Strategic Breakfast: “Barcelona/Madrid, a Critical Dialogue”

This breakfast event will be the first in a series titled “Barcelona/Madrid 2050”, organized by the PEMB to reflect on the future of the two cities looking toward the year 2050.

To what extent are Barcelona and Madrid different? The debate between these two cities is always ongoing, but it has rarely been addressed in a structured way and from a metropolitan perspective. With the publication of Fernando Caballero’s book Madrid DF, the debate has been revived, and the new book by Oriol Nel·lo and Agustín Hernández Aja, Barcellona / Madrid. Un dialogo critico tra due città, is a further contribution.

Is it possible, then, to maintain a critical yet constructive dialogue between the two cities? We will discuss this with the authors on March 20 at an event that will take place at the Canòdrom starting at 8:30 a.m., moderated by El País journalist Clara Blanchar.

PROGRAM

8:30 a.m. Reception and breakfast

9:00 a.m. Welcome remarks by Carol Recio, President of the Executive Committee of the PEMB

9:10 a.m. Presentation of the dialogue series by Oriol Estela, General Coordinator of the PEMB

9:15 a.m. Dialogue between Oriol Nel·lo and Agustín Hernández Aja on the book Barcellona / Madrid. Un dialogo critico tra due città

9:45 a.m. Presentation of the book’s main infographics by Joan López, geographer at the Research Group on Energy, Territory and Society of the UAB, with commentary by Maria Buhigas, Chief Architect of the Barcelona City Council, and Isabel González García, Head of URBACT in Spain and professor at the ETSAM

11:00 a.m. Closing

This session will be the first in a series of five titled “Barcelona/Madrid 2050”, which will take place throughout 2026 within the framework of Barcelona’s designation as World Capital of Architecture, and will serve to reflect on the future of the two cities looking toward 2050.