sant Jordi. The demolition of old factories and industrial buildings in the Poblenou district led to the creation of a new neighbourhood, the Vila Olímpica, which was built to house the athletes during the games and is now a modern residential area. New ring roads, or rondes, were built and there were major urban interventions along the seafront and in other parts of the city, such as the Vall d'Hebron.

Design was also well represented, with the creation of elements associated with the Olympics, including the official mascot, Cobi: a cubist-style dog designed by Javier Mariscal. The stickers, the Olympic bid dossier and even the Olympic torch that was used to carry the flame from the ancient city of Olympia are on display at the city's design museum, the Museu del Disseny, as reminders of this major historical event.