There’s hundreds of technological and infrastructural innovations happening all over the globe – the soon-to-be-built $1 billion residentless city, the possibility of floating airports, and underwater villas to name just a few – but not many cities see so much rejuvenation condensed in such a short time as Barcelona.
It’s interesting to see how fast the city takes on new innovations, rejuvenation, or outright creation projects when La Sagrada Familia is still under construction after 131 years; but Barcelona is such a vibrant and lively city, it’s impossible for it to stay static. Below are just a few of the latest innovative projects happening around the city.
Barcelona as a Startup Hub
Not only does Barcelona’s sunny weather and sandy beaches attract millions of tourists – its international business schools and networking opportunities are a catalyst for startups and rapidly developing business ventures.
Institutions such as IESE Business School, FINAVES, and the Business Angel network attract talent from all over the world and create a hotpot of new ideas and ambition ready to be detonated. The Mobile World Congress also attracts thousands of experienced technology workers to Barcelona on a yearly basis. Not to mention, Barcelona is sprouting new coworking spaces and initiatives faster than weeds in a garden, creating a strongly rooted collaborative economy which can help launch new businesses and initiatives.
However, every growth scheme has ups and downs; for Barcelona’s startup scene, it is attracting talent from the rest of Europe and building a strong financing environment. Read more at the full story here.
Barcelona’s Subway Microbiome
Next time you walk into one of Barcelona’s underground metro stations, don’t be surprised if you see someone in a lab coat leaning over the railing, taking swabs of the platform. Barcelona has joined 53 other cities in a project to map subway microbiomes, called MetaSUB.
Many metaphors have been made about how cities live and breathe and have a certain aura, or “spirit” about them — if we take this comparison far enough to compare a city to a living being, the subway tunnels would function much in the same way as blood vessels, transporting the organism’s essential particles to and from different regions of its body. Because these vessels are so ubiquitous, they are not only one of the most potent transportation systems but also the most vulnerable part of the being.
Studying Barcelona’s microbiome environment could help scientists understand the spread of infesctious diseases and how the human microbiome works in conjunction with the muncipal one, and even the global microbiome. Read more about this project at the full story on Labiotech.
Gaudí, reborn
Many visitors, both tourists and locals, visit Barcelona and fall in love with Gaudí’s work. Wishing to take home a piece of his spirit, their only choice is to purchase an expensive souvenir at one of the small boutiques surrounding each landmark. But what if you could live and breathe Gaudí’s spirit in your very own home? You wake up and the first thing you see is a colorful frescoe. You walk down the hall, covered in murals and mosaics, past a set of marble columns, and down a meticulously carved staircase to where a giant bear statue greets you by the front door. With the renovations currently being undertaken on Casa Burés, this will soon be reality.
Located in the Eixample neighbourhood, this building has been (legally) uninhabited since the 1980s. However, with the rejuvenation of a city must come rejuvenation of its infrastructure, and it’s time that Gaudí’s works of art are enjoyed to the fullest. Casa Burés will become one of the most luxurious apartment buildings in Spain and house up to 26 Gaudí-aficionado individuals or families. Read more about the renovations here!
