The Spanish city of Bilbao, known architecturally
for its Guggenheim, has a newish architectural icon. Not that it’s replacing
Ghery’s work, just another one.
The Basque Health Department Headquarters, designed
Coll-Barreu Arquitectos stands at the intersection between two of Bilbao’s most
important streets. Its form and structure is a creative response to restrictive
zoning regulations. Vertical communication and services are grouped together
along spine within the building, around which seven open-plan office floors and
its prismatic outer shell wraps. The prism grows upwards, reducing its volume
into a tower of sorts. Here, at the apex of the building, is the meeting room.
A room with a great view. Inversely, the auditorium and its adjoining services
are located in the building’s basement. And below that three levels for
employee parking.
The building’s multifaceted facade offer multiple
views of and for the city. Depending on where one stands, the prismatic form
offers vastly different visages. And it is not just for show. The double facade
responds to zoning requirements, provides fire-resistance, acoustical
insulation, and just plain, old energy. The energy of Bilbao is reflected in
its many faces.
The city of Bilbao, Spain has a restrictive building
code that requires stepped setbacks for all multistory buildings along its main
boulevards. Coll Barreu Arquitecto’s response was to assemble a
hybrid double skin which not only created a distinctive contemporary face but
improved the building’s performance characteristics. The outer glazed skin is
composed of framed glass set to a tubular frame. The windows are separated by
several inches. Two major benefits arise from the design application: sound
levels from the busy boulevard in the heart of the city is significantly
reduced, and solar heat gain is curtailed by radiation reduction and a
breathable wall system. The separated prismatic face also allows for balconies
to wrap the structure without impeding the dynamic facade’s appearance which
reflects the ever changing environmental light conditions. Behind the facade a
traditional fenestration of double glazing wraps the two street side walls of
the facility.
