El Palacio De Exposiciones Y Congresos
Located on the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, Oviedo is a city with a remarkable architectural heritage. This project consists of a conference and exhibition center, two office buildings, a five-star hotel, an underground shopping center, and parking garage. The Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos Ciudad de Oviedo was designed to provide the people of Oviedo with a strong, modern landmark that speaks to the projection of the city.
This new conference and exhibition center will host congressional sessions in the building’s main auditorium. There are also sixteen additional rooms for seminars, press briefs, and conferences as well as approximately 3200 square meters of event hall and exhibition space.
The new conference and exhibition center was conceived as a singular, sculptural element located over a great concourse. It’s elliptical shape, which is covered by a layer of glass and steel, was designed to aid in the building’s acoustics and will provide maximum sound quality during concerts and other musical events.
The main entrance of the conference and exhibition center is located in the north and is covered by the cantilever of steel ribs belonging to Calatrava’s signature brise-soleil. This cantilevering roof and facade structure with operable elements will adjust the light inlet inside the building’s main auditorium.
Surrounding the new conference and exhibition centers are a five-star hotel and two office buildings. The hotel, which is placed in the southern area of the site and the two adjacent office buildings form a U-shaped structure that frames the central building. The facade of these buildings features parallel strips of white steel and glass that emphasize the strong horizontal character of the design. In order to retain maximum space for public landscaping, the hotel and office buildings have been raised approximately 20 meters above ground.
The elevation of this U-shaped structure, which is supported by steel beams, maximizes the use of space and enables the grounds to be entirely accessible to the public. Located directly beneath the new conference and exhibition center is a shopping mall made of reinforced concrete columns and floors and a three-story parking garage for the public.
Project Info
Architects: Santiago Calatrava
Location: Asturias, Spain
Year: 2011
Type: Mixed-use, Office building, Hotel, Retail
