Originally part of a thermal power plant built in the 1970s, this icon of the metropolitan waterfront has become one of the most emblematic post-industrial spaces in the Barcelona area. For decades, the structures were an essential part of the region’s electricity supply and symbolize the industrial development of the territory.
After its closure in 2011, the building remained inactive until 2024, when it was partially reactivated as one of the main venues of Manifesta 15 Biennial. Minimal yet strategic interventions allowed the public to access the imposing turbine hall for the first time, enabling cultural uses without altering its monumental, raw character. These adaptations allow for continued use ahead of its future and definitive transformation into Catalunya Media City. Front Marítim del Besòs is driving the transformation of the entire area to position it as a European benchmark for sustainable urban regeneration, combining heritage preservation, innovation, and openness to the public.
The choice of Les Tres Xemeneies, an area in the process of reconfiguration, is a tangible expression of the theme Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition. As a key venue of the UIA 2026 World Congress of Architects, it will host an important part of the program: the pre-congress International Emerging Workshop, the Central Exhibition, and the Open Forum. The release of the site makes this historic waterfront environment accessible to an international audience.
The former industrial complex in Sant Adrià de Besòs, known as Les Tres Xemeneies, will host the UIA World Congress of Architects thanks to the collaboration of its owners, Front Marítim del Besòs (FMB). The company, jointly held by Endesa and Metrovacesa, is making the site available for the event as part of initiatives for the activation and transition of the area.