On Saturday, May 23, the 5th edition of the Raspall Legacy will be held, a day to get to know the figure of the architect Manuel J. Raspall, through different activities.

When, 120 years ago, Manuel J. Raspall began working as municipal architect of La Garriga, he began working in a rural town that was already in the midst of transformation into a summer resort.

At the end of the 19th century, after the construction of the Passeig, the first urban planning of the town had already been drawn up (the first POUM, in current acronyms).

But he had to adapt it, thinking about and drawing the street layouts around the Carretera de l'Ametlla, which had just been built, or the Carretera Nova, built 100 years ago.

And he is also the one who designed a good part of the streets of the historic center (west of Banys Street or in the Can Noguera neighborhood), which were filled with the town houses that have defined the center of La Garriga so much and that, sadly, are disappearing under the yoke of the 21st century.

Manuel J. Raspall is the most important architect of the Vallès Oriental of the first half of the 20th century. His architectural work stands out because it is very diverse: he designed everything from bullrings, theaters and cinemas, to factories and warehouses, including various types of housing.

It is precisely one type of housing, the summer towers, that is the most recognized and abundant part of Raspall's work.

As in La Garriga, Raspall was also the municipal architect of other towns, so he had a decisive influence when it came to planning their urban growth. And not only that: as a multifaceted character, he was also a great promoter of cultural and social initiatives.

For all this, on Saturday, May 23, we celebrate the 5th edition of the Raspall Legacy:

11 a.m. Guided itinerary: “All of Raspall, drawing a new Garriga”, a guided tour to discover the diversity of Raspall’s work in La Garriga.
5 p.m. Visit with games and dramatized scenes: “Discover La Garriga for the summer with architect Raspall”, a visit for all ages, with a gamified activity through the Raspall APP and dramatized scenes.
7 p.m. Talk: “Nuances and contrasts: the diversity of the Raspall Legacy in Granollers”, given by historian Cinta Cantarell, who will reveal the architect’s footprint in the capital of our region.
The Garriga that Raspall drew abandoned the rural heritage of previous centuries and led it, for better or worse, towards the service town that it is today. Your Garriga is also a Raspall Legacy!