Madrid is sailing

Arquitectura y Construcción
España
VelaBBVA1
Stainless steel covers the main building of the BBVA new headquarters

Madrid now boasts a new architectural icon situated in the north of the capital, which alters the changing city skyline.

It is the main building of the new BBVA corporate headquarters which has been nicknamed "la Vela" (meaning "sail") the winning suggestion of a competition in which BBVA employees participated.

This is the symbol of the project, elliptically shaped although it has 36 different radii of curvature. Its 93 m height is equivalent to that of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Designed by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & De Meuron, the building will be completely finished this year.

The outer cover of the curvature is made with austenitic stainless steel grade AISI 304L, finish 2B, which is a matte finish that prevents reflective glints which could be harmful for the nearby A1 highway drivers.

Stainless envelope: Permasteelisa