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Today, craft and design are intertwined in Barcelona. The cultural boom that was triggered by the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975 resulted in another creative renaissance, and this time its language was contemporary design. Since then, Barcelona’s standing as “design city,” visible in shops and architecture, signage and even street layout, has not wavered.
Made in Spain, Intro, Chapter One.
“Estudias o diseñas,” the bartender asked me with a wink, “Do you study or do you design?” With only basic Spanish to call on I asked my friend what he meant. She explained that in Barcelona in 1992 “design” was a trendy metaphor for “work.” The penny dropped.