From Smokestacks to Startups: The Evolution of Barcelona’s Visionary 22@ District

Architizer’s thirteenth A+Awards incorporates a suite of sustainability-focused classes recognizing designers which might be constructing a greener business — and a greater future. Begin your entry to obtain international recognition to your work!

The transformation of the 22@ district from a uncared for industrial space right into a thriving innovation hub has considerably impacted Barcelona’s financial system, tradition and concrete atmosphere. As an innovation district — an city space the place companies, analysis facilities and startups coexist to advertise collaboration and technological growth — 22@ is a thriving space that emerged from a revitalization course of.

One in every of its best achievements is its capability to juxtapose preservation and innovation. The district embraces trendy growth, whereas it honors its industrial previous with repurposed industrial buildings and preserved smokestacks built-in into modern structure. This balanced symbiosis of heritage and progress has given the neighborhood a definite id, attracting worldwide firms and artistic startups. Firms like Amazon, Meta and Microsoft have established a presence within the space, fueling job creation and drawing international expertise.

Moreover, Barcelona’s geographical location on the Mediterranean coast, its nice year-round local weather and its prime quality of life have undoubtedly contributed to the success of the 22@ innovation district.

From Catalan Manchester to 22@

Poblenou’s industrial exercise was at its peak within the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This Barcelona neighborhood turned referred to as the “Catalan Manchester.” Within the Sixties, the realm’s industrial exercise began shift to different places outdoors the town. A lot of the remaining industrial buildings had been deserted and others had been used quickly as storage amenities, workshops and artist studios.

The transformation of the Poblenou neighborhood started with the 1992 Olympics, which introduced vital city enhancements, together with revitalizing the waterfront. These substantial modifications laid the groundwork for additional redevelopment.

In 2000, the Metropolis Council launched an initiative to regenerate 200 hectares of Poblenou’s underutilized land. Over the previous 20 years, the previous industrial neighborhood has turn into a vibrant mixed-use district referred to as 22@, the place cultural, scientific and technological actions coexist alongside housing, eating places, motels and parks. Whereas the neighborhood has embraced trendy growth, its industrial heritage stays seen within the preserved buildings, repurposed for brand spanking new enterprise makes use of and thoughtfully built-in into the modern city cloth.

A great instance of adaptive reuse is the KNEM venture, whose design reimagines an present jute spinning mill into a brand new facility to accommodate new workplace house. The design preserves the unique important façade underneath the Architectural Heritage Safety Plan, juxtaposed with new glass bins screened behind aluminum screens, evoking the weaving of jute fibers. KNEM Workplaces is considered one of many comparable tasks that breathe new life into the previous industrial neighborhood, merging its historical past with modern performance.

Smokestacks as Landmarks of City Transformation

Industrial Smokestack preserved in Campus de la Comunicació, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Poblenou (Barcelona) | Picture by Teresa Grau Ros by way of Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

22@ takes its title from the unique “22a” industrial zoning denomination, which recognized manufacturing areas. This denomination was reinterpreted as 22@ to be extra in tune with the brand new growth plan with modern and technological aspirations. The previous industrial neighborhood has been remodeled into a contemporary hub for schooling, analysis, and enterprise, however its industrial heritage stays.

Maybe probably the most symbolic characteristic of this revitalization is the preservation of the economic smokestacks and their integration into new developments. As soon as important for the textile and manufacturing industries within the Poblenou neighborhood, these towering smokestacks had been outstanding options of Barcelona’s skyline. Not practical, many have been preserved as monuments. Because the neighborhood’s redevelopment evolves towards a contemporary and dynamic hub for innovation and know-how, the smokestacks are visible anchors to the neighborhood’s former industrial exercise.

At the moment, the long-lasting brick smokestacks stand amongst cutting-edge buildings linking Poblenou’s industrial previous and its new id as an innovation district. Some developments transcend the mere preservation efforts, integrating the smokestacks into new buildings and open public areas to emphasise their relevance within the historical past and tradition of Barcelona and the Catalan area.

