Luxe Barcelona

MediaTIC named best building of 2011

Enric Ruiz-Geli’s structure, in the 22@, is recognised at the World Architecture Festival Awards 2011.

The MediaTIC building in the 22@, commissioned by Barcelona's Zona Franca Consortium, was named the World Building of the Year and the World's Best Office Building at the 2011 World Architecture Festival Awards.

According to Paul Finch, the WAF Awards' programme director, the MediaTIC, designed by architect Enric Ruiz-Geli's studio Cloud 9, “is a symbol of an emerging movement in the city of Barcelona and opens up conversations of concerns about energy and sustainability.” This innovative building's energy-efficient design reduces CO2 emissions to the minimum.

The awards, presented as part of the World Arquitecture Festival, which was held in Barcelona from 2-4 November, have consolidated their international profile, with more than 700 entries from 59 countries having been received this year.

The European Commission gives the go-ahead to the Mediterranean Railway Corridor

The Barcelona Economic Triangle is one of the railway axis' strategic areas.

The European Commission recently included the Mediterranean Railway Corridor as one of the next priority projects for the Core Trans-European Network. This railway axis represents a huge opportunity to boost the economy, since it will pass through regions that account for 50% of the Spanish economy and population and 60% of the country's exports.

According to the Ferrmed Association, the route will lead to the creation of 65,000 jobs and will also prompt savings of some 30,000 million euros between 2016 and 2045 as a result of switching from road to railway transport.

The project, 30 % of which will be subsidised by the European Union, will link the Mediterranean ports with the shipping routes in the Far East and with Central and Northern Europe, as well as connecting the North African economy with the Iberian Peninsula and Northern Europe.

One of the areas that will benefit from this project is the Barcelona Economic Triangle which, located between the Vallès, the Besòs and the Llobregat, is a privileged site for economic promotion for the city and the Metropolitan Area.

Barcelona becomes the world mobile communication capital

After the nomination of Barcelona as a Mobile World Capital, the city is working on becoming a world leader in mobile technologies, both business and leisure and cultural.

Barcelona has won out over Milan, Munich and Paris in the race to be named the mobile world capital. Following a decision by the GSMA, the association representing mobile phone operators worldwide, the Catalan capital will host the Mobile World Congress from 2012-2018, once again serving as a technology hub and fostering new business opportunities based on the promotion of mobile communications.

The ambitious and creative project submitted by Barcelona and the weight of the success and growth of the Mobile World Congress in the years it has taken place in the city were the winning candidate's credentials. The city's six years as host of the Mobile World Capital are forecast to be worth 3,459 million euros.