There are boundaries in cities that seem destined to be merely places of passage—avenues dominated by traffic where no one stops to stroll. The entrance to Barcelona via Diagonal Avenue has been one of those noisy asphalt thresholds for decades. However, that blurred boundary where the capital, L’Hospitalet, and Esplugues meet is on the verge of a transformation that will not only change the landscape but also the way residents experience and live in this part of the metropolis.
This Wednesday marked a decisive step forward with the approval of the urban plan that will transform nearly 70 hectares into the brand-new Salut Clínic-UB Campus. When the project is completed in 2035, the current highway interchange will give way to more than a thousand new homes, vast interconnected green spaces, and state-of-the-art research centers, forming what will effectively be a new part of the city.
A “medical city” seeks an architect
The scale of the future transformation is truly historic. “Projects like the one at the Clínic come along once every 100 years,” summarized Albert Dalmau, the Regional Minister of the Presidency. Along the same lines, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Jordi Valls, emphasized that this institutional partnership “enhances the city’s academic and research infrastructure and fosters economic diversification.”
In total, the area strictly dedicated to the health and education campus will expand beyond the initial plans, growing from 10 to 12.7 hectares. To put that in perspective: it will cover an area equivalent to 18 soccer fields. To design this massive complex, an international architecture competition will be launched in the coming weeks, open to proposals from around the world.
Of the overall development plan, 63% of the total floor area will be reserved for healthcare, education, and research, while 23% will house health-related economic activities. Local amenities for residents will account for 4%, and the remaining 10% will be allocated for residential use.
Affordable apartments and three large green spaces
This residential development will result in the construction of 1,125 apartments, divided between L’Hospitalet (which will have 800) and Barcelona (325). With the goal of facilitating access for local residents, half of these homes are expected to be public housing and affordable.
To allow this new environment to breathe, the asphalt will give way to three large parks that will be interconnected, creating pleasant corridors for walking: the current Rambla de Finestrelles will be extended, a new green space will be created along the Collblanc Road, and the Can Rigal area will be expanded.
Metro Line L3 Expands, and the University Sets Its Course
Moving thousands of students, healthcare workers, and new residents will require a rethinking of transportation. For this reason, the project includes streamlining the always-complicated intersection where the Diagonal and the Ronda de Dalt intersect. The major development underground will be the extension of Metro Line 3, which will add two new stations to the network: Nou Hospital Clínic/Sant Joan de Déu and Esplugues Centre.
The educational map now has its exact coordinates as well. The University of Barcelona’s (UB) new School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences will be built in Esplugues de Llobregat (on Sant Mateu Street). The building will expand current capacity by 30 percent, accommodating some 3,000 students. With a budget of approximately 152 million euros, construction on the faculty will begin in late 2029, with the facility set to open for the 2032–2033 academic year.
The master plan that will guide all these changes is expected to receive initial approval in the first half of 2027 and final approval in early 2028. From there, the countdown will begin for the large campus and its new neighborhood to come fully online in 2035.
