The Círculo Ecuestre hosted the colloquium "A Look at the Projects That Will Impact Barcelona in the Next 10 Years," a session in which Mercè Conesa, lawyer, politician, and businesswoman, shared a strategic reflection on the major urban, economic, and social transformations that must redefine the city's future. The event was introduced by Sílvia Parés, a member of the Círculo Ecuestre's Governing Board.
During her presentation, Conesa argued for the need for Barcelona to strengthen its position not only as a tourist destination but also as a city of talent, advanced economic activity, and investment attraction. In this context, she emphasized that major global challenges have directly impacted cities and conditioned their capacity to compete, innovate, and generate opportunities.
Furthermore, the CEO of Barcelona Global identified five major urban challenges that have already shaped the agenda of cities: demographics and aging, housing, business competitiveness, talent, and climate and security. In her analysis, she warned that Barcelona has faced a housing emergency stemming from a lack of supply and insufficient incentives to promote new housing, and she called for a long-term vision and greater public-private collaboration.
Conesa also emphasized that the Catalan capital has had a real opportunity to consolidate its position in strategic sectors, especially in the areas of health sciences, deep technologies, creative industries, the green economy, and clean logistics. In her view, the city has possessed the assets, infrastructure, and knowledge to move forward, but it has lacked focus, speed, and the capacity for execution.
Three major projects to transform Barcelona
One of the central themes of the discussion was the presentation of three major projects that, she explained, could transform Barcelona in the next decade. The development of the area around Les Tres Xemeneies del Besòs is envisioned as a mixed-use space combining housing, economic activity, university, and innovation, with the ambition of becoming a hub specializing in audiovisual production and content creation.
The second project was the future Campus Clínic, planned for the north of the city, which will foster a major center for medical and health science innovation, connecting Barcelona with Esplugues and L’Hospitalet and strengthening the biomedical ecosystem.
The third major area of transformation was La Sagrera, a significant urban transformation that, beyond the railway station, will connect neighborhoods, expand green spaces, and generate new housing and economic opportunities.
Throughout the discussion, the need to streamline administrative processes and accelerate strategic projects was also emphasized. Furthermore, the question and answer session addressed mobility, investment, institutional collaboration, and metropolitan governance, as well as the role of public administrations in ensuring speed and legal certainty.
The session concluded with a call for optimism and collective ambition, emphasizing that Barcelona can lead major transformations if it prioritizes its strengths and fosters cooperation among institutions, businesses, universities, and civil society.