For ten years since its opening, the museum in Bilbao has become an icon for many

Madrid - Plans for the implementation of ultra-modern architectural projects in historic cities often provoke disputes; one of the most prominent and extravagant buildings of the past decade, the Guggenheim Museum in the Spanish city of Bilbao, tends to support the advocates of progressive architecture. The museum's almost iconic building, designed by the famous American architect Frank O. Gehry, has, in fact, brought only positives to the city. The museum's doors opened to the public exactly ten years ago, on October 19, 1997.
When disputes arose in the 1990s over whether Gehry's futuristic project belonged in the port city of the Basque metropolis with a population of 400,000, skeptical voices were often heard. Some questioned whether it would have been better to invest an astronomical 140 million euros elsewhere, while others simply did not like the gigantic building with its titanium facade. Just a mere ten years was enough for even the most fervent opponents of the museum to lose their arguments.
Bilbao has experienced an unprecedented surge in tourist traffic, as its new landmark attracts travelers with almost magical power, similar to the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Colosseum in Rome. The exhibition spaces of the new museum are viewed by at least a million visitors each year, and 60 percent of them come from abroad. Hotel and restaurant operators, as well as other entrepreneurs, are rubbing their hands together. The city of Bilbao itself has benefited - thanks to the "titanium flower" of the new museum, it is experiencing a genuine renaissance.
"The success is actually a miracle," claims Ibon Areso, the deputy mayor of Bilbao. "Due to attacks by ETA terrorists, the Basque Country used to attract only negative feedback. Now, we finally offer a positive image. We have regained our self-esteem," he adds.
There is talk in the city of the "Guggenheim effect". Since the museum opened, the originally uninviting Bilbao, full of industrial enterprises, has transformed into a bustling metropolis, where new cafes, shops, and luxury boutiques continue to open. The Nervión River, on whose banks the building stands, is no longer a stinking sewer, but a place where thousands of people go for a pleasant stroll.
Gehry has thus become a pioneer, who first drew the lovers of modern architecture's attention to the Basque city. His work has gained admiration from experts and continues to evoke enthusiastic reactions to this day. For example, the guru of modern architecture, the late American creator Philip Johnson, labeled the Guggenheim Museum as the best construction of our time. However, Gehry himself cannot explain the phenomenal success. "I still don’t quite know how it happened," he says.
It was the courage of the city councilors who supported the controversial project that attracted a number of other renowned architects to Bilbao. Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava succeeded with the design of a new airport terminal here, British architect Norman Foster designed the local metro line, and Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza created a university building. And people now have several more reasons to visit Bilbao.
According to many, the museum building, where one can view a permanent exhibition as well as dozens of exhibitions, resembles a spaceship from a distant galaxy. The construction made of limestone, glass, and metal covered with titanium panels defies all traditional forms. The apparent external chaos of curves, arches, waves, and spirals, however, transitions inside into a solid order.
The 78-year-old Gehry's career has truly taken off due to this Spanish project. Even before that, he wasn't lacking commissions - for example, in Prague he was involved in the design of the so-called Dancing House - but now investors are literally competing for his services. Gehry will also design another museum for the Guggenheim Foundation, this time for the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. His services have also been sought by Bernard Arnault, who is preparing a project for a modern art museum in Paris. Four years ago, another of his buildings began operating, which people come to admire - the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, USA.