The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is honoring the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, designed by Gehry Partners LLP, with its Twenty-five Year Award.
AIA’s Twenty-five Year Award is conferred on a building that has set a precedent for the last 25-35 years and continues to set standards of excellence for its architectural design and significance.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao redefined and revitalized Spain’s Basque region while supporting a wide range of artists and their work at unprecedented scales.
Conceived at the pivotal moment between analog and digital practice, the museum has been an integral part of urban life in Bilbao since opening in 1997. The idea for the museum began in 1991 when the director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation approached Gehry Partners LLP, with the notion of developing a museum in Bilbao’s industrial district.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao stands as an enduring testament to creativity, innovation, and collaboration between three entities – architect Frank O. Gehry; client Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation; and host city Bilbao – who all worked together to create something extraordinary out of necessity and opportunity. The result is a timeless architectural masterpiece that continues to inspire people around the world today almost 25 years after its completion.
