The urbanization project of the square that will house the Bioma Center of the University begins.

The Pamplona City Council has granted the license for the development of the square next to which the Bioma Center will be built, a new building that will house the Science Museum, the Institute of Biodiversity and the Environment, spaces for the faculties of the science area and the headquarters of the Innovation Factory entrepreneurship service. The execution budget for this first stage of the project amounts to more than 2 million euros. The urbanization works will begin at the beginning of May. 

Like the Bioma Center building, the plaza is designed by architect Francisco Mangado. It draws a new pedestrian space of 7,500 square meters, of which 2,832 m2 are green and landscaped areas. The project is possible thanks to a grant of 2 million euros from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. 

The plaza is intended to be a meeting point between the University and the city and, at the same time, it provides spatial and circulation continuity with the current landscaped campus. It is intended as a linking element between the areas of the campus separated by the avenues of Pío XII and Fuente del Hierro Street. "It is to transfer the green character of the campus to this upper part of the city and, at the same time, it is to be thought of as a viewpoint, a space that projects towards the campus-park," describes Francisco Mangado in the project. 

With this premise, the urbanization of the square foresees on its south side, next to the future building of the Bioma Center, the extension of the green area until it connects with the current slope of the campus. This continuity of greenery is complemented by a "buried" garden that will provide natural ventilation for the subway parking lot. The trees planted in this garden will grow above the level of the new plaza. The paved part will be made of prefabricated concrete pieces.

The project also involves the adaptation of two new pedestrian connections between this space and the University of Navarra Museum and the Dining Hall parking lot, which will be addressed later in another project.

"With the urbanization of the square, a strategic project for the University, the Bioma Center, which is presented as a multidisciplinary space for research, teaching and the dissemination of science, is launched," stressed the Vice Rector for Research and Sustainability, Paloma Grau. "The final architectural project is already very advanced, the result of an intense process of work with the faculties and services involved, to meet the needs of space in the new building."

To date, the funds received and committed for the construction of the Bioma Center total 17,155,000 euros. This amount would come entirely from donations from various institutions and entities. These include: Government of Spain, "la Caixa" Foundation, Cementos Molins, Endesa, Laboral Kutxa, Ubesol Group, Lucasiñas, Pontegadea, Torreal and Ramón Areces Foundation.