The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain is seen as one of the most important buildings since 1980 (World Architecture Survey). Since opening, the “deconstructivist” architectural feat has hosted more than 25 million visitors – more than 35 times the population of Bilbao itself. This phenomenon has become known as the “Bilbao effect”.
New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp called it “the greatest building of our time” shortly after it opened in 1997. It’s situated on the waterfront – by the Nervión River.
The venue hosts corporate events, mainly across three areas – the Atrium, Auditorium and Hall. It’s quite arguable that the Guggenheim is one of the most interesting venues for corporate events in Europe.
Guggenheim Museum, Zona Norte (on the Nervión River)Why is the building so interesting, and what does it offer to event organisers?
What makes the building so interesting?
The museum was designed using fighter jet software. It is the first major building to be fully designed with aerospace CAD (computer-aided design) software. It was built with 33,000 titanium plates.
Architect Frank Gehry used a software system called CATIA, developed by French defence company Dassault to design fighter jets. The same software is used by Boeing, Airbus and NASA. This form of architecture was virtually unheard of in the early 1990s.
Frank Gehry’s team adopted CATIA because conventional architectural tools couldn’t model the museum’s radically curved, non-Euclidean forms (essentially geometry on a curved surface instead of a flat one). The complex geometry required millimetre-precision.
Guggenheim Museum exteriorThis move essentially revolutionised architectural design and paved the way for what became known as “parametric architecture” – now widely used in futuristic buildings by firms like Zaha Hadid Architects.
The Guggenheim Bilbao is also practical – not just a visual novelty. Due to the building’s titanium cladding and thermal insulation, not heating or cooling is needed.
What does the venue offer for events?
The museum is home to three primary spaces available for hire: the Atrium, the Auditorium and the Hall.
Atrium
The Atrium, GuggenheimThe Atrium is the centrepiece of the museum. Towering 55m in height and spanning nearly 900sqm, it connects directly to the galleries and terraces. With capacity for up to 800 people standing (or 400 seated), it’s frequently used for formal dinners, cocktail receptions, and award ceremonies.
The Atrium, Guggenheim being used for a presentationAuditorium
For presentations or conferences, the Auditorium offers a purpose-built space, equipped with full audiovisual technology and its own entrance, separate from the main galleries.
Auditorium, Guggenheim MuseumHall
Adjacent to both is the Hall, a glass-walled lobby space of around 300sqm. While smaller, it is often used for pre-function gatherings, networking or launch events (particularly when paired with the larger Atrium or Auditorium). The Hall offers views into the structure’s winding interior corridors and titanium design.
The Hall, Guggenheim MuseumThe design is the draw
The building’s architecture is itself part of the draw. Gehry’s design was actually inspired by fish, and the “flowing” form of swimming.
In fact, the Guggenheim Museum was almost never built. The project faced strong local opposition and political hurdles. It only went ahead after a pivotal public vote and financial backing from the Basque government.
Huge spider sculpture at Guggenheim MuseumFor more information or availability, visit: https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/en/corporate-support/corporate-events.
