At number 79-81 Sants street, a building has stood for over a century that is a landmark in the neighborhood. Les Cotxeres de Sants, today converted into one of the district's main cultural facilities, were born in 1875 to serve a new line of animal-drawn trams that connected the Boqueria plain with Sants and Hostafrancs. The original building was designed by Tiberi Sabater i Carné with the function of housing vehicles and stables.
The arrival of the electric tram transformed the facilities. In 1904, a new nave was built to store the trams, and in 1929 the complex was expanded with a project by architect Antoni Millàs i Figuerola.
They fell into disuse
The tram depots fell into disuse in 1968. Although initially it was proposed to convert them into the Tram Museum, neighborhood demands pushed for another destiny for the space: a public facility for the neighborhood. In 1977, the first area for public use was enabled and, between 1981 and 1984, architect Ricard Perdigó i Nardiz rehabilitated the first two buildings. That same year, the Cotxeres de Sants Civic Center was inaugurated.
Now they are a cultural center
Currently, the first two buildings total nearly 5,000 square meters with conference rooms, a computer room, a 1,200 square meter auditorium, and various multipurpose spaces. The third building, renovated in 2008 also by Ricard Perdigó, incorporates a senior citizens' center and an assembly hall.
Since their opening as a civic center, Les Cotxeres de Sants have consolidated as a reference point for the cultural life of the neighborhood. Throughout the year they host concerts, exhibitions, conferences, fairs, workshops, and presentations, in addition to traditional events such as the Sants, Hostafrancs and La Bordeta Chess Open, Cinema a la Fresca (Open-Air Cinema) and the Fantastic and Horror Film Marathon.
You can check the full program of Les Cotxeres here.
