22@ Nord: Transformation Strategy

We helped Barcelona design a strategy to revitalize its innovation district through two future-oriented and high-value-added sectors: creative industries and the green and circular economy.

The challenge

Developed over the past two decades in a former industrial and factory-dominated area, Barcelona’s 22@ district has transformed into a vibrant global innovation hub. It currently houses a staggering 12,150 businesses, 9 universities, 3 technology centers, 5 incubators and accelerators, 35 coworking spaces, and 700 startups. However, in its northern part, the 22@ Nord, the city still possesses two significant untapped avenues for furthering innovation, technology, creativity, and quality of life: the Creative Mile on Pere IV Street, a road with a history rooted in old industries, and the Green Kilometer on Cristòbal de Moura Street, a green axis conceived for interconnection and space for experimentation and excellence in new urban solutions.

Our approach

To shape these two new axes, Barcelona Activa and Barcelona Regional have entrusted Anteverti with the task of developing a Transformation Strategy for the 22@ Nord area, unleashing the potential of the two axes. This strategy is projected to identify and articulate specific economic activities and key stakeholders that will help nurture these areas into two future-oriented, high-value, and city-economic-priority domains: the creative industries and the green and circular economy.

To formulate this strategy, our team embarked on a journey that involved conducting fifteen interviews with public and private stakeholders closely linked to the 22@ district. Additionally, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of sectors with the most potential for both axes, considering the area’s unique characteristics, recent developments, and global economic trends.

The impact

Building upon our extensive research and fieldwork, the strategy puts forth concrete sectors for each of the two axes. These sectors are carefully selected to align with local traditions and experiences while simultaneously having the potential to generate innovative impacts and be exportable internationally.

• Regarding the Creative Mile, we proposed establishing a new innovation hub focused on creative industries, with a particular emphasis on initiatives in the fields of audiovisual production, music, and sustainable food production.
• Meanwhile, for the ‘Green Kilometer,’ we envisioned it as a space for urban experimentation in circular and green economy, where the city will actively promote the attraction and creation of innovative opportunities connected to buildings and homes, production chains, sustainable food production, and mobility solutions.

In summary, the strategy will serve to unlock the untapped potential of Barcelona’s 22@ Nord district, transforming it into a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and economic growth. The impact of our strategy will be felt not only in the district but also beyond, as we envision these initiatives shaping the future of urban development and innovation on a regional and global scale.