Casa Vicens strengthens its commitment to culture and sustainability

This February, Gaudí’s first house renewed its Biosphere certification

This UNESCO World Heritage building is also a cultural example of commitment to sustainable tourism. A museum facility that seeks to generate a positive impact upon the territory and the local community.

Last Friday, the Biosphere 2024 certification award ceremony was held at the Disseny Hub Barcelona, in the course of which Casa Vicens’ certificate was renewed. It was first awarded this distinction in 2021, an honour given only to facilities that submit ongoing improvement plans in environmental, social and financial sustainability.

Since it opened in 2017, Casa Vicens has spearheaded a set of measures geared towards minimising the impact of its activity upon the neighbourhood of Gràcia. These measures include, first of all, initiatives to prevent the occupation of the public space. For example, through advance ticket sale and staggered access in half-hour time slots. This is complemented by the fact that visitors are received inside the building to avoid problems of mobility and queues on the public thoroughfare.

The museum-house is well connected, thus allowing most visitors to reach it by public transport. Indeed, according to the data collected by Casa Vicens in 2023, 60% of the visitors came by underground or bus, whereas 30% did so on foot. The remaining 10% used other means of transport.

This cultural facility also takes measures to mitigate noise pollution. Both the website and the emails that are sent to visitors along with their tickets recommend that they speak in a moderate tone of voice, lower their audio-guide volume and close doors quietly to avoid inconveniencing the people around them. All these measures are intended to avoid disturbing the neighbourhood.

They are further bolstered by selective waste collection to promote responsible consumption. All this information is also available on the Casa Vicens website.

Gaudí’s first house is committed to sustainability, and evidently to culture. It has become a benchmark museum facility in the city: it welcomed 200,052 visitors last year.