Madrid, 12 November 2026. On 22 October, we held our first “Acordes” at Harmon, launching a new format that brings together those who shape and interpret public debate and those who make decisions within it. A shared ritual that doubles as a laboratory for exploring how the words we choose, the data we share and the voices we listen to influence our understanding of the challenges on the public agenda and their possible solutions. Because before deciding what to do, it is worth pausing to consider the perspective we are bringing to the table.

A chord brings together distinct notes that, in combination, create meaning. Here, we do something similar: we bring different perspectives together to hear what each adds to the whole. And we put our own spin on it: we bring in live music and open up Agatha Christie-style cases to make better sense of the issues we face, alongside the people who shape them. Our guests provide the clues, and the audience also plays a crucial part in the investigation, contributing opinions, questions and experiences.

The first session explored the housing narrative with Pablo Simón

For the opening session, ‘The Housing Narrative’, we were joined by Pablo Simón, political scientist and lecturer at Universidad Carlos III; Rocío Ruiz, editor of Ejeprime; and Inés Sandoval, Director-General for Housing and Land at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda. Three perspectives — political analysis, the media and public-sector decision-making — brought to bear on the same problem. Harmon’s Alba Nicolás and Patricia González led an investigation into two open cases, with the guests taking on the role of expert witnesses.

The first, ‘The Home We Show Off and the Home We Don’t Have’, explored housing as both a collective problem and an individual aspiration. We turned the spotlight on Instagram and TikTok to discuss the gap between the homes we showcase or aspire to on social media and those we can actually live in. A way of asking how the showcase of the ideal home sits alongside the difficulties of securing a home at all.

The second, ‘Heroes and Villains: Who Casts the Roles in the Debate?’, was handed over to the audience. Under the magnifying glass were labels such as ‘large-scale landlord’, ‘vulture fund’, ‘squatter’ and ‘vulnerable tenant’: words that cast each player in a role before they have a chance to explain themselves. The case opened up a discussion about who shapes these narratives and how they influence the solutions we are willing to consider.

The session was driven by ConVivienda, Harmon’s housing working group. This was the first of many Acordes events. We will keep bringing perspectives together, making music and opening new cases.

Stay tuned.