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Home , Galician culture, Galician Literature Day, Galicia (Spain), Peter Eisenman, Wolf Prize in Arts

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8 GAIÁS, CITY OF CULTURE 10 ARCHITECTURE 12 THE CITY OF CULTURE IN FIGURES 13 GAIÁS CENTRE MUSEUM 14 LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE OF 15 CINC. NEW TECHNOLOGIES BUILDING 16 GAIÁS CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP (CEM) 17 HEJDUK TOWERS AND OUTDOOR SPACES 18 FOREST OF GALICIA AND GREEN AREAS 19 CULTURAL PROGRAM 20 EVENTS 21 MAP 6 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

GAIÁS, CITY OF CULTURE

The City of Culture presents itself as a driver to promote innovative projects in the field of culture, entrepreneurship and technology, and a point to connect Galicia to the rest of the world. Built on the top of Mount Gaiás, one of the hills surrounding de Compostela, this city that seems to emerges from the earth stands as an of modern Galicia, in dialogue with the centuries- GAIÁS CENTRE LIBRARY AND old Compostela, a World Heritage site and MUSEUM ARCHIVE OF destination of the Way of Saint James. Its beauty and versatility GALICIA render this the perfect venue They preserve the bibliographical Open to the public since the year 2011, the to host temporary exhibitions, and documentary memory of City of Culture of Galicia was inaugurated performing arts shows and large- Galicia, and they act as the head scale events. of the public network of libraries by the then Prince and Princess of , and archives. now their majesties King Felipe de Borbón and Queen Letizia, of . This powerful infrastructure, surrounded by nature areas, houses these four buildings: 7 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

GAIÁS CENTRE CENTRE FOR GREEN AREAS FUNDACIÓN CIDADE FOR ENTREPRE- CULTURAL On the slopes of Mount Gaiás DA CULTURA DE NEURSHIP INNOVATION grows the Forest of Galicia, with GALICIA over nine thousand native trees. It hosts the Galician Agency for (CINC) The complex is managed by The Literary Garden, Lake Park Cultural Industries (AGADIC), the Foundation for the City of Headquarters of the Foundation and Whale Park offer green which aids in the development Culture of Galicia, a public sector for the City of Culture and of spaces for visitors to enjoy. of the cultural sector, a space for the Agency for Technological institution dependent on the co-working, a business incubator Modernisation of Galicia Galician Department for Culture. and an area for state-of-the-art (Amtega), centralising the The presidency of honour of the technology enterprises. technical services of the Galician Board of Trustees corresponds Administration. to the president of the Xunta. Its cultural program is supported by the Gaiás Fund for Galician Business, comprised of financial contributions by major Galician companies. 8 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

ARCHITECTURE

The Xunta called for an International the architect overlapped this grid on the top Architecture Award in 1999 in order to build of the hill. Starting from this concept, the the City of Culture of Galicia. Twelve proposals original project consisted of series of buildings by renowned national and international connected by means of streets and a plaza as architect teams were submitted, and finally, a point of union evoking the motif of a eleven entered the competition after Santiago shell, the symbol of . Calatrava withdrew. The participants were: Ricardo Bofill, , Manuel Gallego Jorreto, Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer, Steve PETER EISENMAN Holl, , , Juan Navarro Baldeweg, , Dominique A renowned international architect and a Perrault and César Portela. The design by member of , Eisenman’s Eisenman Architects was selected, according career has earned him the Golden Lion at the to the jury, due to its conceptual and visual Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2004, the uniqueness and y its exceptional attunement and the Medal of Honour of with the site. the American Institute of Architects in New York. As a teacher, he has taught at some of the Eisenman conceived the project as a city world’s most prestigious universities, such as in itself. Inspired by the historic centre of Harvard, Cambridge, Princeton and Yale. Compostela and the five pilgrimage routes in the medieval city leading to the , 9 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal 10 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

IN FIGURES Each year

cultural activities

participants in cultural events

activities to Since the opening foster entrepreneurship

More than two million visitors participants in since the opening activities at the 2M Centre for Entrepreneurship people working at the complex Support to 100 entrepreneurship 500 projects

business, institutional and group events

attendees to external events

participants in didactic visits 11 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

