Barcelona’s Hospital del Mar has officially unveiled a landmark expansion, completing a €162 million project that adds a new helipad, state-of-the-art operating theatres, and a world-first robotic pharmacy to one of the city’s key public medical centres. The inauguration on Monday marked the culmination of the second phase of a long-term renovation designed to modernise the century-old institution and enhance its capacity to serve over 300,000 residents.
Prominent political figures, including the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa, Health Minister Olga Pané, and Barcelona’s Mayor, Jaume Collboni, attended the ceremony. President Illa praised the new facilities as being “of the highest standard” and pledged to advance the project’s final stage.
A New Era of Care
After four years of complex construction work, carried out while the hospital remained fully operational, the expansion adds nearly 31,000 square metres of new space. This brings the hospital’s total area to over 96,500 square metres. This second phase represents the most technologically advanced part of a three-stage master plan, which began in 2008 but the economic crisis stalled it until late 2015. The first phase was completed in May 2017.
The new infrastructure includes six hospitalisation units across three new floors, adding 75 beds for Paediatrics and Neonates, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and surgical specialties. It also introduces dedicated emergency services for orthopaedic surgery, paediatrics, and psychiatry, as well as a new ‘post-COVID’ ICU designed with the lessons learned from the pandemic.
Patient well-being and sustainability were central to the design. The hospital has gained 2,700 square metres of green terraces, featuring trees and sea views, which are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 2,000 tonnes annually. This commitment to green building has earned the extension a LEED Gold certification. Inside, patient rooms feature natural light and walls painted in a calming “beach sand” colour, a deliberate move away from traditional stark white hospital interiors.
Advanced Technology and Patient-Centred Design
Set to become operational in May, four new high-complexity operating rooms are the clinical centrepiece of the expansion. Two of these are hybrid rooms, one for vascular surgery and another for neurosurgery, with one also incorporating an MRI scanner for real-time imaging during procedures. These spaces will enable the hospital to perform the most complex and robotic-assisted surgeries.
One of the most innovative additions is a fully robotic pharmacy service, which hospital officials describe as the first of its kind in the world. “This system allows us to increase the volume of stored medicines by 60%,” said Elisabet Izquierdo, Director of Technology and Services, in a statement reported by El Periódico. The technology optimises storage space by up to 80% and significantly reduces waiting times for medication dispensing.
The construction itself was a logistical challenge. “It was complicated because, while the work was going on, the hospital continued to function,” Izquierdo noted, highlighting that no hospital-acquired infections resulted from the construction.
Serving a Diverse Barcelona
The Hospital del Mar is a vital healthcare provider for some of Barcelona’s most diverse districts. Mayor Jaume Collboni remarked on the hospital’s “special bond” with the city, highlighting its role as the reference centre for neighbourhoods from the historic Ciutat Vella, including El Raval and La Barceloneta, to the modern Vila Olímpica and Diagonal Mar areas in the Sant Martí district. He described this as an example of genuine equality in access to public healthcare.
“We serve a reference area in Barcelona that combines areas like the Vila Olímpica, El Raval, and La Mina. It’s a challenge, as these are very specific populations that often require high-intensity intervention. Having these kinds of facilities will certainly make it easier,” said Dr. Víctor Pérez, the hospital’s Director of Care and Medicine.
Looking Ahead: Phase Three
With phase two now complete, attention turns to the final stage of the hospital’s transformation. President Illa confirmed the government’s commitment, stating, “Phase three remains, and we will do it; we will commission the executive project this year.” During the inauguration, he called for stability and approved budgets to deploy the government’s healthcare agenda, urging officials to avoid “playing competency ping-pong” over jurisdiction, as reported by Europa Press.
The third and final phase will add a further 42,000 square metres of space, including seven more operating rooms, bringing the hospital’s total to 24. While a start date is not yet set, hospital officials estimate a completion window between 2030 and 2032. The total investment for all three phases should reach €442 million, with the European Union contributing €62.4 million towards the first two phases.
