Neighbourhood: An Interview Series

A contemporary look at domestic shared laundry

Within the framework of Barcelona 2026 World Capital of Architecture, Neighbourhood opens a series of interviews – promoted by Girbau LAB, in collaboration with Holon – that presents domestic shared laundry as a common thread to explore new forms of coexistence and use of spaces in living environments. A daily practice that, when shared, reveals new opportunities to rethink how we live, how we relate and how we can build more sustainable and connected environments.

Shared laundry allows us to talk about reducing environmental impacts, improving efficiency in the use of resources, and freeing up space and time. But it also—and above all—allows us to reclaim a space of socialization that has historically been a point of encounter. Here, sharing becomes more relevant than the abstract idea of community; the key lies in shared, multi-user use, which can generate everyday interactions.

This cycle proposes a contemporary culture of laundry that brings us closer to new economic models based on shared resources. Integrating shared laundry into the architecture of housing means opening the door to new ways of building neighborhood life: more encounters, more spontaneous cooperation, more relationships that emerge from daily practice.

This is where Neighbourhood finds its purpose: to explore, through diverse voices, how “doing the laundry” can transform the way we inhabit spaces and help shape more vibrant and connected communities, and how architecture, as a creator of spaces, plays a fundamental role in making this possible.

We invite you to follow this cycle, through which we aim to open up perspectives, encourage reflection and debate, and contribute to greater awareness in rediscovering the space of laundry.

Image courtesy of  Perico Pastor