Construction work started
in 1994 and the building was inaugurated on February 1999. The Conference
and Concert Hall will enhance both musical performances and congress activities
as Bilbao not only attracts heavy commercial tourism but also generates
a very large amount of business through its International Exhibition Hall,
one of Spain's leading exhibition centers.
The new Conference &
Concert Hall has been designed to blend into the environment (its site
was formerly a shipyard) and fine materials will be combined with an architectural
design resembling the hull of a vessel.
The total area of the
project is of 25,000 m2, in which will be housed a main auditorium with
seating for 2,200, three smaller theaters, 8 rehearsals rooms, 7 conference
rooms, as well as complementary facilities (cafeteria, restaurant, shopping
arcade, etc.).
METROPOLITAN
BILBAO