The Barcelona area is tackling its housing shortage on multiple fronts, with a major new-build project in the city and an innovative building conversion planned for El Prat de Llobregat. These initiatives signal a dual strategy of construction and adaptive reuse, aiming to expand the region’s much-needed stock of protected housing.
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In Barcelona, the City Council has awarded a €15.2 million contract for a new social housing complex in the Trinitat Nova neighbourhood of Nou Barris. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring municipality of El Prat, a proposal to convert a soon-to-be-closed senior residence into affordable flats is progressing, although it faces local political debate.
New Homes for Nou Barris
The Barcelona City Council, via its Municipal Institute for Housing and Rehabilitation (IMHAB), has commissioned a new block of protected housing on Carrer de S’Agaró. A joint venture between construction firms Sacyr and Scrinser received the contract for the project, which will deliver 83 homes, five commercial units, and 85 parking spaces across two subterranean levels.
Drafted by Carlos Valls Arquitectura, the project brief prioritises sustainability and quality of life. The design divides the building into five blocks, each with its own lift, and all homes will feature cross-ventilation and guaranteed direct sunlight during winter mornings. Furthermore, this development contributes to a wider urban renewal effort in Trinitat Nova. This effort also includes creating a new green zone under the European ReGreeneration programme, aimed at improving climate resilience in urban spaces. The project represents a significant investment in a district known for its unique, and often hidden, architectural character.
Conversion Sparks Debate in El Prat
Just south of Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat City Council is planning a different approach to creating public housing. The council intends to close the Penedès senior residence, a facility that has served the community for over 40 years, and repurpose the building. Its services and residents will transfer to a new, modern centre, the Josefina Puigpelat, Teresina, scheduled to open in late 2026 with 135 public places.
The municipal public housing company, Prat Espais, has begun studying the conversion of the old Penedès building into what officials describe as ‘seven or eight small affordable rental flats’. Councillors revealed the plan during a recent plenary session, as reported by Metrópoli Abierta.
A Political Divide
Despite rejecting the motion, Rafa Duarte, the Councillor for Urbanism, confirmed a feasibility study for the housing conversion is ‘almost done’. He explained the ‘no’ vote was for ‘political reasons’ despite agreeing with the motion’s overall aim. This decision drew sharp criticism from opposition parties, who voiced concern over the net loss of 30 residential care places for the elderly.
“A new residence is opening, but in parallel, we have one that is closing, and we are losing 30 places,” argued PP spokesperson Miguel Ángel Ochoa Oliva.
Agustín Mataró Soto, of the Jóvenes Pensionistas Decidimos party, delivered a stark warning about the closure’s impact on the community. ‘Closing this residence is not managing; it is abandoning,’ he stated. ‘A town that abandons its elderly loses its soul.’
A Necessary Upgrade
The municipal government defended its decision, highlighting the deficiencies of the current Penedès building and the significant improvements offered by the new facility. Carmelo Declara, the Councillor for Dependency, explained that the old centre’s ‘architectural and structural limitations make adaptation unfeasible’ for residents with higher dependency needs. The current building is limited to those with Grade 1 dependency.
In contrast, the new Josefina Puigpelat centre will provide modern rooms with private bathrooms, terraces, and improved communal areas, catering to all three grades of dependency. However, this transition creates uncertainty for staff at the Penedès residence, who have protested over their future, as a private company, not the council, will manage the new facility.
These local projects reflect the broader regional strategy to combat the persistent housing crisis. By both building new stock and repurposing existing assets, authorities across the Barcelona metropolitan area seek to create critically short-supplied affordable homes. This challenge is also being tackled in nearby towns like Calafell.
