Biblioteca Foral Bilbao. An intellectual centre with the “Bilbao-effect”.

In the past twenty years, the Basque region in general and Bilbao in particular, have turned into one of Europe’s most progressive regions. The northern area of the Iberian Peninsula, which was long associated mainly with political conflict, has recently moved into the public spotlight in quite another context in a change triggered largely by the so-called “Bilbao effect”. The transition of a city characterized by economic depression and crisis into one of Spain’s most affluent service metropolises has been achieved in exciting fashion and international star architects such as Santiago Calatrava, Sir Normen Foster, Rafael Moneo and not least, Frank O. Gehry have all made major contributions to this process.

The main library of Biscay province, the Biblioteca Foral, is located in the heart of Bilbao and along with the Zuri-Zuri Bridge, the Museo de Bellas Artes, the Guggenheim Museum, the Logroño Bodega Alcorta and the Elciego - Bodegas Marqués de Riscál numbers among its architectural highlights.

Realized by GIG:

• Climate facade, ventilation
• 165 m² of glass lamellas as a double facade
• 350 m² of insulation glass lamellas for ventilation