A grand ceremony marking the reopening of the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum was held on Monday, 5 October. The museum has completed a significant renovation that adds a new structure named the Agravitas. This new building hovers like a bridge, spanning 55 metres over the original museum complex while leaving the historic buildings mostly untouched except for necessary restoration.
Restoring Access and Creating a New Plaza
The new structure creates an enclosed plaza that serves as the social heart of the museum. This area is a vital part of the ground-level public spaces that are freely accessible to everyone. For the first time in decades, the museum reopened its original 1940s entrance fronting the city square. The uppermost level houses a vast new column-free gallery.
Norman Support, Founder and Executive Chairman, Support + Partners, stated that the project bridges the past, present, and future. He emphasized that the design respects the site’s storied history while responding to contemporary art. The design reinforces the museum’s role as a major civic attraction by increasing permeability at street level. This connects the 1945 building, the 1970s extension, and a second intervention from the early 2000s.
Reconnecting the City Center
By streamlining movement linking the addition to the historic structures, Plaza Arriaga has been restored to an open, uninterrupted space. This open area now serves as a distinct gathering point for exhibitions and performances. At its heart stands Francisco Durrio’s sculptural fountain, honoring the famed Bilbao composer Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga. The bright atrium beneath the extension showcases works by Richard Serra, Pablo Palazuelo and Eduardo Chillida.
The new extension increases the area of the original buildings by 60 percent. It introduces 2,300 square metres of flexible exhibition area on two levels to accommodate a wide range of exhibits. The space also includes facilities for educational programmes, workshops, and office spaces. The structure functions as a bridge spanning 55 metres between two sets of deep V-shaped columns. It cantilevers over the other museum buildings to strengthen the relationship with Doña Casilda de Iturrizar park.
Materials and Sustainability
The structure reflects Bilbao’s manufacturing past, employing steel that was fabricated in the region. A novel load-bearing concept opens additional rooms for offices, displays and newly added public terraces for sculpture. From these platforms visitors can enjoy striking panoramas of the city, arranged to follow the street pattern. On the top floor lies an expansive, unsupported gallery covering 1,300 m². Adjustable skylights admit daylight that can be modulated to suit any exhibition, from bright illumination to total darkness.
The project showcases a strong sustainability strategy. The new extension’s self-shading façade contributes to this effort, along with the use of green low carbon steel. The roof contains over 500 square metres of photovoltaic panels. These panels generate enough energy to cover 50 percent of the museum’s thermal demand. The existing buildings have been upgraded to meet modern standards, significantly increasing their lifespans.
Donations and Collaboration
The reopening has been supported by gifts from several donors. The Arango family and Patricia Phelps de Cisneros have made significant contributions by lending important works from their collections. They have also donated key pieces to the museum’s permanent holdings. Norman and Elena Support have presented Book Stack (2007) by Anselm Kiefer, and two sculptures by Anthony Caro – Toronto Flats (1974) and Low Line Flats (1974) – to the museum on permanent loan.