Barcelona - Architects' Society Building

(Local Name: Collegi d'Arquitectes) Opposite the main facade of the cathedral and on the far side of the Plaça Nova stands the Collegi d'Arquitectes (Society of Architects). The building, one of the first high rise blocks in the city, was erected in 1962. On the side overlooking the square there is a triptych of graffiti friezes based on sketches by Pablo Picasso. The middle section depicts the "Gegants" (larger-than-life human figures who are led out at popular festivals) and figures with palm branches; the left-hand section (on the Carrer dels Arcs) symbolizes the joy of life, while the right-hand section (on the Carrer dels Capellans) shows the "frieze of standards". Inside the building are two more wall paintings by Picasso.