22@ district sees 45% of all investment in office space in Barcelona

• The Catalan capital has put itself on the map of places to headquarter large corporations
• In 22@, there are more than 8,800 companies and 93,000 employees

The 22@ technology district, with 200 hectares, is experiencing a particularly intense moment of real estate investment and was one of the big stars of 2016 in the Barcelona business space market. Specifically, 22@ saw 45% of all investment in this segment, which totaled €760 million.

This figures are from real estate consultancy CBRE, which highlights that the Catalan capital has put itself on the map of places to headquarter large corporations thanks to the combination of quality of life and competitive rent. 22@ has repositioned itself and become a unique location for foreign multinational corporations with very high occupancy rates in the office segment. Investors have seen this and are heavily committed to products in this zone.

Additionally, the study “22@Barcelona 2000-2015: Barcelona’s innovation district“, compiled by the Barcelona City Council with the most significant figures and statistics from the history of 22@, highlights how the neighborhood has been transformed since 2000 to become a center of business. More than 8,000 companies (500 a year for the past four years) have moved to the area and 30% carry out knowledge- or technology-intensive activities. Approximately 93,000 people work in the district.

The same report reveals the urban and economic transformation, which has led to an important social change in the district of Sant Martí, where 22@ is located. The population increased 3.69% between 2007 and 2014, above the average for Barcelona. The disposable income of residents in the district is also above the citywide average and there are more foreign residents from the EU, making up 10.63% of the population in Vila Olímpica and 8.22% in Diagonal Mar.

Colonial builds Barcelona’s largest office building in 22@
Colonial has broken ground in the 22@ district on the largest office building the Catalan capital has seen in recent years, with 24,500 m2 on 17 floors. The building will take a total investment of €77 million and be completed in 2018. It is a candidate to become the first office building in Barcelona to receive LEED Platinum certification, and has already attracted Norwegian group Schibsted –which owns the websites Infojobs, Vibbo, Fotocasa, Habitaclia, Milanuncios and Coches.net- to occupy 10,200 m2.