22 @ Barcelona – A district reinvents itself

The project 22 @ Barcelona was started in 2000 and is one of the most ambitious urban renewal projects in the world. It started as a government initiative to transform the historic but dilapidated industrial district of Poblenou into a dynamic and innovative district.

Today 22@ is home to universities, research and training centers, start-ups, and state-of-the-art technology companies. Since 2000, more than 3,500 companies with almost 100,000 employees have made it their home, and the Poblenou district has seen a population increase of nearly 25%. The economic upturn was caused by the funding of 5 specific “knowledge clusters”: information and computer technology (ICT), biomedicine, design, energy and media.

22 @ has long received international attention and is considered a model for the rejuvenation of a dilapidated area with sustainable economic and social development.