[Abandoned Industrial Complex]⑤ Walking the Trail, Suddenly at the Industrial Complex... "People Must Stay Day and Night"

Spain Bilbao's Sosaure Island began to decline in the 1970s due to the steel and shipbuilding industry crisis but is now transforming into a high-tech industrial complex. The photo shows the past appearance of Sosaure Island (above) and a bird's-eye view of the Sosaure Project. Photo by Sosaure Project website capture

"An area once littered with scrap metal has now transformed into a vast park."

Mr. Yon (66), a resident met at a waterfront park in Bilbao, Spain, said, "This park is a precious space where Bilbao residents rest and enjoy leisure." Along the Nerbion River promenade filled with evening glow on a weekday afternoon, people running or walking their dogs passed by continuously. He added, "Until a few years ago, this place was lined with abandoned factories and steel warehouses," and said, "It's astonishing how much it has changed."

Bilbao, visited by Asia Economy on the 24th of last month, is a port city located in the Basque region of northern Spain, where steel and shipbuilding industries flourished until the 1970s. The large-scale steel mills, mines, and shipyards clustered near the Nerbion River reflected Bilbao's status as "the wealthiest city in Spain." Bilbao began to decline starting in the 1980s. As steel resources were depleted and it lost out in competition with companies like Pohang Iron and Steel Company (now POSCO) in Korea, massive layoffs occurred.

Facing a critical crisis, Bilbao began earnest efforts to overcome it in the early 1990s. In 1991 and 1992, public-private partnerships such as "Metropoli 30" and "Bilbao Ria 2000" were established to lead urban innovation. Projects aimed at transforming the city from heavy industry to a service, tourism, and high-tech industry-centered city were launched and continue to this day.

The Zorrotzaurre area in Bilbao symbolizes this project. This long island, 2.5 km in length, was until just a few months ago an industrial zone littered with useless scrap metal, but it is now preparing to transform into a high-tech industrial complex and smart city. Two technology parks are planned at both ends of the island. According to Bilbao city, these technology parks are expected to account for one-quarter of the economic value generated on Zorrotzaurre Island. Currently, 25% of the entire project has been developed, and 50% is ready for development after negotiations are complete.

Notably, a significant portion of the island has been allocated to green spaces. Zorrotzaurre Island features a 680㎡ pond, over 400 trees, walking paths, and parks. This reflects Bilbao city's philosophy of creating a livable city through environmental improvement. The core of Bilbao's urban regeneration project was to clean up the polluted river and factory sites from the industrialization period and create large green spaces and public facilities. Asier Abaunza, a Bilbao city council member overseeing urban planning, explained, "The first priority was to address pollution caused by past industrialization," adding, "We restored land that was difficult to develop due to many stones and severe contamination, while demolishing old buildings and stabilizing the soil."

Idoia Postigo, Chairperson of Metropoli 30, explained the Bilbao urban regeneration project in an interview with Asia Economy held at the Bilbao office on the 23rd of last month. Photo by Hyunji Kwon hjk@

Securing green space was not just an environmental issue. There was a consensus that residents' quality of life was important. Idoia Postigo, chairperson of Metropoli 30, said, "The Basque Country, where Bilbao is located, has more fiscal authority than Catalonia, which includes Barcelona," and added, "We believed we should provide something superior for the taxpayers."

There was also the idea that the space should be attractive to draw people in. This was based on the belief that wealth could be recreated from this. Council member Abaunza explained, "If it is a place visited by outsiders, shops and other convenience facilities will be established, and infrastructure can expand in a virtuous cycle." The creation of a large residential complex on the island is for the same reason. The goal is to create a city where people are present all day, not one that is crowded only during the day and empty at night. Chairperson Postigo emphasized, "Housing is essential to keep not only those engaged in economic activities but also others staying on the island."

Efforts are also being made to attract universities and companies and improve public transportation conditions. Council member Abaunza said, "If there were only industrial complexes, there would be resistance asking 'Why invest so much tax money?'" He explained, "If various people such as university students and workers live there, and outsiders can easily come anytime using quality public transportation, investments can be made steadily without wavering."

Asier Abounsa, a Bilbao city councilor, is explaining the Sorosaure project in an interview with Asia Economy held at Bilbao City Hall on the 23rd of last month. Photo by Hyunji Kwon hjk@

As development through public investment accelerated, private investment also increased. Council member Abaunza introduced, "With successful development on public land, persuading residents about private land became easier. Initially, it was 100% public investment, but now at the final stage, 70% is being driven by private investment." Chairperson Postigo said, "Large-scale development is impossible with only our (public) investment," adding, "Building partnerships not only locally but also internationally to proceed smoothly with investments is an important task."

Editor's NoteThere is abandoned land in Korea. It covers an area of 24.49 million square meters, which is 5.44 times the size of Yeouido. Nothing is done on this land. It is simply left unattended. This is the story of "industrial complexes." Industrial complexes have been the driving force behind Korea's rapid economic growth since the development of the Ulsan Industrial Complex in the 1960s. However, due to their rapid and unplanned construction, they now suffer from chronic unsold properties. While focusing only on building new industrial complexes, existing ones face serious aging problems. Asia Economy explores the current status of domestic industrial complexes and seeks directions for their development through overseas cases in the "Abandoned Industrial Complex" series.

This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, funded by government advertising fees.