Arup is helping Madrid City Council develop its first Digital Strategic Plan – a roadmap that will help the capital adapt to emerging challenges, enhance everyday life for residents, and reinforce its position as one of Europe’s leading smart and sustainable capitals.

Home to more than 6.5 million people and serving as Spain’s political and economic hub, Madrid is one of Europe’s largest and fastest‑growing metropolitan areas. To manage its long‑term growth, the city needs a future‑proof strategic framework that can address land scarcity, strengthen climate resilience, and bring data into its decision‑making process.

Arup has collaborated with Sueña Madrid, Madrid City Council’s long-term strategic vision initiative, and with global technology leader SICE, to help reimagine the future of the capital through the prism of innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation.Together, we led a team of 50 urban transformation experts from across disciplines including City, Planning and Design, Climate Change and Sustainability, Digital and Infrastructure to develop the strategic plan. This holistic vision will ensure that urban, environmental, and digital policies work together rather than in isolation.

Transforming Madrid with a digital strategic city plan 

Madrid’s new Strategic Plan goes beyond a simple zoning document. It stands out as the first digitally-native regulatory plan that combines strategic planning with advanced digital tools. Rather than focusing only on land-use rules, it provides a decision-making support framework for municipal action. 

Arup’s specialists have collaborated with the Sueña Madrid team and SICE to develop the structure of the plan, defining methodology, priorities, and how it will support evidence-based urban decision-making.

Data‑driven urban decision‑making

Digital experts from Sueña Madrid, SICE, and Arup created the Strategic City Simulator, a pioneering digital tool that integrates geospatial data, urban indicators, and predictive models to analyse future urban scenarios.  

The Simulator enables the City of Madrid to accurately assess potential initiatives including where to deliver affordable housing, how to strengthen sustainable mobility, and what areas require greater climate resilience. As a result, the City Simulator supports more targeted public investment, leading to improved outcomes for residents.

Where digital strategy and urban policy meet

Cross-disciplinary teams from Sueña Madrid, Arup, and SICE designed an urban governance model to improve collaboration between all City Council departments involved in the planning of Madrid.  

We led a targeted engagement process to align priorities, eliminate duplication, and accelerate delivery. This approach integrates key policy areas such as urban regeneration, energy efficiency, water management, circular economy, and digital transformation into a coherent strategy that produces more visible and measurable benefits for residents.

A computer screen with a diagram.

The Strategic City Simulator integrates geospatial data, urban indicators, and predictive models to analyse future urban scenarios. 

A collection of maps

The tool assesses potential initiatives including where to deliver affordable housing and what areas require greater climate resilience.

A girl using a graphical user interface on a computer

It also serves future-proofed scenario planning and supports more targeted public investment, leading to improved outcomes for residents.

Regeneration at the heart of city strategy

Principles of regenerative urbanism and sustainability underpin every layer of the plan. By analysing Madrid’s natural systems, urban experts identified clear priorities for restoration and enhancement, laying the groundwork for healthier neighbourhoods, richer and more accessible green spaces, and stronger long-term environmental protection.

Arup's Cities and Planning teams also developed dynamic environmental, social, and economic indicators to measure the real impact of municipal policies. These indicators allow the City of Madrid to monitor progress and adjust policies when needed. The Strategic Plan turns into a flexible, adaptive tool capable of responding to emerging challenges such as climate change, demographic pressures, and limited land availability.

The work of Sueña Madrid, Arup, and SICE is helping position Madrid as a benchmark for resilient, sustainable, and digital-first cities in Europe. Above all, the Strategic Plan aims to ensure that Madrid’s growth translates into a better, fairer, and more liveable city for residents.

Partners & collaborators

SICE / KPMG / Tecnalia / CityFocus / Trescientosmil / Uria / Gismat / Paisaje Transversal / Melissa