The Mar Bella waterfront transformation and renaturalisation project has been recognised at Venice Climate Week 2026 with a Planet Aqua City Award in the Coastal and Delta Resilience category.

The award highlights an innovative intervention focused on climate adaptation, aimed at strengthening the resilience of Barcelona’s coastline through nature-based solutions, enhanced public spaces and sustainable infrastructure.

Promoted by Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Regional (BR), the project was developed by ESTEYCO and Estudi Martí Franch (EMF), who were responsible for the design of this strategic transformation of the last major section of Barcelona’s waterfront still awaiting redevelopment.

An international benchmark in climate resilience and coastal adaptation

The project seeks to strengthen the relationship between the city and the sea, improve connectivity along the coastline and create a more comfortable, accessible and climate-ready public space.

Key features include the planting of more than 1,000 trees of different species, the creation of a multifunctional green infrastructure, the implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), biodiversity enhancement measures and solutions aimed at reducing the urban heat island effect while improving thermal comfort for users.

The intervention also enhances longitudinal and transversal connectivity through new access points, pedestrian routes and cycling infrastructure, while creating public spaces integrated into a more natural and resilient coastal landscape.

In addition, the project incorporates sustainability and resource-efficiency measures, including the reuse of materials generated on site and energy self-sufficiency strategies through photovoltaic pergolas.

This international recognition reinforces ESTEYCO’s commitment to developing innovative urban infrastructure capable of integrating environmental, social and technical solutions to address the challenges facing future cities.

The award comes at a particularly significant moment for ESTEYCO and EMF, which were recently selected to develop Delta Prim, the project that will transform Barcelona’s Fòrum Marine Platform. Both initiatives share a common vision: advancing towards a more sustainable, connected and climate-resilient waterfront for the decades ahead.