This is what the future La Escocesa, one of the oldest textile factories in Poblenou, will look like.

BarcelonaAfter weeks in which the former La Escocesa factory in the Sant Martí district has been in the news due to the eviction of the remaining occupants, Barcelona City Council on Thursday explained its future plans for this former textile factory in Poblenou. Fifth Deputy Mayor Raquel Gil explained at a press conference that the council is accelerating efforts to transform the space into a "hub of economic, cultural, social, and residential innovation" that will also help "recover industrial heritage" in the city.

The site covers 11,528 square meters and is divided into seven buildings. Of these, only two have been operational for a few years thanks to the creative workshop that houses residencies for visual artists. The rest of the space shows clear signs of neglect. Therefore, now that the occupants of part of the site have been evicted, the city council wants to accelerate the transformation of this 1852 factory, which produced chemicals for textile printing and is one of the oldest listed industrial sites in Poblenou. Gil explained that the first thing the City Council will do is launch a public tender for the transformation of the Klein building, which has 1,391 square meters and will have to be converted into a cooperative space for the social and solidarity economy. The Deputy Mayor for Social Rights and Economic Development explained that the city council has finalized the tender process and plans to launch it in early 2026, with the intention of starting construction by the end of next year. The project has a total investment budget of €7.5 million. The goal is for the space to house organizations that will raise the profile of the social economy and cooperatives "as a viable and socially responsible alternative."

Ferran Adrià's visit

The timeline is more uncertain regarding the other buildings in the industrial park. Gil said he couldn't give dates, but emphasized that work is underway on the projects with the goal of having all procedures defined during the first half of 2026. One of the main projects involves the Shield building, where they plan to establish a business incubator for the agri-food technology sector. The city council, which has already drafted the project to activate this complex in the medium term, assures that they are working to ensure it features collaborative research and development projects between food companies, chefs, and scientists, as well as becoming a center for training programs. Although no details have been given and some aspects still need to be defined, locals have occasionally seen chef Ferran Adrià visiting the space. 60 assisted living units

The complex will also include a section dedicated to assisted living. This will be located in the Paul and Birkhead buildings – two of which were recently vacated – and in the Steegman building, owned by Sareb, but which the city council is finalizing to acquire. In total, this comprises 4,500 square meters that will accommodate approximately sixty subsidized housing units for people requiring support. The last building, the smallest, is Paul, and will be used to provide complementary services for the other spaces, such as a dining room and multipurpose areas.