“I trust that Barcelona will continue to be a leader as a visionary city” by Nathalie Nahai
Born in London, Nathalie Nahai is a best-selling author, speaker, and lecturer whose work explores the intersection of persuasive technology, artificial intelligence (AI), human behavior, and ethics. Host of the popular podcast In Conversation with Nathalie Nahai and founder of the Flourishing Futures Salon, she first came to Barcelona in 2016 to study classical painting at the Barcelona Academy of Art. She now lives in Gràcia with her partner, Freddy.
Why did you choose Barcelona?
I first visited Barcelona in 2016 to attend a one-week intensive drawing course at the Barcelona Academy of Art (BAA), and I was so enchanted that I had to come back. It wasn’t until I finished writing the second edition of my first book, *Webs of Influence*, that I returned for a three-month sabbatical, during which I enrolled in a trimester of the BAA’s painting program. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up completing the entire program and exhibiting my work at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, where I sold one of my first paintings.
What are the city’s strengths?
The city’s energy, the extraordinary food, the openness and vitality of the creative scene, the beauty of being able to learn both Catalan and Spanish… It’s one of the most beautiful cities I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing: from its public spaces and exquisite architecture to the city’s re-greening efforts and its role as a global leader in climate adaptation.
Which aspects of the city need to be improved? How?
One of the things I miss the most is the abundance of parks and green spaces, where you can escape the noise and pollution from vehicles. The creation of the superblocks is a step in that direction, but in neighborhoods like Gràcia, the poor air quality and its effects on health, especially children’s health, would improve drastically if green community spaces were prioritized.
What do you expect from Barcelona in the coming years?
I hope, and wish, for a more liveable city; one that manages tourism responsibly to ensure affordable housing, restaurants, and services for the local population. I trust that Barcelona will continue to be a leader as a visionary city in climate adaptation, and that it becomes easier, both administratively and economically, to start your own business and contribute to the local economy.
Which city do you consider to be your home city? What do you miss most?
As the daughter of a diasporic family, my mother was born in Tehran and my father is from Gibraltar, I actually feel more “at home” in my adopted city, Barcelona. While I do miss the British sense of humor, having grown up in a multilingual and multicultural family, the warmth, vitality, and energy of this city feel most natural, familiar, and inspiring to me, perhaps also because some of my ancestors were from Sant Feliu de Guíxols!
