Estacion Maritima de Algorta/Getxo

In the province of Bizkaia in northern Spain lies Bilbao - the capital of the province and most important industrial city and harbour of the Basque country. The harbour was mostly used for commercial purposes during the 19th and 20th century. However, after the completion of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997, the city became increasingly attractive for tourists. As a result, the harbour quarter Getxo of Bilbao was called at by an increasing number of cruise liners. In order to meet the rising numbers of passengers and luggage, a new passenger terminal for cruise liners was built in Getxo. The main focus of Bilbao´s Harbour Authority was to construct a terminal with perfect efficiency, safety and service. The building consists of two main floors with a mezzanine floor and comprises a check-in area, a tourist information point and a waiting area. Two separated areas are set up for the sending and receiving of luggage. A 169 m flexible gateway provides passengers direct access to their ships.

Taking its inspiration from the surroundings, the exterior of the 15 m high building is mainly characterized by two architonic features: on one hand, the structure of the support pillars in their "V" shape, which creates a relatio to naval architecture. Furthermore, a slightly undulating zinc roof creates the illusion of a slight wave motion. Lindner supplied about 2,000 sqm of metal hook-on ceilings that support this design, for which they needed to be custom made with a slight curvature.