Renzo Piano, a 1998 Pritzker Prize-winning Italian architect, was responsible for the design of the Botín Center (Santander), inaugurated in 2017, a project in which Industrias Metálicas Anro collaborated as the producer of the building’s main steel structure (1,400 tons of steel).
He graduated from the Politecnico di Milano in 1964, a period in which he began experimenting with disruptive designs that we were to observe in future projects. Furthermore, during this time, he would be strongly influenced by his friend and teacher, Jean Prouvé, from whom he would develop his unique construction technique.
In 2012, the Botín Foundation, an organization that promotes the social development of the community of Cantabria, hired the services of this awarded architect for the construction of a space that promoted the expected paradigm change in the community.
The exceptional location of the Center combines the memorable Pereda Gardens with the Bay of Santander, all integrated in the center of the Cantabrian capital. Suspended on columns and pillars, the building’s cantilevered configuration over the water stands out, without touching land, as if it were a dock. It is also divided into two spaces dedicated to art exhibitions and cultural activities, respectively.
In short, the Botín Art Center has become one of the leading spaces in the city of Santander. Hosting exhibitions, conferences and expositions of all kinds, the Center has contributed to the cultural dynamization of the community since its inauguration. As a producer of the metal structure of the building, Industrias Metálicas Anro is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with one of today’s most prestigious architects. We look forward to future collaborations.