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Madrid considers converting offices into flats: the proposal that would add 25,000 new homes
The lack of affordable housing in Madrid could find an unexpected way out: converting offices into homes. The Asociación Española de Oficinas (AEO) has presented a plan that envisages converting up to 1.5 million square metres of offices in the capital's central areas into around 25,000 homes, while new complexes designed exclusively for business use would be built.
The project addresses two key objectives: easing pressure on the residential market and moving work activity to more modern and sustainable spaces, adapted for remote work and post-pandemic needs. According to the AEO, in districts such as Chamberí, Chamartín, Retiro, or Salamanca alone, there are currently more than 250,000 square metres of offices located in buildings that were originally residential, which presents an opportunity to expand the housing stock in established neighbourhoods.
The proposal is supported by recent regional and municipal regulations that allow the conversion of tertiary land into affordable rental housing, reducing timelines and paperwork. Even so, the challenges are considerable: from changes to urban planning to obtaining permits and reaching agreement with neighbours, since many of these offices share buildings with private residences.
Another point of debate is the impact on mobility and urban balance. Concentrating most of the new offices in the north of Madrid could create deserted neighbourhoods outside working hours and, at the same time, increase the number of so-called "dormitory towns" in other parts of the capital. The challenge, according to experts, will be to achieve a conversion model that adds housing without disrupting neighbourhood life.