BILBAO SPORTS ARENA MIRIBILLA. BILBAO
The building is divided into two masses, with the larger of the two on the upper level which houses a basketball court with a seating capacity of 8,500 spectators. Its exterior imitates a forest, which is intended to visually blend in with the adjacent park. Beneath it sits the smaller of the two masses, whose exterior simulates a rocky mass. Located in Miribilla, Bilbao Sports Arena opened its doors to the public after three years of construction. Housing a sports centre, the main characteristic of this 30,800 sq. m. municipal building is functionality, which includes a swimming pool and gymnasiums for use by the residents of Miribilla.
The central court of the upper mass will be home to the local basketball team, Bizkaia Bilbao Basket, with a seating capacity of 8,500 spectators. The facilities will also be available for all types of events when not in use by the basketball team. Furthermore, this court has the added attraction of being able to be divided into three smaller courts for multi-purpose sports events, such as smaller basketball and football matches. The total of 25,985 sq. m. of surface area contains changing rooms for professional athletes and large-scale events, along with the standard infirmary and drug testing area, storage space, and other service facilities.
Spiral staircase Sports Hall
Multipurpose room
Swimming pool Changing room
The Sports Centre, with its total surface area of 4,823 sq. m., on the other hand, is equipped with a six lane, 26 m. long swimming-pool, along with a smaller one for young children. There are also different changing rooms for individuals, for groups, disabled people, technicians, and so on. Other facilities include a 520 sq. m. multifunctional gymnasium, which is dividable into three locales, whether it be for administration, monitors, or similar.
Patio access facilities
With the goal of integrating the Bilbao Sports Arena into the Miribilla area, construction was modelled on the surrounding natural environment. From using materials such as stone elements, reminding one of the rock extracted from the mines of this area until the last gallery closed in 1995, to the steel columns that provide support to the whole building, as well as the ornamental external elements imitating the trees found in this neighbourhood of Bilbao, the design and construction is in perfect harmony with its milieu.