Barcelona sets a date for the transformation of one of Poblenou's oldest textile factories

BarcelonaOne of the most important transformation projects in 22@ nord has shed a little more light on its future this Tuesday. In a press conference, the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, explained that the complete renovation of L'Escocesa – which had been one of the oldest textile factories in Poblenou – to turn it into a "pole of economic, cultural, social and residential innovation" should be ready during 2029. "It finally sees the horizon," celebrated the mayor.

"It is a much-anticipated project for the Poblenou neighborhood and for many projects in the city," Collboni emphasized. The mayor also highlighted that the recovery of the L'Escocesa complex allows to "preserve the memory, heritage and identity of the city" and at the same time "make possible the right to stay in the neighborhood and in the city." The mayor cited the project as an example of how public intervention allows to reconcile the prosperity of an area without it being accompanied by the expulsion of residents. "If it weren't for the intervention of the City Council, L'Escocesa would surely be something else today," he said.

L'Escocesa is a factory from 1852 that at the time produced chemicals for textile printing, and is one of the oldest listed factory premises in Poblenou. The premises have 11,528 square meters and are divided into seven warehouses. Of these, only two –Johnston and Foseco– have been in operation for a few years, thanks to the creation factory that hosts residencies for visual artists. The rest of the space shows clear signs of abandonment. In fact, in some of the warehouses there were settlements that the City Council evicted just over a year ago.

An investment of 51.8 million

Now, these pending buildings are already in different phases for rehabilitation and new use. The investment this will entail is significant. In total, the City Council calculates that bringing the entirety of L'Escocesa up to date and operational will cost 51.8 million euros. Of this, the council will contribute 27.2 million. The rest will be funded by the remaining institutions, third-sector entities, and companies participating in the project, such as the Generalitat, Mercabarna, and the Ampans Foundation, which supports people with intellectual disabilities.

Among the different uses of the future space, the part intended for endowed housing stands out. This will be done in the Birkhead and Steegman buildings. In total, this amounts to 4,500 square meters that will accommodate 72 endowed housing units for people who require support.

In the Shield building, on the other hand, an incubator for companies in the technological-agro-food sector is to be installed. This space has 2,170 m² and will host the Barcelona Foodlab, promoted by the City Council, together with Mercabarna, and the Generalitat. The center will combine training rooms, workspaces, and business accommodation modules, and will have an agenda of open activities to foster connections between the different ecosystems linked to the agro-food sector. 

Finally, the Paul building will host an inclusive art center that aims to be a European benchmark, with workshops and co-creation spaces between artists with intellectual disabilities and society in general, team building programs for professionals, and a center for innovation in art therapy and well-being.