Latent Grounds — Can Tunis

In Latent Grounds we explored and intertwined the multiple narratives of Can Tunis neighborhood. Forgotten and marginalized areas are not static, they carry histories, host new forms of life and social interaction, and challenge the ways we perceive the city.

Throughout four acts, we crossed the Can Tunis area to reach the Municipal Material Storage. During this journey, a speculative exploration unfolds through the memory and materiality of the place.


This project is part of the WCA26 proposal, which aims to collectively rehearse new forms of care and coexistence on a wounded planet in transition. It’s the first step in two-years journey designed by MEATS students.

ACT I — SIGHTLINE
At Bar Litoral, the roll was used upside down as a tablecloth on which we served some welcome tapas and invited participants to draw and express their impressions of the place, sparking a dialogue about Can Tunis and its history.

The neighborhood of Can Tunis is a hidden zone between the port and the Montjuïc Cemetery. It has been one of Barcelona’s largest informal settlements by the mid 20th century. Now, it survives only thanks to the truck drivers working at the nearby port and a few families still living in the last remaining housing block.