Andrea Navarro, finalist in the CoDIC Awards for Final Degree Projects

Andrea Navarro has been a finalist in the CoDIC awards with her final degree project ‘EL COL·LECTIU. Proposició d’un nou espai a Barra de Ferro’. 

How do you value the recognition you have received in the CoDIC Awards with your TFG?   

Honestly, I didn't expect anything at all. When I saw it the truth is that I was very happy and excited. Behind the project there are many hours of work. You always think about those things that you could have improved and that you have left to do. Despite all these doubts, being a finalist is a reason to be very happy.    

Why did you choose Barra de Ferro for your project?   

My history with Barra de Ferro starts a little earlier. In third year I was working there, in the showroom. When the time came to do my TFG I did have this idea of what to do with the space. It was a bit different but the approach was the same. I hadn't quite found the ideal place to do it. In one of the conversations with one of the TFG tutors, Judit Colomer, who was the coordinator of the Barra de Ferro calendar when I was there, she said to me "you've been to Barra de Ferro, you know the plalce, why don't you think about what you have there?" During the day I was thinking about it and at night I was still thinking about what could and what couldn't be done.    

What were the main challenges you encountered in the process?   

We all faced the coronavirus challenge. Since it was a project that it’s thought for the students, my idea was to organise a workshop in Barra de Ferro and for different students from all courses to participate, discuss and have a bit of a workshop to see what they wanted and what activities they thought could work there. And from this we could extract information to develop the project. In the end this could not be done. So you have to pull the thread: you ask one person, you ask another, and as I had also been there, I had seen which things had worked best. And that's how I rounded off the project. The main challenge was to change the approach I had.   

There is also Raúl Oliva, who did the current renovation of the hall. And this makes you have a bit of respect. His work is there and you think about what you play and what you don't play. But we spoke on the phone and he told me to do what I had to do and not to worry about anything. I guess when they tell you that you breathe a little easier.    

How do you value your time at EINA?   

 My memory of EINA, although I have just left, is that it has been a very nice stage. I think that in the end it's like everything else. Everyone experiences it in a different way and I liked being there. As well as working at Barra de Ferro, you finish your classes, spend the afternoons with your classmates and do projects. I think you have to live the university, which is only four years and they go by very quickly. Then you go out on the street and you ask yourself "what do I do now?" We are lucky to have the teachers we have and that is something that should also be highlighted. They are always available, and the same goes for the TFG. If you needed anything, they would offer you a tutorial. This is very important for the projects.    

I am lucky that I am working with two teachers from my time at EINA, Javier Nieto and Oriol Ventura. In February I will be a year since I started working with them and that's the best thing I can take away from EINA: to be able to continue learning and work well.