Futbol Club Barcelona and the Barcelona City Council have presented this agreement to finally start work on the Espai Barça, a remodeling that will modernize the Camp Nou with the aim of turning it into the best stadium in the world. The works will begin this same month of June, they will force Barça to play at the Estadi Olímpic for a season and it is expected that they will last until the 2025/2026 season.
During the presentation, Joan Laporta, president of the Barcelona Football Club, said that the goal is to turn the Camp Nou into the best stadium in the world "the sports space but a great attraction and an innovator that becomes a city". In addition, the mayor Ada Colau has highlighted that the Espai Barça "is a very positive city project for Barça and Barcelona because it allows us to gain public space: it improves the conditions of the residents of the area and will generate more green areas and bike lanes" , in other aspects.
The remodeling work, explained both managers, will begin in just over a month, just when the season ends. The first phase is expected to last a year and, despite the works, it will be able to maintain practically the entire capacity of the stadium. Thus, it will begin by renovating the first and second stands, changes will be made in the technological field and action will also be taken in the surroundings of the stadium. Specifically, the stands will be waterproofed, the broadcasting system will be improved, communications will be transferred to the data center.
Transfer to Montjuic
Later, for the 2023/2024 season, the Barça team will have to play at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, since then the Camp Nou will have to be closed to carry out the horrible work. “When we move to Montjuïc the most important works will be carried out, among which is the collapse of the third tier, its construction and the covered area. As there are no spectators, the pace of the works will speed up”, indicated Laporta. The club and the City Council are now detailing the conditions of this temporary transfer.
A year later, on matchday 2024/2025, it is planned that the team can play against the Camp Nou, which by then will be able to host 50 percent of the public. Finally, the project is expected to be completed in the 2025/2026 period.
Innovation and sustainability as a flag
Apart from improvements at the infrastructure level, there has been greater sustainability, innovation, accessibility and technological advances. The purpose of the project is to enhance the biodiversity of the areas surrounding the Espai Barça, sustainable mobility will also be promoted and it will be possible to arrive by public transport and electric vehicles at the Camp Nou. Likewise, install 18.000 cubic meters of photovoltaic panels and improve the green energy of the subsoil.
In the technological environment, the connections will be updated to achieve maximum 5G performance and a 360-degree screen will be installed to improve the public experience.
The City Council's government commission approved precisely this week the granting of a building license that will allow the reform and expansion of the Camp Nou, following the agreement between the club and the council, in accordance with the requests of the residents. Soon, the Consistory will carry out the pertinent modifications to the initial remodeling project of the stadium.