GAIÁS CENTRE MUSEUM

The 43-metre high façade, like a powerful wave cultural institutions, including the MoMA in New of glass and quartzite rising to the sky, and the York, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the architectural strength of its inner spaces render Amsterdam Rijksmuseum, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, this building a work of art in itself. Its programming the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, The Prado, Thyssen- combines exhibitions, shows, performing arts and Bornemisza and Reina Sofía museums in , family entertainment; as well as other large-scale among other important centres in Spain and abroad. events and trade fairs. As well as exhibitions, the museum also hosts The aim of its programming is to provide visibility to performing arts shows, such as ‘Escenas do Cambio. Galicia’s cultural and artistic expressions, connecting Festival de Inverno de Teatro, Danza e Arte en Acción; Galician creators to the rest of the world. Ever since and WOMEX, the most important world music festival; it opened in 2012, it has hosted exhibitions such as as well as Spin, the largest university entrepreneurship ‘ Petrea’, ‘Orinoco. Journey to a lost world’, event for Spain, and America. ‘Fresh Water. When Water Becomes Art’, ‘Codices. Famous artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Noa, Gregory Medieval Jewels from Galician ’, ‘The Porter, Silvia Pérez, Cruz, Chick Corea, Carlos Núñez, Way. The Origin’,’ Con-fío en Galicia. Dressing Galicia, Cristina Pato and the Real Filharmonía de Galicia, Dressing the World’, ‘José Suárez. Living Eyes That among many others, have performed at the Gaiás Think’, ‘CineGalicia 25’, ‘Camilo José Cela (1916-2016). Centre Museum. The centennial of a Nobel Prize’, and ‘From Tree to Chair’. Despite its short history as of yet, the Gaiás Centre Museum has collaborated with prestigious international 12 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE OF GALICIA

Head of the network of Galician public libraries, the archive system. Its mission is to receive, guard Library of Galicia gathers, preserves and disseminates and make available to citizens all public or private all the bibliographical heritage of the Community and documents in any type of format which must be facilitates its access, either on-site or in a virtual format. preserved for their value. In addition, the Archive of A key element for cultural activities related to books, Galicia safeguards documents issued from the activities reading and libraries, it functions as a legal deposit, of the Xunta and its dependent bodies, ensuring citizen preserving a copy in its installations of everything access thereto. published in Galician, Galicia or by Galician authors. The building of the Library and Archive of Galicia offers Its modern facilities make it the right place to a study room open to the public, equipped with a preserve high-quality documentary and bibliographical powerful wifi network and a digital consultation service. collections, such as the cultural legacy left by Isaac In addition, it hosts the ‘Xosé Neira Vilas’ auditorium Pardo, works and prints by , Basilio in which an extensive programming of events is Losada’s library, works by Carlos Casares and the developed centred on the letters. complete Cartography of Galicia, among other The Library and Archive of Galicia are also home to collections. It regularly organises exhibitions and research and working teams from institutions such as provides its facilities as a showcase to give visibility the Real Academia Galega or the Consello da Cultura to prestigious bibliographic collections, such as the de Galicia. incunabula of . The Library of Galicia shares this building with the Archive of Galicia, a reference for the Community’s 13 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

CINC. NEW TECHNOLOGIES BUILDING

This building houses the headquarters of the policies in the field of information and communication Foundation for City of Culture of Galicia, the institution technologies and innovation and technological responsible for the management of the complex, and development. also hosts the Agency for Technological Modernisation This ‘technopole’ in the City of Culture is completed by of Galicia (AMTEGA), which makes it the ‘technopole’ the presence of leading companies which have set up of Mount Gaiás. units to develop innovative projects on Mount Gaiás. The CINC operates as the ‘digital heart’ of Galicia, With an area of 7,500 square meters, the CINC the point from which a team of 200 technologists building consists of seven levels which house offices, manage Galicia’s digital administration. The Integral a staff cafeteria, two multi-purpose rooms and a large Data Processing Centre of the conference hall for multiple events. (CPDI) is located on the building’s premises, serving 1,400 educational centres, 600 social and healthcare centres, 322 judicial entities, 1,500 pharmacy offices, more than 90,000 public employees, as well as other administrations and universities of Galicia. AMTEGA, which is dependent on the Presidency of the Xunta, is the public agency whose basic objectives are the definition, development and implementation of 14 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP (CEM)

This building offers a creative environment for entrepreneurship event in Spain, the TEDxGalicia talks entrepreneurs to develop their projects with the and the Emprende Gaiás-Sixto Seco awards. advice of experts and a network of professional The CEM building also houses a technological area contacts. The City of Culture offers them a mentoring where companies such as Telefónica, HP and Vodafone and accompaniment program to implement business are developing pioneering projects in the area of models and identify opportunities, providing financial creative and social entrepreneurship. advice, networking and showrooms. In order to adapt to the different needs, the CEM offers two formulas: AGADIC: Cultural Industries - Coworking Gaiás. It offers entrepreneurs a place to The CEM also hosts the headquarters of the work in individual stations. Coworking favours the use Galician Agency for Cultural Industries (AGADIC), a of synergies, alliances, and generates a dynamic and public institution that aims to promote the business cooperative space that fosters the implementation of community in the cultural sector. This body develops projects. actions aimed at providing greater stability to the sector, optimising business management in the - Gaiás Incubator. Aimed at entrepreneurs with production and distribution processes, boosting the fledgeling business structures that start to need internal market and promoting the outward projection further spaces. of . In addition to services aimed at entrepreneurs located in Gaiás, the CEM aims to become a focus to stimulate entrepreneurial culture in Galicia, to which purpose it organizes a specific program throughout the year, with events such as Spin, the largest university 15 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

