A second Brussels House located in Barcelona
Thursday marked the inauguration of a new showcase for Brussels expertise in the heart of Spain. The little sister of Brussels House Milan, Brussels House Barcelona aims to promote our region and its talents on an international stage: 200 m2 fully dedicated to the best that our capital has to offer, through the products and services of 50 businesses born in Brussels.
The Brussels Houses symbolise the image of Brussels as a dynamic, enterprising, creative and international metropolis. And Barcelona was not chosen to host this second Brussels House at random.
Spain’s second largest city, Barcelona is a metropolis open to the world, a hub for fashion, design, media, tourism, innovation and finance. This strategic destination offers numerous opportunities for businesses, designers and craftsmen with international ambitions.
“Barcelona is all about the ramblas, the Sagrada Familia and sangria, but above all it’s a bustling metropolis that offers a host of economic, cultural and tourist opportunities for Brussels and its businesses,” explains Ans Persoons, Brussels Secretary of State for European and International Relations and Foreign Trade.
3 birds with 1 stone
“With our Brussels House, we hit 3 birds with one stone,” explains our CEO Isabelle Grippa. “We’re pooling the rental of the Region’s tourism and business offices in Barcelona, bringing together visit.brussels and hub.brussels under one roof. We’re increasing synergies between our two organizations and coherence between our strategies for attracting tourists and foreign investors. And finally, we’re offering an international showroom and launch pad for Brussels-based designers, with a minimum of steps and risk-taking.“
“Much more than just a window display, Brussels Houses are a unique opportunity to test out the excellence of Brussels’ products and services on an international clientele and familiarise our businesses with exporting” adds Ans Persoons.
In terms of trade, exports of goods from Brussels to Spain rose by 31.8% in 2022, reaching €150 million. As for Belgium as a whole, exports to Spain have increased by 29.2% compared to 2021, reaching €11.2 billion in 2022. Brussels accounts for 1.3% of this total, ranking Spain 10th among the region’s customers, and 5th in terms of imports.
What you’ll find in our Brussels House
Brussels House has taken up residence on the ground floor of a building in the heart of the new 22@ district in Poblenou. The area has been experiencing a real buzz for several years now, transforming itself into one of the city’s liveliest districts.
Some sixty businesses will be exhibiting their creations and products made in Brussels, regularly rotating the pieces on offer. Many of them are also already on display in the Brussels House in Milan. They represent sectors such as food and beverage, design, fashion and design, personal care, jewellery and more. Items embodying Belgitude will also boost the “tourism and image of Brussels” aspect of the site.
As in Milan, the Brussels House Barcelona has been designed as a home, with food and beverage products in the kitchen area, cultural and decorative items in the lounge area… For the inauguration, the products on display have been grouped together along a sensory trail, with an emphasis on all five senses.
The Brussels House development was designed by Brussels-based workshop oPla Architecture and produced by MCB Ateliers, also based in Brussels.
Address : Calle de Pujades, 340, 08019 Barcelona
