NEWS FEATURE
Renzo Piano’s elevated Centro Botín art museum opens in Santander The gallery’s two volumes are clad with an intricate ceramic skin reflecting the shifting colours of the sky and the sea
IMAGE: BELEN DE BENITO
R
enzo Piano has completed his first Spanish building; a bold new art museum on the waterfront of Santander.
Designed in collaboration with Luis
Vidal Architects, Centro Botín is formed of two dramatic volumes that cantilever over the sea. A ceramic skin composed of 270,000 circular pieces reflects light
It will become one of the centres of reference for art in Europe Inigo Sáenz de Miera, Botín Foundation
and the changing colours of the sky and the water below. The west of the
landscape architect Fernando Caruncho
museum is dedicated to art and the east
– tripling the green areas so they reach all
to cultural and educational activities.
the way to the sea. Artist Cristina Iglesias
Together the 10,285sq m complex
has created a stone, steel and water
features two large exhibition halls, an
‘sculptural intervention’ here called From
auditorium for 300 people, training
the Underground – consisting of four wells
classrooms, workshop areas, a roof
and a pool filled with underwater flora.
terrace and a seafood tavern run by Michelin star chef Jesús Sánchez.
Centro Botín is run by the Botín Foundation, which promotes regional social
Two squares to the north and west of
development. Director general Inigo Sáenz
the building provide new areas of public
de Miera described the facility as “a unique
Centro Botín is the fi rst building Italian architect
realm, with the latter forming an outdoor
place for art, and an engine generating
Renzo Piano has designed in Spain
amphitheatre for cultural activities.
economic, social and cultural wealth.”
The site is located in Santander’s historic
Three big shows are scheduled this year,
Jardines de Pereda, which has been
including a first in Spain for artist Carsten
remodeled and expanded by Piano and
Höller and a Francisco Goya exhibition. ●
THIS IMAGE & LEFT: ENRICO CANO
Visitors can ascend the building via a network of exterior walkways and staircases
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CLAD mag 2017 ISSUE 3