Andorra Telecom, AR+I, and MIT Launch NODE Building Impact Study

Andorra Telecom and AR+I Launch NODE Building Impact Study with MIT

Carlos Cayetano Robinat to lead year-long research on urban and socioeconomic effects, using anonymized WiFi and mobility data

Andorra Telecom and Andorra Recerca i Innovació (AR+I) are launching a research project this November to assess the urban and socioeconomic impact of the NODE building on its surroundings. The one-year initiative, developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), specifically its City Science Lab within the MIT Media Lab, will be led by Andorran researcher Carlos Cayetano Robinat.

Cayetano Robinat, a University of Andorra (UdA) graduate specializing in data analysis, was selected through a competitive call for local talent. He will spend the first nine months gathering and analyzing data in Andorra, followed by three months in Boston refining conclusions at the MIT. The project carries a budget of €45,000, covering his salary, travel, and stay in the US.

The study aims to compare conditions in the area before and after NODE's transformation, evaluating whether it has created new activity or merely shifted existing patterns. Key areas include pedestrian traffic in the adjacent square, mobility trends, use of building spaces, commercial and service activity, employment effects, tourism, and social impacts. Researchers will incorporate anonymized data from Andorra Telecom's WiFi networks and mobile usage to identify movement patterns, alongside other urban, social, economic, and environmental indicators available locally.

NODE represents more than a standard renovation, featuring new public spaces and uses such as an Andorra Telecom store, the future Thyssen Museum, a digital wellness and skills center, and programs for youth and seniors. The analysis will also consider effects once the building becomes fully operational early next year.

AR+I director Marta Domènech highlighted the decade-long collaboration with MIT, which has previously used Andorra Telecom data to examine tourism impacts. She described Andorra as a "living lab" due to its rich, interconnectable datasets and rapid growth, making it ideal for such studies. The project not only retains local talent like Cayetano Robinat but also helps develop it further.

Andorra Telecom CEO Jordi Nadal emphasized the building's innovative redesign and the study's value in understanding changes before and after its activation. All data will remain fully anonymized.