Innovation, Connectivity, and City Life

KNEM Workplaces by b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos, Barcelona, Spain | Picture by Oriol Gómez

The brick towers have served as landmarks that unify the complete 22@ innovation district. Whether or not they’re a particular characteristic of a brand new constructing or a monument in a public open house, they knit collectively a brand new city cloth. The neighborhood’s transformation promotes innovation and progress, emphasizing a compact growth strategy that optimizes land use whereas fostering a mixed-use atmosphere. Residential, industrial, cultural, academic, hospitality and workplace buildings type an city setting that helps work and every day life. Moreover, 22@ displays pedestrian-friendly city design, prioritizing public transportation, bicycle lanes and open areas.

This emphasis on connectivity goes past buildings. Many architectural tasks are typically tied to communal open areas, making a cohesive new city cloth. In contrast to remoted enterprise campuses which might be solely accessible by automobile and with little emphasis on high quality of life, 22@ helps an atmosphere that integrates work, housing and recreation, reinforcing a way of group and accessibility.

An Experimental Laboratory for the Metropolis’s Evolving Id

Expertise Middle Leitat  by Picharchitects/Pich-Aguilera. Barcelona, Spain | Picture by Lourdes Jansana

The Torre Glòries by Jean Nouvel symbolizes the transformation of the previous industrial space into a brand new innovation district. Additionally, the Media-TIC constructing by Enric Ruiz Geli is an experimental architectural landmark embodying rules of innovation and sustainability. Past these iconic buildings, many reworked industrial buildings and new constructions stability heritage and modern design. This mix creates a vibrant mixed-use hub the place universities, start-ups, enterprise incubators and accelerators, residential buildings, eating places, motels and parks coexist.

The world is an experimental laboratory for modern structure and concrete planning, very like Idelfons Cerdà’s Eixample grid for environment friendly metropolis enlargement within the nineteenth century. The 1992 Olympics additionally remodeled uncared for areas into thriving developments and revitalized the town’s shoreline — an enduring city planning legacy. 22@ follows in these footsteps by introducing adaptive reuse methods, implementing sustainable rules and creating modern open areas woven right into a cohesive city cloth.

Very similar to the towering brick smokestacks, the neighborhood’s trendy highrises redefine the town’s skyline, signaling a brand new period of progress, juxtaposing historical past and progress whereas shaping the town’s evolving id.

Preserving the Previous, Constructing the Current

The transition from an industrial district to a mixed-use neighborhood highlights Barcelona’s capability to mix historical past with progress. By revitalizing a former industrial space — adapting its deserted buildings to accommodate a mixture of makes use of — and constructing new cutting-edge constructions, the district thrives as a dynamic hub for financial growth and concrete regeneration.

Nevertheless, this transformation was not with out challenges. Important modifications to zoning legal guidelines had been required to permit for a brand new city framework, integrating residential, industrial and technological growth. It additionally wanted substantial infrastructure enhancements that concerned the improve of present infrastructure to assist the rising residential and enterprise populations. One other problem concerned enhancing the general public transportation system to make sure the realm is well-connected to the remainder of the town.

Sustainability has been central to this transformation course of, emphasizing compact growth and prioritizing a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere with entry to public transportation and public areas. These initiatives have strengthened Barcelona’s main function as a pioneer in city planning. The 22@ is a testomony to the town’s forward-thinking strategy, prioritizing evolution whereas honoring its historic legacy. It highlights a imaginative and prescient the place the previous fuels the long run, shaping a singular city panorama. Brick smokestacks, as soon as very important to the economic coronary heart of the Poblenou, now stand alongside cutting-edge buildings, reworking the neighborhood’s skyline and reinforcing the town’s evolving id.

Architizer’s thirteenth A+Awards incorporates a suite of sustainability-focused classes recognizing designers which might be constructing a greener business — and a greater future. Begin your entry to obtain international recognition to your work!