Isozaki Atea

Identification

Facts

• Atea is Gate in the Basque language, and the project is intended to be the entrance to Bilbao.
• The original project had the towers set at 26 floors but was revised due to pressure from neighbouring residents.
• This will be the highest residential mixed-use building in the Basque Country surpassing Torre Unzaga.
• In total 254 residential units are being built in this complex divided in five different buildings.
• 3,753 square meters will be dedicated to retail space and 1,360 square meters for office space. A center for the elderly is also expected to be built.
• At the beginning of the 1990s there was a proposal by Argentaria financial company to build a tower in excess of 200 meters at this site, Torre Argentaria. The proposal was rejected by the authorities because "it was too high".
• Total cost of the complex estimated at $91 million euros.
• This project will hold the highest residential floor in Bilbao, surpassing Etxetxuko Dorreak.
• It will in 2007 be surpassed by Bolueta I as the city's tallest residential buildings.
• Unlike the two towers, the low rise buildings will have a brick facade.
• The site is occupied by "Deposito Franco de Bilbao". Part of three of the facades are going to be retained and integrated into the new project.
• There has been a lot of discussion regarding this project. The buildings are located in a zone where there aren't many tall buildings, so people from neighbouring flats were opposed to them.
• The nearby Zubizuri Bridge designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava was connected with Isozaki Atea I. The footbridge was opened in February 2007.