Barcelona office take-up reaches 106,000 sqm in Q3, exceeding 2025 levels

Office take-up increased by 2.9% year-on-year in the third quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to 252,000 sqm.

The 22@ district reduces its share of available office space to 37.6%, while rents remain stable across Barcelona’s main business areas.

Barcelona’s office market recorded take-up of 106,000 sqm in the third quarter of 2026, up 2.9% from the 103,000 sqm registered during the same period last year. This figure also represents an improvement compared with the second quarter, when 72,000 sqm were taken up, confirming increased market activity during the summer months.

According to FORCADELL’s latest report, office take-up in Barcelona reached 252,000 sqm between January and September, compared with 245,000 sqm recorded during the first nine months of 2025. The market has therefore maintained a stable pace of take-up, slightly above the previous year’s level.

Among the most significant transactions of the quarter were those involving Inditex, totalling approximately 30,000 sqm and accounting for around 28% of quarterly take-up. These transactions have contributed significantly to the increase in activity and highlight Barcelona’s ability to attract and retain major companies.

Manel de Bes, Director of Office Agency at FORCADELL, commented: “The third quarter has delivered positive results, both in terms of take-up volume and the return of large-scale transactions. Barcelona continues to demonstrate its ability to meet the needs of major companies, particularly when high-quality buildings in competitive locations are available.”

The outlook for the year-end remains positive. With 252,000 sqm taken up through September, the market would need to record a further 48,000 sqm in the fourth quarter to reach the forecast of 300,000 sqm for 2026 as a whole. The potential completion of several transactions currently under negotiation could push the final figure above this benchmark.

The 22@ district reduces its share of total office availability

The available office supply in Barcelona stands at approximately 1.02 million sqm, unevenly distributed across the city’s main business areas. The 22@ district continues to account for the largest share of available office space, with nearly 385,000 sqm, although its proportion of the total has fallen from approximately 43% in the previous quarter to the current 37.6%.

This decline of 5.4 percentage points reflects greater absorption of available stock and confirms the district’s dynamism. Together with Zona Fira / Plaça Europa, which accounts for 13.6% of availability, the 22@ district represents just over half of Barcelona’s total available office space.

Meanwhile, the city centre accounts for 23.1% of available supply, with more than 236,000 sqm, while peripheral areas represent 21.6%, with approximately 221,000 sqm. The Central Business District (CBD) continues to have the lowest availability, accounting for just 4.1% of the total, equivalent to around 42,000 sqm.

According to FORCADELL, building quality, location and the adaptability of office spaces remain decisive factors in companies’ real estate decisions, with businesses prioritising modern, efficient properties suited to their occupancy requirements.

Stable rents and increasing differentiation between assets

Office rents in Barcelona have remained virtually stable during the third quarter, in a market that continues to show significant differences depending on location and property quality.

The CBD continues to command the highest rents, at €27.50/sqm/month, followed by 22@, at €21/sqm/month. In the city centre, rents stand at €19/sqm/month, while in Zona Fira / Plaça Europa they reach €16.50/sqm/month. Peripheral areas record rents of €11.50/sqm/month.

Despite this overall stability, the market is showing increasing differentiation between assets. Higher-quality buildings in prime locations continue to attract solid demand, while secondary properties require greater commercial flexibility, incentives or investment to remain competitive.

In this context, plug & play office spaces, fully fitted out and ready for immediate occupation, continue to gain prominence, as they allow companies to reduce their initial investment and shorten the time required to establish their operations.

Overall, Barcelona’s office market enters the final months of 2026 with higher activity than in the previous year, progressive absorption of available space in certain areas and increasingly selective demand, with quality, flexibility and speed of occupancy continuing to shape corporate real estate decisions.