Sant Feliu de Llobregat Innovation District Masterplan

Overview

Located at the western gateway ofto Barcelona, Sant Feliu de Llobregat is poised to become a leading innovation hub within the metropolitan area. The project, driven by the Ajuntament de Sant Feliu and designed by Aretian Urban Analytics and Design, covers over 75 hectares across key industrial and mixed-use areas. The Mmasterplan envisions transforming these zones—including El Pla, Les Grases, Matacàs, and the strategic Torrent del Duc sector—into a vibrant Innovation District centered on knowledge-intensive industries, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and digital technology. The project leverages Sant Feliu’s privileged connections to Barcelona, its academic and medical institutions, and its emerging talent ecosystem, to create a thriving knowledge economy node.

The Challenge

Sant Feliu faces several critical challenges as it seeks to reinvent its industrial base and urban fabric:

• Fragmented industrial landscape: The city’s current productive areas are highly atomized, with weak integration between sectors and a predominance of non-innovative industries.

• Insufficient innovation ecosystem: There is a lack of critical mass in knowledge-intensive activities, with only about 12% innovation employment (well below the >35% required for a world-class innovation district).

• Outdated urban infrastructure: Organic, unregulated growth in the 20th century has left many areas with suboptimal urban design, poor connectivity, and low density, hindering the formation of dynamic innovation clusters.

• Limited connections between research and industry: The current separation between academia, research, startups, and established companies limits synergies and knowledge transfer.

• Need for economic diversification and value creation: Overcoming sectoral atomization and low innovation investment is essential for building a competitive, resilient urban economy.

Aretian’s Solution

Aretian approached these challenges with a comprehensive, data-driven methodology that integrates urban planning, economic analysis, and innovation strategy:

• Rigorous urban and economic diagnosis: Using advanced geospatial and network analytics, Aretian mapped the city’s talent networks, industry clusters, and urban infrastructure to identify strategic leverage points.

• Multi-scalar planning: Developed a vision that connects Sant Feliu’s innovation district with the broader Barcelona metropolitan ecosystem, including transport links, academic nodes, and regional industry.

• Harmonious polycentric design: Proposed a fractal, high-connectivity urban layout to maximize density, accessibility, and social interaction, while ensuring a balance of public spaces, residential, office, and production uses.

• Targeted innovation and industrial specialization: Identified sectors with global comparative advantage—advanced manufacturing (metals, electronics, textiles), pharmaceuticals, and digital/software—and designed dedicated zones for research, innovation centers, startups, and industry.

• Phased implementation: Structured development into four phases—pharmaceutical ecosystem growth, transformation of Torrent del Duc, industrial regeneration, and expansion of R&D and innovation facilities.

• Ecosystem-building strategy: Fostered partnerships among public and private entities, anchor companies, universities, and research hospitals to stimulate innovation, knowledge transfer, and new business creation.

• Smart mobility and accessibility: Prioritized future public transport (tram and train) integration, ensuring easy access for companies and talent.

Outcomes

The masterplan for the Sant Feliu Innovation District is set to deliver transformative outcomes, including:

• Job creation and innovation growth: By 2040, the district aims to host up to 18,000 jobs, with at least 35% in innovation-intensive activities (over 6,500 jobs in advanced knowledge sectors), multiplying the current innovation intensity nearly threefold.

• Economic impact: Projected to double the local GDP, from €1,050M to €2,250M, by attracting high-value industries and boosting exports, R&D, and tech entrepreneurship.

• Urban regeneration: A new urban form with high fractality, connectivity, and public realm quality, unlocking development potential and improving access to services.

• Robust innovation pipeline: Establishment of new research centers (e.g., Almirall), technology transfer nodes, startup incubators, and advanced production spaces, supporting the full lifecycle from idea to product.

• Sectoral transformation: Specialization in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and digital sectors, positioning Sant Feliu as a reference innovation ecosystem within the Barcelona region.

• Increased livability and sustainability: More efficient, human-scaled, and accessible urban fabric, promoting sustainable mobility and quality of life for residents and workers.