Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
15. The Olympic Valley
As the name would suggest, The Olimpic Valley (Vila Olímpica) is the area that was first
built in order to provide comfortable housing to athletes competing in the Olympic Games
hosted in Barcelona in 1992. Prior to construction, the site was occupied by warehouses
and factories that had been abandoned and consequently fallen into a state of disrepair.
The esteemed architectural firm, Bohigas-Martorell-Mackay-Puigdomènech was engaged to
design Barcelona's Olympic Village. Plans made room for the goal of converting the hous-
ing complex into residential quarters once the games had concluded.
For several years it appeared that the grandiose plans of designers were destined to fail. It
wasn't until a decade after the end of the Olympic events that businesses, boutique shops,
and activities moved into the area that the Vila Olímpica finally become the vibrant neigh-
borhood that it was envisioned to become.
