CoP 16 2nd Deep Dive Webinar: Sueña Madrid – Charting a New Course for Housing, Climate Neutrality, and Smarter Planning

Madrid’s drive to reshape how the city plans for the future took center stage during the second webinar in a Community of Practice (CoP) 16 series on Integrated Urban Planning. The session featured Madrid’s “Sueña Madrid” initiative—an ambitious new master plan designed to tackle three pressing realities: housing demand, sustainability goals, and climate neutrality targets.

Presenting the framework were Luis Tejero Encinas, Head of Service responsible for sustainability strategies, and Javier Morales, Technical Advisor at the Planning Office and Head of Technological Development. Together, they outlined why Madrid believes it needs a plan that is more adaptive than the last blueprint—while also showing how technology and citizen engagement are becoming central tools for delivery.

Why a new master plan is needed

Luis explained that Madrid is one of Europe’s largest cities, with 3.46 million people inside city limits and close to 7 million across the metropolitan area—figures expected to rise further in coming years. He noted that the city’s current master plan dates back to 1997, leaving it ill-equipped for today’s challenges, including climate change, tourism pressures, and housing needs.

A key constraint, he said, is that the last areas of land available for housing has been under development over the last 5-6 years after being halted for more than two decades, however the housing pipeline is not yet sufficient for population growth.

Transforming public spaces: the Manzanares River model

A highlight of the presentation was the River Linear Park Transformation Project, which Luis described as a flagship example of urban regeneration. The plan focuses on transforming a former highway into a 7.5-kilometer linear park along the Manzanares River—including burying the road, restoring ecosystems, and reconnecting neighborhoods previously separated by major infrastructure. The project is also tied to nature-based improvements, such as restoring natural areas in school yards and enhancing public spaces through green solutions.

“Sueña Madrid” and planning reform

Luis emphasized that Madrid’s new approach aims to move away from rigid, top-down planning. The master plan is intended to be a “lighthouse” for broader city strategies—linking environment, mobility, and economic development. It also reflects a wider legal and institutional need: Spain’s urban planning framework, he argued, can be too inflexible, so the city is building a more strategic and adaptable tool.

Citizen and stakeholder involvement is being built in from the start, with more than 4,000 participants already contributing through surveys and direct engagement.

Technology for adaptive planning

Javier expanded on Madrid’s digital shift, introducing the Strategic City Simulator—a platform designed to support planning decisions through AI and next-generation technology. Rather than attempting to “predict” the city’s future, the system helps the city adapt to changing urban needs, supporting multi-scale analysis across issues such as climate neutrality and sustainable mobility. Javier reported the simulator has 180,000 monthly users and draws on 950 datasets.

Looking outward: cooperation opportunities

The webinar concluded with discussion of cooperation potential within the community of practice—especially around green grid implementation and the ongoing challenge of achieving the right housing density without compromising liveability and environmental performance.

Madrid’s message was clear: integrated regeneration now depends on three combined forces—environmental ambition, civic co-creation, and data-driven adaptability.