The tower Ibredrola de Cesar Pelli, a símbolo nuevo para Bilbao.
Esta semana pasado por he Bilbao on rumbo a aeropuerto. Movido por la curiosidad me he acercado to área de Abandoibarra para ver los cambios que se han Producido recientemente en esta area central de la ciudad. There I found the imposing presence in the middle of the valley of the new Iberdrola Tower, that stands alone on a sea of contemporary buildings.
The estuary of Bilbao encased in a winding valley between mountains and green hills has always seemed a privileged location that has resulted in a unique urban structure. The city has an undeniable personality that is mainly due to that delightful setting that combines more or less flat areas with steep slopes and in the center the presence of water. It's a special geographical personality extends to the way of life of its inhabitants, the locals.
The new space Euskadi with the integration of new architecture on
In recent decades, in this cluster of suburbs, and productive areas is the Bilbao metropolitan area has focused on the transfer of port facilities at the mouth of the estuary and some old factories to the outer periphery. A concentrated effort has allowed the transformation of the central part of the city around the old shipyard Abandoibarra, on the left and with his representative nineteenth widening.
There has been a far-reaching urban metamorphosis, which has resulted in the recovery of the most significant of the city, a place that today is bustling with visitors. The initial presence of the Guggenheim Museum has been gradually complemented with other architectural pieces that make up a collection of buildings arranged on a landscaped Skin, designed on the dirty surface previously occupied by factories, train tracks and outdoor stores iron pieces and detritus of all kinds.
It was a planned operation with efficiency over several decades. It, the locals have managed to organize collectively in a complex manner to undertake risky ventures that have, generally, remarkable success. Be starting from a position of remarkable economic and urban decay, caused by the obsolescence of some industrial production activities that were not competitive in a global environment that favors the reduction of costs and the transfer of production to low-wage countries. Existing degradation affect the environmental quality of the estuary itself reached completely transform an open sewer, right at the center of this space urban Metropolitano. The problem also extended to a particular environment crushed by the presence of roads and bridges that isolated the zone from the rest of the urban fabric.
Abandoibarra tram in central road axis area
Transforming Abandoibarra has relied on the establishment of specific management institutions, who have promoted and directed economic and spatial performances, as the strategic plan Bilbao Ria 2000. Through these instruments would analyze the opportunities for activity and spirit back to the city, deciding to opt for the enhancement of cultural entertainment as a catalyst for renewal the.
The left bank of the estuary of Bilbao with new buildings constructed in recent years. In the background, Guggenheim Museum
The plan Bilbao Ria 2000 initially bet renewing water quality, eliminating much of urban discharges producing spoilage, then positive transformation can begin their margins. Along with this would be proposed infrastructure other important actions such as the implementation of a metro system for the city, whose image and more architectural formalization was given to the British team Foster Associates.
The renewal Abandoibarra area, be part of that strategy expands, that would build on a development plan, approved 1993. Plan which would act on 300 hectares and is the result of an international competition of ideas I extend won by a team led by American architect Cesar Pelli. That plan would define a vast green carpet divided into several large city blocks on which it could place public facilities and buildings representative with versatility. Meandering parallel to the shore would provide an axis road and public transport would be connecting and defining the overall accessibility. Integration with the expansion of the city would be defined by other elements, as a core urban, Mazarredo Avenue and a large roundabout formalized in amphitheater, which was then Euskadi Square, romantic park next to Doña Casilda. The plan would also support integration Abandoibarra the other side of the estuary, maintaining the existing bridges and Salve Deusto. Later, would go adding new links, Euskalduna like Zubia.
That would allow urban approach the successive integration of different and varied parts built over two decades. In the beginning it would launch a first-level cracking operation linked to the Guggenheim museum, next to the location that the Congress there Euskalduna, would have an impressive international success. It has meant the launch of a new economy that has finally thrown the city economically and its region
Floor plan of the new office tower company Iberdrola
Nowadays, the area has been largely completed and has been gradually filling new buildings, with varying architectural efficiency. This is the case of the Library of the University of Deusto, Rafael Moneo, Zubiarte shopping center Robert Stern and Mexican Sheraton Ricardo Legorreta.
A latest addition has been the tower utility Iberdrola. A project of Cesar Pelli presiding Euskadi Square, marking its most significant axis with its imposing presence of more than forty plants. In an urban landscape flattened, characterized by uniformly low heights, stands as an imposing mass that defines the new center of the city in the landscape. While other cities are promoted agglomerations of buildings and skyscrapers in height on commercial and business centers, in Bilbao has opted for a single lighthouse named the company over the city meant.
The sensation of the new exhibition is uneven Abandoibarra. The result has been the product urban tensions between constructive opportunities and idea management nineteenth. Today, presents a different set of actions that tend to autism and do not coordinate well with each other despite the forecast future green layer unifying. It is a widespread problem in contemporary urbanism, the contradiction between the pursuit of an individualized expression of the architectures and the need to formalize a coherent idea of city.
Very grateful for your article after your visit to Bilbao , after a long period without news until our recent meeting in Santander .
Some comments urgency , Uribitarte strictly as neighbor , upstream , between the Guggenheim and Bilbao City Bridge :
1 .- Never find mention ,in any publication ,the Municipal Architect speaking on setting Uribitarte Walk on Water Consortium interceptor, the two elements mentioned , for radical transformation of obsolete riverboat, whose activity slid downstream to the Outer Port : Elijah Mas Serra .
2 .- In the "Guide Sestao Urban Architecture" was documented authoring Line Station 2 Subway in Urbinaga-Sestao, Manterola ICCP .
Also , in the "Urban Architecture Guide Barakaldo", intervention of architects Gipuzkoa Pagola & Uzcanga , Authors identical Station Line 2 , in Ansio - Barakaldo , next to BEC .
And in the "Urban Architecture Guide Erandio" , forthcoming , referenced Line Station 1 at such location Don Paco Oíza .
According to Norman Foster widespread attribution of the image of the Metro - Bilbao , more than lucky , with contributions from other participants other ,usually ninguneados .
3 . - In Abandoibarra , as rebotica , You can find everything ,starting with the definition of the , AVNAU answered by through taken into consideration alternatives , fifteen years before .
As for architectures , the recent residential building Rob Krier , almost reconciles us Zubiarte Mall , Robert Stern , to my personal judgment , clear : comments heard at the lights of the Plaza Euskadi are the most laudatory and , mostly , the detriment of the two neighboring buildings Ferrater Team .
Dear Manu:
My text is a reflection of what happens to those who see things from outside: What we did not know the internal kitchen and only know about reality so just be publicized, both policy-makers and professionals in the media.
It is a problem we have everywhere.
Promoters hype prefer always the shining stars of architecture, which gives television, newspapers and magazines- a job well done but the nearby anonymous.
I do not know how you can change these things but we must try.
Thanks for the information.