This declaration will help to further accelerate urban planning procedures and the development of both initiatives, which are set to give new impetus to healthcare delivery, training and biomedical innovation, and to consolidate Catalonia as one of Europe’s leading hubs in health and life sciences.
Institutional priority and concrete effects
Beyond highlighting the central role of both initiatives for the country’s future, the declaration of general interest will have tangible effects on their implementation. In the energy sphere, it will strengthen their access to priority processing for grid connection permits and capacity allocation within the state electricity network. This is particularly relevant given that large healthcare and research facilities require high levels of energy capacity, and the declaration reinforces their status as priority projects in capacity and connection allocation.
Specifically regarding the Clínic-UB Health Campus, the declaration will make it possible to allocate the plots on Diagonal Avenue, currently classified as sports facilities, to the development of the new campus. This step will be complemented by an Executive Council agreement ratifying the declassification of land owned by the University of Barcelona, enabling its future acquisition by the Government for use in the project. This procedure falls within the framework of the agreement signed between the UB and the Government, which includes the commitment to acquire the plots for €135.25 million.
An integrated campus for care, education and research
The future Clínic-UB Health Campus is conceived as an integrated system bringing together hospital care, university education, biomedical research and knowledge transfer. The project is jointly promoted by the nine public institutions that make up the Porta Diagonal–Campus Clínic Consortium, established to govern and coordinate its development.
The campus will include the new hospital, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona, and other healthcare, university and scientific facilities. Altogether, it will bring together healthcare, teaching and research activities in a single area of around 300,000 m², with the aim of positioning Barcelona among the leading biomedical hubs in Europe and worldwide.
Progress in the international design competition for the new Clínic
The project for the new Clínic-UB Health Campus has recently taken a further step forward with the publication of the prior notice for the international design competition that will shape the campus. This is a preliminary step ahead of the official call, scheduled for September, aimed at attracting the best proposals and ideas from architecture and engineering professionals worldwide to develop the architectural and urban planning design of the campus’s functional programmes. The process will take place in the same year that Barcelona holds the title of World Capital of Architecture.
The indicative prior notice outlines the scope of the competition. The first phase, involving team submissions and technical accreditation, will take place between September and November. Two elimination stages will then follow: an initial stage with ten teams selected to develop preliminary proposals until April 2027, and a second stage with five teams submitting detailed proposals until December 2027. The winning team will be selected in the first quarter of 2028 and awarded a contract with an estimated value of €134 million (VAT included).
Participating teams will be multidisciplinary, with expertise in architecture, engineering and specialisms such as sustainability, energy efficiency, BIM, logistics, neuroarchitecture, medical equipment and other key areas to ensure an innovative, functional and human-centred project. The jury will comprise ten members (six architects, three engineers and one representative from CatSalut) and will be supported by more than 35 technical experts and institutional representatives from the Government, CatSalut, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, ISGlobal and the involved municipalities.
A new urban environment linked to life sciences
Beyond the definition of the campus itself, the urban development associated with the future Clínic involves the creation of a mixed-use urban environment including housing, facilities, green spaces and economic activity linked to life sciences. The project aims to transform an urban void into a vibrant city area.
The proposed criteria include improved accessibility through a broad public transport offering, a new Line 3 metro station, and the transformation of major road infrastructures into metropolitan avenues. A network of civic axes and green corridors connecting Collserola with the city is also planned, promoting active mobility and reducing environmental impact.
The project is committed to an integrated, carbon-neutral energy system and to a climate-resilient neighbourhood, with efficient water cycle management, reduced urban heat island effects and a strong presence of green spaces. At the same time, it seeks to foster synergies with hospitals, research centres and companies in the sector, consolidating the Diagonal Health Axis and connecting with the Bellvitge Innovation and Health Biocluster.
A long-term timeline and investment
The declaration of general interest, the declassification of land and the publication of the prior notice therefore represent three key milestones in the overall planning and construction of the Health Campus, in line with a timeline that sets its inauguration and start of operations in 2035. Overall, the current estimated total investment in the campus stands at around €1.700 million.
