BilbaoArte and the Aula de Arquitectura are once again collaborating to develop the course BILBAO 1876-2026. A Century and a Half of the Ensanche Project. Taught by Patxi García de la Torre, the course will take place in February, March and April.
The registration deadline is 3 February (registration will remain open for subsequent months).
This year, 2026, marks the 150th anniversary of the Bilbao City Expansion Project, with a century and a half having passed between 1876 and 2026. To mark the occasion, the Architecture Classroom, in collaboration with BilbaoArte, will be running its 27th course from February to April: Bilbao 1876-2026. A century and a half of the Expansion Project.
Contents and sections
- Bilbao’s Golden Age, from 1875 to 1925, spanning half a century of urban, architectural, artistic and social transformation.
- The 1876 Bilbao Expansion Project (Pablo Alzola, engineer, Severino Achúcarro, architect, Ernesto Hoffmeyer, engineer). A new city in the Abando valley, with the annexations of Begoña and Deusto.
- The River Canalisation Project (Evaristo Churruca, engineer).
- The First Generation of the Expansion (architects, engineers, master builders, stonemasons, sculptors, painters, etc.).
- The Bilbao School of Arts and Crafts, former Atxuri Civil Hospital, now the Emilio Campuzano Integrated Vocational Training Centre. Origin of the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum.
Aula de Arquitectura
The Aula de Arquitectura (Architecture Classroom) is an architectural culture project by the García de la Torre architects studio, which has been developing research and dissemination projects on Bilbao’s architecture since 1986, now 40 years ago.
More information at:
COURSE DETAILS
Title: Bilbao 1876-2026. A century and a half of the expansion project
By Patxi García de la Torre
Location: BilbaoArte (Urazurrutia, 32).
Dates: February, March and April 2026, two days a week, Wednesdays (theory) and Thursdays (street walk), from 6pm to 8pm, two hours each day. February: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26. March: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 25, 26. April: 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30. 16 hours per month. Full course 48 hours.
Schedule: Theory classes (Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m.) at the Art House Zinema in Bilbao Arte, with PowerPoint presentations. Street walks (Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m.), reviewing what was explained the previous day.
Places: 25 people
The enrolment fee is €75/month. 50% discount for current BilbaoArte users. Free for current artists in residence at BilbaoArte.
Registration deadline: until 3 February (registration will remain open for subsequent months)
How to register: Via bilbaoarte@bilbao.eus (indicating in the subject line: course ‘Bilbao 1876-2026’). To do so, you must complete the registration form.