Barcelona’s long-running struggle over the future of Casa Buenos Aires has taken another turn. The city’s plan to convert the modernist mansion in Vallvidrera into a public facility has again been blocked, after a court annulled its expropriation for the second time.
The ruling from Barcelona’s Administrative Court No. 1 sided with the property’s former owners, the religious order Pares Paüls, and the London Private Company, which years ago applied for a licence to transform the building into a luxury hotel. The judge concluded that the licence granted at the time was valid under the regulations then in force, and therefore struck down both the expropriation process and the council’s attempt to deny that licence.
The setback delays the municipal project to use the building as an emergency social facility. City officials have confirmed that they will appeal to the High Court of Justice of Catalonia, arguing that the current urban plan still designates the mansion as public-use equipment. Neighbours, however, voiced frustration at yet another delay. At a recent public meeting, councillor Maria Eugènia Gay admitted that the compensation calculations during expropriation had been flawed, further complicating the process.
Casa Buenos Aires, once a residence for the elderly, was occupied in 2019 by young activists determined to prevent its transformation into a luxury hotel. Their campaign forced the council’s hand, leading to the original expropriation decision. But with the courts now repeatedly siding with the owners, the building’s future remains uncertain and the prospect of a community facility recedes further into the distance.
The Casa Buenos Aires saga highlights the clash between heritage preservation, community needs and private development. For Vallvidrera residents, the court’s latest decision prolongs the limbo, leaving a landmark building at the centre of a bitter tug-of-war.
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