Construction has entered its final phase for the new Barcelona Sports Institute (IEB) headquarters. This facility is located beneath the historic Montjuïc Municipal Swimming Pools at Avinguda Miramar, 31-41. The Barcelona City Council announced this significant project, which officials expect to last approximately 18 months. The facility will become operational for the 2028-2029 academic year.
Major Investment in Sports Education
The current phase of work has a budget of €5,613,385. An additional €200,000 is allocated for the final landscaping of the exterior spaces. This adds to the €5,484,416 already spent on previous phases, which included foundation work and structural development. The total investment for the new headquarters amounts to €11,297,801. The IEB currently operates from 12 different locations across Barcelona. This new headquarters will bring at least six of these spaces together at the Montjuïc site. This consolidation aims to improve efficiency and centralise resources for sports education.
Architectural Transformation of an Olympic Icon
Creating a high-quality educational centre within the pre-existing structure of the Montjuïc diving pools presents a unique architectural challenge. The project involves completing the building's facade, finishing the interior spaces, and installing all necessary facilities. It also includes the final preparation of the exterior areas. The new headquarters will offer a total built area of 5,143.83 square metres, spread across three floors. The design follows principles defined by the Barcelona Education Consortium's Master Plan for Vocational Training Facilities. This ensures the centre meets the specific needs of sports training and the dual-degree football baccalaureate it offers.
The classrooms face directly onto the facade on all floors, served by an interior corridor. This corridor connects the entire building from east to west. It also provides access to a double-height multi-purpose classroom at the rear. The project includes all internal partitioning, services, finishes, and joinery. It also covers exterior joinery, the facade, installations, furniture, and equipment. The Barcelona Education Consortium prioritises purposeful educational architecture. Therefore, the intervention incorporates high eco-efficiency criteria.
Sustainable Design and Accessibility
To ensure thermal comfort and good air quality, workers will install 25 heat recovery units. These units will guarantee constant ventilation and optimal filtration of indoor air. This is essential for an environment focused on physical activity. The project ensures full accessibility for the building. A new electric lift will connect all three floors. Interior ramps will also overcome the natural slopes of Montjuïc mountain. The project uses sustainably sourced wood for benches and other elements in the agora space. Workers will also install high-resistance, sound-insulating vinyl flooring.
Making the building suitable for educational use required a complex reorganisation of the Olympic swimming pools' technical systems. This involved relocating the water purification facilities. It also included adapting the transformer station that powers the entire Montjuïc sports complex. These changes freed up the necessary space for the new classrooms.
Modernising Vocational Training
With this intervention, Barcelona gains a state-of-the-art educational facility. It revalues the city's architectural heritage and dedicates it to training young athletes. The Barcelona Sports Institute forms part of the Be_Pro model. This model moves away from fragmented vocational training institutes. It instead groups all offerings within the same field into large centres. These centres are located close to the professional and productive fabric of each sector. The Be_Pro model also integrates initial training with continuous professional development. It provides a complete training pathway. This ranges from Training and Insertion Programmes to Higher Level Training Cycles and professional certificates for adults. This ensures the offering adapts to the needs of the labour market and society.
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Originally published by Barcelona City Council Press Room. Read original article.
