The new Montjuïc exhibition center will have a space for entrepreneurship

The Barcelona City Council begins to process the transformation of the Montjuïc fairgrounds with a horizon of 2029, when it will be the centenary of the Universal Exhibition. It does so after the participatory process that has been carried out in recent months has concluded, allowing residents to express their opinions on the planning agreed upon by the council and Fira de Barcelona.

The proposal for the reorganization of the space will be voted on next Tuesday in the Urban Planning Commission, where the municipal government will process the new urban planning based on what it already presented in February, and with some improvements. Among them, the transfer to the Montjuïc fairgrounds of a tertiary use ceiling of 18,000 m2 until now located in the former Modelo prison which, for the most part ---about 16,000 m2--- will go to the Dress Pavilion ---Plaza España facade of the current Palau 8---, which will be ceded to Fira de Barcelona, under a surface right regime, so that it can locate economic activity complementary to the fair activity.

The institution chaired by Pau Relat has already announced that the space will be dedicated to creating induced economic activity 365 days a year, and will serve to "promote entrepreneurship, innovation and knowledge transfer in sectors related to the main trade fairs, to give more opportunities to companies, economic sectors and citizens."

The remaining 2,000 m2 that will also be gained are allocated to the ground floors of residential buildings for new establishments and local businesses. The new distribution allows for a residential area with up to 500 new public homes and public commercial premises, according to the council.

In any case, the first action to be carried out will be the readaptation of one of the pavilions, the Italy Pavilion, into a municipal sports center. This will be possible starting January 1, when Fira de Barcelona will transfer its use to the council. The forecast is that the municipal sports center will be operational during the first quarter of next year and will have four basketball courts, two futsal courts, and other spaces.

In general terms, the proposal agreed between Ada Colau's government and Fira de Barcelona foresees, on the one hand, maintaining part of the fair's use, and on the other, new uses for the neighborhoods closest to the area. Thus, housing and various facilities will be built. Of the current 135,000m2 of fairground land, 48% will remain fairground "more flexible, efficient, compact and modern."

The rest of the surface area would be distributed into public housing (13,350 m2) and public facilities (22,000 m2), among which a new Primary Care Center stands out, providing coverage to that area of the Poble-sec neighborhood and the Font de la Guatlla neighborhood; an assistance facility for the elderly and people with functional diversity; a library; a neighborhood space and the aforementioned sports facility.

Likewise, a land reserve was made for the expansion of the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC), which will gain space by incorporating the current Victoria Eugenia Pavilion into its infrastructure.

There will also be new green areas and roads (23,225 m2). In addition, there would be 4,360 m2 for spaces linked to Fira de Barcelona to promote other economic activities.