Casa Vicens Gaudí receives the Vila de Gràcia Award for the best civic initiative for its “Memories” project

The award recognises the commitment of Gaudí’s first house to preserving historical memory and strengthening its ties with the Vila de Gràcia.

Casa Vicens Gaudí has been awarded the Vila de Gràcia Award for the best civic initiative for its “Memories” project. Launched by the house and museum in June 2025, this initiative recovers and preserves the historical memory of this UNESCO World Heritage Site through the testimonies of people who have lived, worked or been linked to the building throughout its history.
The award, presented last Wednesday at the Jaume Fuster Library, recognises projects, organisations and individuals who make a significant contribution to the social and cultural life of the neighbourhood of Gràcia. In the case of Casa Vicens, the jury particularly appreciated its commitment to the community and its willingness to generate more participatory and inclusive cultural experiences.

Through “Memories”, Casa Vicens is promoting a new way of approaching heritage, incorporating personal stories, testimonies and resources that allow visitors to discover not only the architectural value of the building, but also the human stories that form part of its legacy. With this project, Gaudí’s first house reinforces its role as a space for preserving heritage, showcasing culture and encouraging a social connection with its surroundings.

During the award ceremony, the director of Casa Vicens, Emili Masferrer, highlighted the symbolic value of this recognition: “This award is truly special because it comes from the neighbourhood itself. Casa Vicens has been actively engaged in an ongoing dialogue with Vila de Gràcia since the site’s opening as a house and museum in 2017”. Masferrer also encouraged the residents to keep participating in the project in order to continue building the collective memory of a house that has been part of Gràcia’s history since the end of the 19th century.

This edition of the Vila de Gràcia Awards also recognised the illustrator Amaia Arrazola, posthumously; the Associació catalana Síndrome X Fràgil, with the honorary collective award for its work on Fragile X Syndrome; Josep Callejón Giménez, with the honorary individual award; Lívia Garreta Anglada, with the educational initiative prize; and the Santa Clara bakery, with the prize for the commercial establishment or project.