La Escocesa begins its major transformation: from industrial decay to a new urban driver

Barcelona City Council, which has owned 93% of the complex since 2017, has recently completed the definitive eviction of the site and is now activating a plan to turn it into a hub for economic, cultural, social and residential innovation.

The project plans to invest 51.8 million euros through a public-private partnership and reactivate more than 11,500 m² between Pere IV, Bolívia, Fluvià and Selva de Mar. An ambitious turnaround for a listed complex that had been clearly deteriorating for years.

The first step will be to convert the Klein building into a space dedicated to the social and solidarity economy. With 1,291 m², it will be managed by cooperatives linked to the cooperative movement, the energy transition and community transformation. The public tender will be launched at the beginning of 2026 and the works, with an investment of 7.5 million, would begin at the end of the same year.

The Shield building will take on a different role: becoming an incubator for companies in the agri-food sector, bringing together cooking, science and technology. It will be a laboratory for joint research projects and a specialised training centre.

In the Paul and Birkhead buildings, recently vacated, supported housing and a facility with complementary services will be provided. The Steegmann building will be added to this complex once its purchase is completed, bringing the residential area to around 4,500 m².

Meanwhile, cultural activity is not disappearing: the Johnston and Fonseca buildings remain active as creative hubs, with more than 30 artists driving contemporary projects under the management of ICUB.

With origins dating back to 1852, La Escocesa was founded as a chemical factory linked to Scottish capital and operated until 1998. Now, almost two centuries later, it is beginning a process that aims to reconcile its industrial past with the needs of the city of the future.