Nervión River Transformation Project

Description

Bilbao is the main city of a metropolitan area that stretches to the mouth of the Nervión estuary. This waterway has historically connected a region with a long industrial history, whose banks were once occupied by heavy ports that isolated them from the city life.  In the 1970s, the area began to de-industrialise, leading to the need to rethink the role of the estuary. The planning of the new riverfront is an example of how an ambitious urban project that brings together public and private stakeholders can transform a metropolitan area. In just a few years, Bilbao has gone from being a city in decline to a model of success that other cities around the world want to emulate. Although the so-called ‘Bilbao effect’ is associated with the Guggenheim Museum, the truth is that the unparalleled success of this building would never have been possible without the context of the river’s urban plan and the implementation of a virtuous circle from which the city and its suburbs continue to benefit. This highly complex and multi-faceted plan is based on improving the infrastructure along the entire estuary axis, with a transport plan that includes a metro system that will reach the coast. The conversion of the riverside industrial sites has been carried out with a view to achieving a balance of uses, including commercial and residential, with particular attention to the quality of the new public spaces associated with the estuary. Another important element of the plan is a commitment to culture as a revitalising element. Emblematic projects such as the aforementioned Guggenheim, but also other facilities that make use of the industrial heritage, have been key to the success of the Renovation Plan.