HEJDUK TOWERS AND OUTDOOR SPACES

Inspired in the historic centre of Compostela, the City With its own personality, there is also the work referred of Culture is articulated through streets, arcades and to by visitors as ‘The Ball of Books’. It is the intervention a large central plaza that communicates the entire called ‘Singularidade’, by Alicia Martín, installed originally complex. In this environment, the Hejduk Towers as a temporary exhibit and, with the passage of time, deserve special mention. They were designed in 1992 eventually becoming one of the symbols of the City of by the architect (New York, 1929-2000) Culture. Made up of thousands of books, this sculptural as botanical towers for Compostela’s Belvís Park, work seeks, as conceived by its author, to reflect on but they were never actually built there. After Hejduk the excess of information lived in today’s society. The passed away, Peter Eisenman decided to recover the piece was rehabilitated in 2016 with the collaboration of project of his friend and colleague in The New York the Provincial Council of A Coruña. Five – the group that best represents the spirit of architectural Neo-rationalism - and proposed they be erected in the City of Culture. Currently, these towers are used as an unconventional exhibition space, and they have hosted interventions by artists such as Irma Álvarez-Laviada, Sonia Navarro, Félix Fernández, Ana Soler, Alejandra Sampedro and Pamen , together with the projects of the winners of the contest held each year within the framework of the Meeting of Young Artists. 16 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

FOREST OF GALICIA AND GREEN AREAS

On the slopes of Mount Gaiás grows the Galician In addition to the Forest of Galicia, the City of Culture Forest, in which more than nine thousand birches, has other green areas, such as Lake Park and the , oaks, willows and other native Atlantic trees Literary Garden, dedicated to Galician writers and were planted between 2015 and 2017. This green area poets. On the outside, the complex offers original offers a network of paths lit with a low-consumption spaces for children’s leisure, such as the Whale Park, LED system, with beautiful views and viewpoints to with a huge cetacean inspired by the marine monsters watch the sunset over Santiago. of the Galician artist Urbano Lugrís. 17 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

CULTURAL PROGRAM

The City of Culture develops a cultural program special attention to supporting emerging artists, with throughout the year directed to a diversity of audiences, the ‘Meeting of Young Artists’. with an average of two hundred activities. The World Environment Day, International Dance Day In addition to the exhibitions of the Gaiás Centre and International Museum Day are also important Museum, the program presents an offer aimed at celebrations in the cultural program, as well as the families, such as the festival ‘Imaginary City’ or the . events ‘Christmas at Gaiás’, ‘ at Gaiás’ and The program has the financial support of the companies ‘Magosto at Gaiás’. The performing arts are also very integrated into the Gaiás Fund for Galician Business. present, with ‘Escenas do Cambio. Festival de Inverno de Teatro, Danza e Arte en Acción’, as well as music, with cycles that have become a reference in the Galician agenda, such as ‘Evenings at Gaiás’, offering free, open-air concerts during the summer months. The cultural program also opens a space for the letters, with cycles dedicated to the analysis of contemporary cultures, such as ‘Nexos’, and for the visual arts, with 18 GAIÁS—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal

EVENTS

The architectural singularity and the facilities of the Galician Medals and the Culture Awards, which take City of Culture turn its spaces into scenes of manifold place in Gaiás. The visual power of these installations events organised by institutions, businesses and social also attracts the look of the world of cinema and groups. Every year, the Gaiás hosts more than 300 advertising, which find in the complex attractive sets events of this nature, among which are conferences, for their audiovisual projects. galas, awards, seminars, lectures, training activities, trade fairs, etc. Outstanding dates in the institutional calendar of the Community are the ceremonies of the 19 CIDADE DAGAIÁS CULTURA—CITY OF CULTURE cidadedacultura.gal Access Gaiás, City MAPAof Culture

Fontiñas ↗

Sar River A Coruña ↗

Multiusos N Fontes do Sar AP-9

Forest of Galicia Exit City of Culture Leisure A Coruña– area Lake Park Centre for Cultural Innovation (CINC) Gaiás Centre Whale Fundación CdC Park Amtega Museum Tunnel Access TIC Areas

P6 ↙ Sar P5 Literary Theatre P4 Garden Garden AP9 P3 A Coruña → Square P2 Hejduk P1 Towers Centre for Library and Entrepeneurship Arquive Eisenman (CEM) of Galicia Room Agadic Coworking AP9 Vigo →

Exit City of Culture Road Bus stop Vigo– AP-9 Canteen A Coruña AP-9 Access Information buildings point

P1 Parking Toilets ↙ Vigo Leisure area

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