La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull took part in the first edition of the Gaudí International Congress, the first international congress dedicated to scientific research on Antoni Gaudí. Rosa Ma. Alsina, Provost of La Salle-URL, opened the programme of presentations with a talk on acoustic comfort in the heritage spaces of Casa Milà – La Pedrera, following the institutional opening by Sònia Hernández, Catalonia’s Minister of Culture, and the inaugural address by Galdric Santana, curator of Gaudí Year and director of the Gaudí Chair.
The presentation, entitled Inhabiting Gaudí. Acoustic Comfort in the Heritage Spaces of Casa Milà – La Pedrera: An In Situ Measurement Study, presented the findings of research conducted by La Salle-URL as part of the Barcelona International Youth Science Challenge (BIYSC), an international programme organised annually by the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera. Since 2022, campus researchers have collaborated with the programme by organising a workshop that introduces pre-university students to scientific research through experimentation and fieldwork. Over the course of a week, participants study acoustic comfort at La Pedrera through in situ measurements and tests at La Salle-URL’s Interactive Arts & Science Laboratory (IASlab), a campus laboratory that brings together transdisciplinary research and artistic creation.
The research examines how architectural forms, materials, furniture and the urban environment influence the building’s acoustic behaviour. With guidance from La Salle-URL’s research team, participants combine fieldwork, sound measurements and perception questionnaires to investigate the relationship between architectural spaces and the sounds of their surroundings. This collaboration makes it possible to explore architectural heritage from a scientific perspective and introduce young people to research through experimentation.
Three days to explore Gaudí’s work in greater depth
The Gaudí International Congress took place in Barcelona on 22, 23 and 24 October 2026, with the aim of exploring the architect’s work in greater depth, sharing new research and opening up future perspectives across different disciplines. The congress combined historical and documentary research with technical analysis, heritage conservation and the opportunities offered by contemporary research tools. The initiative aims to deepen understanding of Gaudí’s work and the context in which it developed, while raising new questions and challenges for future research.