San Sebastian

Kursaal

Kursaal exterior

The architect Rafael Moneo designed the translucent glass cubes to resemble “two beached rocks” with the aim of “perpetuating the geography and, as far as possible, emphasizing the harmony between the natural and the artificial”.

The building holds the Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award, the most important in Europe, for “the exceptional character” of the project and its “conceptual, aesthetic, technical and constructive innovation.”

It is one of the great expressions of contemporary architecture, an artwork and distinguishing feature of San Sebastián ever since it was built, a congress centre and venue for festivals and fairs of all kinds.

The Kursaal is the result of an ambitious project thanks to which San Sebastián and Gipuzkoa now have a modern, innovative infrastructure for holding congresses and cultural activities.