Almería facing its next urban challenge: building the city we want to live in

Almería debates its urban model. That's how Ideal covered the talk we attended at Berila.Studio, a gathering of different voices from urban planning, architecture and the University to think about how the city should grow in the coming years.

The talk brought together different perspectives on the city's evolution and the challenges its growth poses.

The debate ranged from the evolution of urban planning and the development of La Vega to access to housing, refurbishment of the building stock, the transformation of the Port, metropolitan mobility, the role of the University and the infrastructure needed to keep generating economic activity.

A particularly timely conversation at a moment when Almería faces several projects capable of transforming its urban structure once again.

To understand today's Almería you first have to look at the plans that have shaped its growth.

Javier recalled the decisive role of the 1987 General Plan, especially in connecting the different pieces of a city that were quite disjointed.

Avenida del Mediterráneo, the connection with Los Molinos and growth towards the north were some of the projects that helped complete the urban grid.

The 1998 General Plan continued that process and accompanied new developments, especially in areas such as La Vega and the upper part of the Rambla.

Manuel highlighted the development of La Vega as one of the areas with the greatest residential success compared with other areas foreseen in the plans.

The conversation also highlighted a particular feature of Almería: sustained population growth for decades.

The Rambla was one of the examples used to explain how an urban intervention can change the relationship between different parts of the city. Its development made it possible to join areas that had previously been separated.

One of the debates running through the talk was whether Almería's growth has always translated into a proportional improvement in its urban quality.

The answer doesn't lie only in building new developments.

Luis focused on the city's geographical constraints and pointed out that much of its new growth is determined by its own physical limits. The sea and the topography dictate where Almería can keep growing.

That is precisely why another question raised during the debate becomes especially important: what can we do with the city we already have?

Land is a non-renewable resource and, given this reality, the inner renewal of the city plays an increasingly important role.

• What happens to buildings that fall out of use?
• What new uses can they house?
• Can they be refurbished and adapted to today's needs?

The commitment set out during the talk was clear: renew, rebuild and reuse.

It's not just about renovating buildings, but about keeping the building stock alive, transforming uses and recovering spaces that have been left empty or underused.

Talking about urban planning necessarily means talking about housing.

Access to affordable housing has become one of the main concerns of younger generations, and the talk addressed the current difficulties in producing housing at accessible prices.

Manuel explained that the final price doesn't depend only on land. The process also involves:

• Construction costs
• Materials
• Financing
• Taxes
• Professional fees
• The shortage of skilled professionals

On top of this comes the time needed to develop a project and get it approved.

The question, therefore, is not only how to reduce the sale price, but how to make the whole housing production process more efficient.

Refurbishing the existing stock appears here as one of the options, along with industrialisation, better processes and converting buildings to new uses.

Because, in the end, every home means a new life project.

Almería has an exceptional territorial condition:

However, the city's relationship with the sea is still constrained by certain barriers, especially along the port front.

Luis focused precisely on the current Port fence:

The transformation of the port front thus emerges as one of Almería's great urban opportunities.

Manuel pointed to the potential of the Port-City project as a catalyst for tourism, especially in a city whose hotel capacity still has room to grow.

The experience of other port cities shows that these spaces can go from acting as boundaries to becoming new places where the city and the sea meet.

In Almería, the challenge will be to define which uses we want to bring in and how to make this new waterfront part of the city's everyday life.

The conversation also addressed a question that is especially relevant for the future: is Almería a city capable of attracting investment?

The city has major attractions: climate, beaches, quality of life and a relatively young population.

But there are also shortcomings that limit that appeal. Among them, transport links and certain infrastructure.

The connection with Madrid remains one of the outstanding issues raised during the talk, especially for professionals and young people who might consider building their life here.

The electricity infrastructure was also highlighted, as it can become a constraint for new businesses setting up.

Javier stressed the need for land for productive uses and better infrastructure. And he pointed out one of Almería's territorial singularities:

The potential is there. The challenge is to turn that position into economic activity, businesses and opportunities.

Population growth needs to come with opportunities.

Javier stressed that generating housing isn't enough if there's no economic base capable of sustaining that growth.

Hence the importance of having productive land, improving infrastructure and attracting new activities.

Competition between regions to attract businesses is increasingly fierce, and Almería needs to make the most of its particular conditions to position itself in that landscape.

Agriculture, technology, research, tourism and new economic activities are among the possibilities opening up for the city.

Pilar focused on another key player in urban development: the University of Almería.

Since its creation, the University has grown alongside the city and today plays an important part in its economic and social life.

Students don't just fill classrooms. They live in Almería, rent homes, spend money, take part in cultural activities and are part of the city's everyday life.

Added to this is research work and collaboration with businesses. A focus on postgraduate studies, research and links with industry can strengthen the University's role as a driver of knowledge and innovation.

There was also talk of developing a Smart Campus, based on bringing in technology and intelligence to improve how the campus works. But with an important premise:

The University is also working on recovering and adapting existing buildings and on the possibility of opening certain spaces to the people of Almería.

Sustainability also took up an important place in the debate.

Luis argued that energy efficiency must begin with the design decisions themselves.

In Almería, factors such as orientation, cross-ventilation, the relationship with outdoor spaces and making use of prevailing winds can reduce buildings' energy needs.

It's an especially relevant issue in our climate.

Sustainability shouldn't be added only through technological systems once the building is finished. It should be part of its conception from the very beginning.

Metropolitan mobility was another of the issues discussed.

The relationship with municipalities such as Roquetas de Mar, Níjar, Viator or La Cañada raises different needs and difficulties.

In the case of Roquetas, proximity and population size generate significant demand for connections, although the terrain makes certain solutions particularly complex.

The University also stressed the need to move towards more sustainable mobility and reduce dependence on private cars.

The connection between the city and its metropolitan area will be key to improving access to the University, workplaces and services.