• The multidisciplinary space has attracted more than 80,000 visits and more than 10,000 attendees to its events since it opened on 16 June 2020
• The mobility hub has established itself as a place of reference for co-creation among the people of Barcelona, with more than 200 public activities organised this year
• In its first year, CASA SEAT has gathered leading institutional figures and personalities from the fields of mobility, culture and sport

Barcelona, 18/06/2021. CASA SEAT has now been open to the public for one year and celebrates its consolidation as a meeting place between culture and mobility, having received more than 80,000 visits and 10,000 attendees at its 200+ events. The urban mobility hub, located on the corner of Paseo de Gracia and Diagonal, has fostered meetings between all kinds of institutional and sector representatives to discuss issues related to both industry and the future of mobility and cities.

According to Wayne Griffiths, president of SEAT, S.A., “CASA SEAT has become a reference point in the city and our home in the centre of Barcelona. A hub where we dream in a big way, a meeting point for urban culture, technology, leisure and mobility, of everyone and for everyone, from Barcelona to the world”.

Given the setting’s focus on the development of mobility, CASA SEAT hosted SEAT S.A.’s ‘Strategy for the Future’ press conference, where it announced a planned investment of 5 billion euros until 2025, earmarked for R&D projects to develop new models and for equipment and facilities in Martorell, with the aim of taking on new projects and electrifying the range. In addition, CASA SEAT was the location for the appointment of the current President of SEAT S.A., Wayne Griffiths, and the presentation of the SEAT MÓ urban mobility business unit, including the unveiling of the SEAT MÓ 125, the company’s first electric motorbike.

A space open to the city and to participation

In its first year, CASA SEAT has operated in a context defined by the global pandemic, an adversity that has not prevented the site from gaining traction. In this spirit, CASA SEAT celebrates the first year of its creation by strengthening its purpose of getting closer to the city and the public. This can be seen in the architecture and interior design of its building, designed by the studio of Carlos Ferrater and by Lázaro Rosa-Violán, which was the second most visited space at the latest edition of the 48-hour Open House Barcelona festival.

In this way, CASA SEAT has also been a bridge for dialogue between international institutions. It hosted a meeting between the mayors of Barcelona and Milan, Ada Colau and Giuseppe Sala, on two occasions: at the event Sotto le stelle in piazza grande and in the cycle Guest Cities: Milan. CASA SEAT also hosted the presentation of the Auto Mobility Trends study, which brought together representatives of employers’ associations and trade unions from the Spanish automotive sector, with the participation of Reyes Maroto, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade of the Spanish Government.

In a more academic sphere, CASA SEAT enabled discussions between figures such as MIT’s Director of Urban Mobility, John Moavenzadeh; Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, co-president of the Club of Rome and prominent human rights activist, and Rémi Parmentier, environmental activist and co-founder of Greenpeace.

On the sporting front, CASA SEAT hosted the announcement of the starting line-up of the Spanish national team in a very special way: with Luis Enrique, the national football coach, on wheels driving a SEAT Leon FR. Meanwhile, this past April, the coach of Barcelona Football Club, Ronald Koeman, spoke to the press for the preview of the “clásico” against Real Madrid from CASA SEAT.

A platform that energises cultural content

CASA SEAT has adopted a high-quality artistic programme during its first year, focusing on promoting the work of local talents. Thanks to this approach, visitors to CASA SEAT have had the opportunity to enjoy a showcase of the latest creative trends, performances by world-renowned artists and the gastronomic offer of the chefs of the café-restaurant Ametller Origen Mercat d’Autors, which is acknowledged for its excellence in the Macarfi Guide.

CASA SEAT’s busy cultural agenda has included tributes to cultural figures such as the poet Federico García Lorca and the photographer Antoni Campañà, as well as performances by the flamenco singer Miguel Poveda, the pianists Francesco Tristano and Marco Mezquida and leading figures from the Catalan music scene such as Santi Balmes, Mishima and Ferran Palau, among other renowned artists.

“The place where the city moves” towards the future

CASA SEAT celebrates its “year 0” and a return of the project in the conditions of “new normality”, after a period in which we all had to commit to taking care of ourselves and soul-searching. Likewise, the celebration of this “year 0” is also a tribute to the future of mobility and the journey that SEAT, CUPRA and SEAT MÓ have undertaken towards zero emissions. The director of CASA SEAT, Gabriele Palma, wanted to thank the more than 80,000 people who have visited the space: â€œDuring this challenging first year, we have managed to offer more than 200 events to the public. The response from the city has been surprising and encourages us to continue with the purpose of bringing mobility and culture closer together.”

All activities at CASA SEAT are free of charge with prior reservation of admission at www.casa.seat.