Barcelona today launched 'Barcelona 2035: A City to Live In', an exhibition at the Casa de l'Arquitectura that details significant urban transformation projects across the city and its metropolitan area. The display, organised by Barcelona City Council as part of the World Capital of Architecture programme, aims to inform citizens about the city's immediate future and will be updated as new projects develop, according to officials.
The exhibition, curated by Elena Amat, opened on 7 May and will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm. It features a large table in the centre of the room, displaying maps, three models of projects in La Sagrera, Ciutadella Park, and Fira de Barcelona at Montjuïc, alongside images of ongoing transformations. These elements help visitors understand the impact these developments will have on residents' daily lives.
Projects covered include the new Marina del Prat Vermell neighbourhood, Montjuïc's evolution into a large urban park with a renovated Fira and new public housing, and the completion of the city's seafront with new green spaces and facilities. The exhibition also looks at the Ciutadella del Coneixement (Knowledge Citadel) as a European hub for knowledge, research, and innovation, and the Tres Xemeneies (Three Chimneys) in Sant Adrià de Besòs as a new centre for the audiovisual sector.
Major Urban Transformation Areas
Other key areas of transformation highlighted include the surroundings of the future La Sagrera station, the Vall Hebron Campus and its adjacent neighbourhoods, and the Porta Diagonal area. This last area will feature the future Campus Clínic and the Hospitalet Biocluster, creating new biomedical and scientific campuses integrated into the city. Furthermore, the 22@Nord project aims to strengthen the productive and innovation district with more housing, employment, and improved urban quality.
These extensive projects, spread across the territory, represent a new vision for the city. Officials describe this vision as making Barcelona more liveable, prosperous, cohesive, and better connected. The exhibition also includes a space for visitors to contribute their ideas and desires for Barcelona's future.
A Circular Architectural Journey
'Barcelona 2035: A City to Live In' complements two other exhibitions at the Casa de l'Arquitectura, creating a circular itinerary for visitors. Upon entering the building, visitors encounter a large 84 m² model, produced using digital printing. This model, called 'Barcelona Plan 2026–2035', is designed to help understand and project the city's future development.
Comprising 1,204 modular pieces, the model can be updated to reflect urban changes and incorporates augmented reality technologies. This makes it an interactive platform for analysing and explaining Barcelona's past, present, and future. After exploring the current Barcelona, visitors can move to the mezzanine to see 'Barcelona = (Diversity + Intensity) x Complexity'. This exhibition offers a unique perspective on the city by observing data, processes, and experiences that define a contemporary city and its challenges.
Finally, in 'Barcelona 2035: A City to Live In', visitors can discover the city's major transformation areas and the specific projects addressing these challenges. These projects are already redefining the city for the coming years, showing how they will impact and improve how people live, interact, move, and work in Barcelona.
