Palau Requesens is transformed: Casa de les Lletres will open in 2028

Palau Requesens begins its refurbishment this year. Casa de les Lletres will open in 2028. The project has 4.8 million euros. Several literary bodies will have a new headquarters. Discover what the renewed cultural space will be like.

Palau Requesens, located in the heart of Barcelona's Gòtic district, will begin its long-awaited refurbishment at the end of 2026. The objective is clear: to open Casa de les Lletres in 2028, one year later than originally planned. The Departament de Cultura already has the architectural project ready and plans to put the works out to tender in the coming months, with a budget of 4.8 million euros.

The emblematic building on Bisbe Caçador street will be the new headquarters of the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes. It will also host five professional bodies from the literary sector, including the Associació d'Escriptors en Llengua Catalana and PEN Català. The Reial Acadèmia de les Bones Lletres will retain its space on the palace's main floor.

The refurbishment, carried out by the studios Brullet De Luna i Associats SLP and Taller d’Arquitectura les Golfes, seeks to highlight the history of the building and adapt it to current uses. The project will open the palace to the public and facilitate the connection between society and the literary sector. The main entrance will be located in a single vestibule on the ground floor, leading to a multipurpose assembly hall, offices and a new bar open to the public, connected to the inner courtyard.

One of the most notable aspects will be the creation of a new vertical circulation core, which will make use of the former lightwell and turn it into a skylight to bring natural light into the interior spaces.

The library of the Reial Acadèmia de les Bones Lletres will also be completely refurbished. It will be transformed into a double-height space, recovering the original Gothic arches and improving its functionality. The offices of the bodies and the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes will be located on the upper floors, making use of the natural light from the façade.

The Departament de Cultura considers the project strategic for the future of Catalan literature. Casa de les Lletres aims to become a meeting point for writers, publishers and professionals, as well as a space for dialogue between past, present and future. The Govern stresses that the initiative responds to a longstanding demand from the sector and seeks to consolidate a benchmark cultural system in Catalonia.