Barcelona/Madrid Dialogues 2050

2026 - 2026

Active

The Barcelona/Madrid Dialogues 2050 series aims to open a space for reflection on the future of Barcelona and Madrid from a metropolitan perspective, with a view toward 2050. The project seeks to compare urban models, trajectories, and future strategies at a time when major European metropolises face shared challenges in governance, social cohesion, global competitiveness, and sustainability.

ObjectivesTo stimulate debate on the future of our cities by contrasting two models that have so far been quite distinct, with a particular focus on the development of their respective metropolitan realities.
To generate knowledge that contributes to shaping the future Metropolitan Strategic Plan of Barcelona and to specific projects such as SUP4SUD.
 

The initiative is also framed within the context of the World Capital of Architecture and the strategic reflection process that the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan (PEMB) will soon promote, with a view toward a new planning horizon for the metropolis by 2050. In this sense, the series aims to contribute to generating knowledge and public debate on the future of cities and their metropolitan regions, bringing into dialogue experiences and perspectives from different institutional, academic, and social fields.

The project will take the form of a series of six sessions in a strategic breakfast format, addressing different dimensions of the future of Barcelona and Madrid. The sessions will explore topics such as the critical dialogue between the two cities, different ways of understanding metropolitan reality, the role of capitals in their territorial context, challenges related to urban inequalities and inclusion, and the positioning of metropolises within the global system of cities. The series will culminate in a closing session dedicated to sharing conclusions and opening new avenues for joint work toward 2050.

PROGRAMME

Barcelona/Madrid, a critical dialogue

The event will consist of the presentation of the book Barcellona / Madrid. Un dialogo critico tra due città by Oriol Nel·lo and Agustín Hernández Aja, followed by a discussion on the comparative infographics included in the book, with Maria Buhigas, Chief Architect of Barcelona City Council, and Isabel González, URBACT representative in Spain and professor at ETSAM.

Date: March 20
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Lloc: Canòdrom - Ateneu d’Innovació Digital i Democràtica
Modera: Clara Blanchar, periodista d’El País

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Barcelona/Madrid, two ways of being a metropolis

The aim of the session will be to compare how the two cities are addressing the metropolitan dimension, both in terms of planning and governance.

Date: May 29
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Venue: Canòdrom – Digital and Democratic Innovation Hub
Moderator: Sílvia Angulo, journalist at La Vanguardia

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Barcelona/Madrid, two ways of being a capital

This session will focus on the leadership of the two cities within their respective environments, including a discussion on the influence of surrounding municipalities and another on economic activity.

Date: July 10
Time: To be confirmed
Venue: To be confirmed

Barcelona/Madrid, two ways of being inclusive

The objective will be to identify the key challenges related to inequalities between neighbourhoods and cities within the metropolis. This will include a dialogue between neighbourhood representatives and a round table on urban regeneration.