Global Switch breaks ground on second Madrid data center with 56MW capacity

Global Switch has commenced construction on its second data center in Madrid, Spain, marking a significant expansion of its presence in one of Europe's fastest-growing digital infrastructure markets. The new facility, named Madrid 2, will be built adjacent to the company's existing Madrid 1 data center on the same campus, reinforcing the site's role as a key connectivity hub in the Iberian region.

The groundbreaking was announced by the company this week via LinkedIn. Madrid 2 will be a 24,000 sqm (approximately 258,335 sq ft) colocation facility with a total capacity of 56MW. Designed to support AI, cloud, and high-performance computing workloads, the data center is scheduled to come online in 2029 and is expected to reach full capacity by 2032. The building contractor for the project is Spain-based EIGO Construcciones.

The existing Madrid 1 facility, which was originally built in 2000, has undergone multiple expansions over the years and continues to serve customers with 14MW of capacity across 12,000 sqm (around 129,165 sq ft) of colocation space. Further upgrades at Madrid 1 are planned through 2027, ensuring the campus remains competitive as demand for digital services accelerates across Southern Europe.

Once Madrid 2 is fully operational, the combined capacity of the Global Switch Madrid campus will reach 70MW. The site is located on Calle Yécora, near the city center and Madrid's financial district, in an area widely known as 'Silicon Alley' due to its dense concentration of technology and internet companies. The neighborhood also boasts the highest per capita connectivity in Spain, making it a strategic location for data-intensive businesses.

Global Switch, founded in 1998 and headquartered in London, UK, currently operates 16 data centers across Europe and Asia Pacific, totaling approximately 428,000 sqm (about 4.6 million sq ft) of space. The company is majority owned by China's Jiangsu Shagang Group. With Madrid serving as Spain's primary digital and data center hub—home to 81 data centers according to Data Center Map—the addition of Madrid 2 positions Global Switch to capture growing demand from enterprises and cloud providers seeking resilient, high-capacity infrastructure in the region.

The expansion reflects broader trends in the European data center market, where rising adoption of AI and cloud services is driving demand for larger, more energy-efficient facilities. By adding substantial capacity in a mature market like Madrid, Global Switch is aligning its portfolio with long-term digital growth trajectories while strengthening its competitive foothold in Southern Europe.