Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

Bloc4BCN -Espai Cooperatiu, the largest cooperative hub in Catalonia, opens its first call for projects interested in requesting space and support services. The deadline for applications is 30 November. The plan is for the projects to start using the space and services from January 2024. Two information sessions (registration at info@bloc4.coop) and open days have been organised.

Bloc4BCN -Espai Cooperatiu, the largest cooperative hub in Catalonia, opens its first call for projects interested in requesting space and support services. The deadline for applications is 30 November. The plan is for the projects to start using the space and services from January 2024. Two information sessions (registration at info@bloc4.coop) and open days have been organised.

From today and until 30 November, any projects interested in requesting space and support services at Bloc4BCN Espai Cooperatiu can submit their applications.  The centre has the capacity to house up to 60 Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) initiatives, as well as offer support services for growth, consolidation and establishing connections within the cooperative.

In order to address any possible queries, two information sessions will be held, with representatives from Bloc4BCN promoting organisations and technical staff from the facility. Attendees will also be able to explore the centre. The sessions are being held at 5 pm on 14 November, and at 11 am on 22 November.

To take part in the information sessions, please send an email to info@bloc4.coop, indicating the name of the project, the number of people and the session you wish to attend.

There will also be three open days, without a guided tour, for projects that wish to visit the space again or were unable to attend the previous sessions. The visits will last up to one hour:

• 15 November: 3 to 4 pm and 4:15 to 5:15 pm;
• 17 November: 10 to 11 am and 11:15 am to 12:15 pm;
• 20 November: 10 to 11 am and 11:15 am to 12:15 pm.

Bloc4BCN’s main goal is to create a community able to create connections both internally and with the surrounding area, using the values of the cooperative movement to address social needs and economic development. The new centre has a surface area of over 4,500 m² and, among other activities, it will house 60 projects or initiatives from sectors considered strategic in Catalonia, in order to strengthen the SSE business network, generating talent, expertise and quality, while also fostering entrepreneurship, networking and project acceleration. Priority areas include sustainable food and agroecology, care and assistance for people, local commerce, culture, energy, housing, mobility, technology, tourism and the textile industry.

The projects housed in the centre not only have access to a physical space, but can also take advantage of the different types of services and support offered. There are a total of four options adapted to the different needs and stages of the organisations:

1. Incubator programme: 

Beneficiaries will be newly created group projects that are less than three years old and need support in order to ensure initial growth. Through intensive, guided support, these cooperatives and group projects can develop and undergo initial growth within the cooperative movement and the fabric of Barcelona’s Social and Solidarity Economy and the Catalan social market.

2. Acceleration programme: 

Aimed at cooperatives up to six years old that are growing and maturing. Using the approach of the cooperative movement and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the project will receive support in order to ensure its long-term feasibility and sustainability. The selected projects must draft a work plan that enables them to identify the goals and challenges involved in consolidation and becoming economically and technically sustainable.

3. Inter-cooperation programme:

Designed for cooperatives that wish to take part in Bloc4BCN’s various strategic lines of action. Through a process of inter-cooperation with other stakeholders in the cooperative movement and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the aim is to construct various hubs for the strategic lines of action of the Catalan cooperative movement and the lESSBCN2030 city strategy.

4. Semi-industrial workshops: 

For cooperatives and Social and Solidarity Economy organisations with a semi-industrial business activity that requires a space for this purpose.

Recovery of a historical space

The area used for fostering cooperative projects is divided into four modules, in order to meet the needs of various types of projects.

They are as follows:

Module 1 – up to 5 places (Offices) 72.70 m² space with room for up to 16 work spaces.

Module 2 – 12 places (Offices) 35.35 m² space with room for up to 8 work spaces.

Module 3 – 5 places (Offices) 36.60 m² space with room for up to 8 work spaces.

Module 4 – 3 places (workshops) Two 36.40 m² spaces and one 34.94 m² space with room for carrying out semi-industrial activities.

About the project

Bloc4BCN is a public cooperative project funded by Barcelona City Council and the Government of Catalonia, as part of the Barcelona 2030 SSE Strategy. The building is in the old Can Batlló factory complex in the La Bordeta neighbourhood, which has been redeveloped and leased to the Bloc4 Association by Barcelona City Council. This public investment made it possible to secure 4,500 m² for the implementation and development of Barcelona and Catalonia’s Social Economy.