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| Reclaiming the rooftops of Spain for cultural events | Reclaiming the rooftops of Spain for cultural events |
| (7 months later) | |
| Apart from the occasional swanky terrace, Spanish rooftops are generally mundane affairs, reserved for air conditioners, satellite dishes and strings of wet laundry. | Apart from the occasional swanky terrace, Spanish rooftops are generally mundane affairs, reserved for air conditioners, satellite dishes and strings of wet laundry. |
| But a new movement is challenging all that, reclaiming lofty surfaces and turning them from concrete wasteland into vibrant community spaces. | But a new movement is challenging all that, reclaiming lofty surfaces and turning them from concrete wasteland into vibrant community spaces. |
| In Seville, the non-profit group Redetejas is busy revitalising rooftops, turning them into a backdrop for concerts, theatre performances and even circus acts. | In Seville, the non-profit group Redetejas is busy revitalising rooftops, turning them into a backdrop for concerts, theatre performances and even circus acts. |
| "They're spaces in the city and are somewhat public, but vastly underused," said member Jaime Fernández. "Historically, they were used as collaborative spaces between neighbours but today they've lost their social role." | "They're spaces in the city and are somewhat public, but vastly underused," said member Jaime Fernández. "Historically, they were used as collaborative spaces between neighbours but today they've lost their social role." |
| His group set out to challenge the norms around these spaces, in an effort to"reclaim and re-conquer" rooftops for cultural use, in what was part social experiment, part research project. "When we started the project, we didn't even know if what we were suggesting was legal or not," said Fernández. They established that it was, and aimed to create a generic model that could be replicated by any interested group anywhere in the world. | His group set out to challenge the norms around these spaces, in an effort to"reclaim and re-conquer" rooftops for cultural use, in what was part social experiment, part research project. "When we started the project, we didn't even know if what we were suggesting was legal or not," said Fernández. They established that it was, and aimed to create a generic model that could be replicated by any interested group anywhere in the world. |
| The model they came up with is simple. Organisers pitch events and hosts give their rooftop for the night. Events can be anything cultural – from a lecture on constellations and astronomy to yoga demonstrations – and are often small, with a maximum of about 100 people. Hosts are encouraged to inform all of their neighbours about the event. Events are bare bones and non-profit, doing away with the need for licenses, and a small fee is usually charged at the door to cover the artists' fees and any other costs of holding the event. | The model they came up with is simple. Organisers pitch events and hosts give their rooftop for the night. Events can be anything cultural – from a lecture on constellations and astronomy to yoga demonstrations – and are often small, with a maximum of about 100 people. Hosts are encouraged to inform all of their neighbours about the event. Events are bare bones and non-profit, doing away with the need for licenses, and a small fee is usually charged at the door to cover the artists' fees and any other costs of holding the event. |
| The project was launched in 2012 but it took about a year for the idea to catch on, said Fernández. "It was surprisingly complicated to convince people that they could organise something on their rooftops and that it was no problem to invite strangers," he said. The project has been growing steadily since then, with events held in cities across Andalusia and as far as the city of Resistencia in Argentina. The group is also talking to organisers in Madrid and Barcelona. | |
| It is not the only group eyeing rooftops in Spain. Encajes Urbanos, a network of architects and landscape artists based in Barcelona and Valencia, has launched its own campaign to reclaim rooftops, inviting neighbourhood groups to work with them to design collective uses for their rooftops. So far about 10 groups have signed up and plans are under way to start working with them in the autumn. | It is not the only group eyeing rooftops in Spain. Encajes Urbanos, a network of architects and landscape artists based in Barcelona and Valencia, has launched its own campaign to reclaim rooftops, inviting neighbourhood groups to work with them to design collective uses for their rooftops. So far about 10 groups have signed up and plans are under way to start working with them in the autumn. |
| That group's interest in rooftops began almost by chance in 2011, said Tania Magro, when it took over a rooftop one night and organised a few concerts, presentations and a dinner. "From that moment we started looking at reclaiming these spaces for collective use." | That group's interest in rooftops began almost by chance in 2011, said Tania Magro, when it took over a rooftop one night and organised a few concerts, presentations and a dinner. "From that moment we started looking at reclaiming these spaces for collective use." |
| The venture into rooftop architecture started small, with spaces handed over to them by friends. A rooftop in Valencia became an open-air cinema while another in Barcelona was outfitted with a small pool for children and a community garden. Both offered insight into the challenges of working with the space. "There's all these little things that you have to think about. Sometimes the railings aren't up to code or the pavement needs to be reinforced. Or there's no shade or light source." | The venture into rooftop architecture started small, with spaces handed over to them by friends. A rooftop in Valencia became an open-air cinema while another in Barcelona was outfitted with a small pool for children and a community garden. Both offered insight into the challenges of working with the space. "There's all these little things that you have to think about. Sometimes the railings aren't up to code or the pavement needs to be reinforced. Or there's no shade or light source." |
| As the group began exploring options of how to use rooftops, it posted an informal poll on its website asking people for their thoughts. Of the 200 people who replied, she said, "we found that 90% of people would like to use their rooftops but weren't currently doing so." | As the group began exploring options of how to use rooftops, it posted an informal poll on its website asking people for their thoughts. Of the 200 people who replied, she said, "we found that 90% of people would like to use their rooftops but weren't currently doing so." |