The Design Museum of Barcelona (Catalan: Museu del Disseny de Barcelona) is a center of Barcelona’s Institute of Culture. It aims to promote a better understanding and effective use of the design world, functioning as both a museum and a laboratory. The museum focuses on four design disciplines: space design, product design, information design, and fashion.

The museum is the result of the merger of several previously existing museums, including the Museu de les Arts Decoratives, the Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària, and the Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques collection. The opening of the new headquarters, located on Plaça de les Glòries next to Torre Agbar, took place gradually throughout 2014.

History:

Barcelona is a city historically linked to design, with longstanding institutions such as the Foment de les Arts Decoratives. For this reason, the city of Barcelona proposed, earlier in the 2000s, the creation of a single center—an integrated space that would help the public understand design in a broader context.

It was decided to build a unified space in Barcelona to house all collections and endowments related to the world of design. Oriol Bohigas was commissioned to design a building in Plaça de les Glòries for this purpose.

Initially, it was to be named the Barcelona Design Museum. From 2008 to 2013, it was called Design Hub Barcelona, before being renamed again as the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona (Design Museum of Barcelona).

Building:

The Barcelona Design Museum is located in the DHUB building in Plaça de les Glòries. It was designed by the MBM architecture firm, formed by Oriol Martorell, Oriol Bohigas, and David Mackay.

The construction of the building began in July 2009, when the Minister of Culture, Joan Manuel Tresserras, and the Mayor, Jordi Hereu, laid the first stone. Construction was completed in 2013, and the Design Museum of Barcelona opened its doors in 2014.

The building consists of two parts: one underground, taking advantage of the level change caused by the urbanization of Plaça de les Glòries, and another emerging 14.5 metres (48 ft) above ground. The above-ground portion is a parallelepiped with a bias cut, matching the width of Avila Street. This design symbolizes the relationship between the Eixample streets and Plaça de les Glòries, while preserving the view of the large central park.

The underground section serves as a public space connected to the future development of the Plaça de les Glòries park. One of its key features is the "green carpet," made with natural or artificial elements to ensure sustainability and easy maintenance. The space also includes a bar and restaurant.