Barcelona

A city reenvents itself – Barcelona was founded by the Roman emperor Augustus in the first century BC. It has a population of 1.6 million, although its metropolitan region reaches upwards of 5.5 million people. Barcelona has been an important city since the Middle Ages. It is home to the largest Gothic quarter in Europe, which is one of the city’s main attractions. Since the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona has made a name for itself worldwide as an innovative city. Throughout the last 30 years, the city has developed interesting public policies in the fields of urban planning, mobility, social policies, and the supply of drinking water. In addition, Barcelona brings an impressive architectural legacy and, of course, an excellent gastronomic tradition.

Field trip to Barcelona for master students from Paris-Saclay University

In 2024 we organized a first study visit to Barcelona with our local partners. Two professors and 10 students from Paris-Saclay University spent five days in the city and completed an intensive program with many meetings with local stakeholders. The program focused on social and ecological innovations. The visits included cooperatives for housing and last-mile logistics, the redesigned public spaces with the superblock at Sant-Antoni-Market and pedestrianization of Carrer del Consell de Cent and a school that has been converted into a refuge for residents in the event of heatwaves and a citizen association in fight against gentrification. Many thanks to our local colleagues, Susanna, Pau and David, who made the visit possible. Following the successful premiere, we were able to organize a second trip for Paris-Saclay University in 2025. We are also looking forward to organizing tailor-made programs in Barcelona for other groups.