The document discusses the transformation of Barcelona from an industrial city to a creative knowledge region. It analyzes Barcelona's historical development, from its origins as a cultural capital in the 19th century, through periods of industrialization, the Franco regime, and hosting the 1992 Olympics. Recent policies have aimed to establish Barcelona as a center for creativity, knowledge, and tourism. Challenges include managing overtourism, high housing prices, and coordinating development across the larger metropolitan region.

1. The imperatives of the knowledge economy

2. The ACRE project Main Research question What are the conditions to create or stimulating ‘creative knowledge regions’ in the context of the extended European Union’? In particular, what role are the so-called soft factors in the development of the European regions?

3. New paragidms on urban growth

4. Main features of Barcelona Transformation from industrial to service-oriented economy But still the main industrial region of Spain Strong tradition on cultural and leisure industries

5. Historical development path of the BMR The Configuration of a Cultural capital (19th century) The gap of francoism (1939-1979) The creation of the Barcelona model (1979-1995) Policies for a leisure city (1995-2006) Towards a creative knowledge region?

6. The creation of the ‘Barcelona Model’ Small interventions of urgent urban renewal Creation of wide consensus with civil society and creation of efficient governance institutions to manage the city combining participative and representative governance. Start of deindustrialization process All these elements were the basis for a project at a higher scale: the Olympic games of 1992

7. Policies for a leisure city Increased role of private actors and market in the governance arrangements (partly because of the indebt of the city after the games and the economic recession). That’s especially relevant for the urban development Consolidation of the service economy and tourism inflows:

8. Challenges Massive tourism as a menace to quality of life Housing market hinders possibilities for cultural development in the city Lack of transport and communication infrastructures Lack of coordinated strategy between municipalities of the Metropolitan region These patterns have an effect on creative workers

9. Place of residence of creative and knowledge workers Source: ACRE survey

10. Kind of accomodation Source: ACRE survey

11. Challenges (2) Source: ACRE survey

12. Towards a creative knowledge city We were a heavily industrialized city, we have suffered a major tertiarization of the economy and now we bet for new sectors. We want to convert Barcelona in a large centre of cultural production Jordi Hereu, Mayor of Barcelona

13. Towards a creative knowledge city Shift in the discourse from knowledge to creativity and from tourism to citizenship and social cohesion Consolidation of previous projects on knowledge economy (22@ district) Creation of a new strategic plan of culture Creation of new institutions for creative industries: Factories of creativity Design centre

14. Evolution of governance perspectives Period 1979-1992 1995-2006 2006 Main objectives -New Centralities -Olympic games -Improvement of tourism -Knowledge society -Cutlural industries -Social cohesion Governance arrangements -Wide consensus with civil society and private actors Gap with civil society Strenght of private actors in policy strategy Reconstruction of bridges with civil society to improve social cohesion and cultural industries Social consequences Democraticaion o f urban development Improvement of neighbourhoods Conflict in neighbourhood renewal Rise of housing prices -Recuperation of creative milieus? -Improvmeent of quality of life

15. Conclusions Tolerance is highly dependant of policy action: inclusive governance arrangements with civil society are necessary to create a diverse and multicultural place attractive for ‘talent’ Even the relevance of these new location factors such as quality of life or environment, classic location factors are still relevant. Strong policies on infrastructures and new needs (communication infrastructures) are necessary. The housing market and the action of private agents in urban development can hinder the development of a creative and inclusive city.