Study abroad students’ Big Event project adorns Barcelona district

[The Big Event] (https://bigevent.tamu.edu) , a beloved Texas A&M community service tradition, crossed the Atlantic this spring with College of Architecture study abroad students who built a structure for public gatherings and painted flower boxes in a neighborhood square in Barcelona, Spain.

The gathering space will be used throughout the year for community meetings, workshops and group meals,” said Zana Bosnic, academic coordinator at the [Barcelona Architecture Center] (https://barcelonaarchitecturecenter.wordpress.com) , the college’s study abroad venue in Spain.

Joined by members of a local [Architects Without Borders] (https://www.asfint.org/about-us/) chapter on a cool, sunny day, the students assembled thick, plastic irrigation tubes and canvas sheeting to create a dome-shaped multipurpose shelter large enough to accommodate approximately 35 people.

Students also painted a shaded bench built in a [2016 Big Event project] (https://barcelonaarchitecturecenter.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/big-event-2016-barcelona/) in bright rainbow colors to adorn the square, located in the city’s [Can Baro] (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Can+Bar%C3%B3,+Barcelona,+Spain/@41.4169719,2.157371,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a4a2b436d5e8c1:0x2018253a632375af!8m2!3d41.4172284!4d2.163444) neighborhood.

They were helped by members of the neighborhood and design students from Clemson University studying in Barcelona.

At the end of the day the various groups gathered to enjoy a feast of [calcots] (https://www.thespruceeats.com/calcots-a-catalan-delicacy-3083496) , a local, char-grilled spring onion.

Because of scheduling conflicts, the students in Barcelona tackled their Big Event project April 15, 2018, nearly a month after more than 21,000 stateside Aggies fanned out into the Bryan/College area for the annual happening.

College of Architecture study abroad students also completed Big Event projects in Barcelona in [2015] (https://barcelonaarchitecturecenter.wordpress.com/2015/04/17/voluntering-day-with-architects-without-borders/) and [2014] (https://barcelonaarchitecturecenter.wordpress.com/2014/03/29/texas-am-big-event-international-in-barcelona/) .

In addition to its venue in Barcelona, the college offers semester-long, study abroad opportunities in [Italy] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/undergraduate/study-abroad/study-abroad-program/italy/) , [Germany] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/undergraduate/study-abroad/study-abroad-program/germany/) , the [United Kingdom] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/undergraduate/study-abroad/study-abroad-program/uk-semester/) , and in shorter programs in [China] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/undergraduate/study-abroad/study-abroad-program/china/) , Japan and Costa Rica.

Richard Nira
rnira@arch.tamu.edu