Process: Auditorium and Congress Centre in Plasencia
- Frank Kaltenbach
Twelve years after the competition, on the Way of St James between Seville and Salamanca, the congress centre in Plasencia has been opened. Only the two cathedrals and the bullfighting arena are of greater significance as public buildings there. The centre is meant to link the northernmost city of the Extremadura more closely with the swelling tourist boom in this structurally weak region. From a distance, the enigmatic white luminous volume forms a striking feature outside the city, attracting curious visitors. The centre stands on a minimal plan area directly thrust into the protected bush landscape. This helped minimize the costs of eleborate foundations and made the low-budget project financially feasible.
