Urban Elevator and Stariway for the Access to Altos Hornos of Biscay

The project consists of an elevator and stairway designed to overcome a 25-meter height difference between the Txabarri neighborhood and the river meander housing the Blast Furnace. Although the competition initially proposed locating the structure on the northern esplanade facing the furnace, the final design relocates it to create a new forecourt. This enhances the monument’s visibility and strengthens the urban space while improving public accessibility and connection.

The Txabarri neighborhood historically supported the surrounding industrial activity along the Nervión River. Industrial decline led to the abandonment of many infrastructures. The regeneration plan seeks to restore housing and highlight the Blast Furnace, declared a Cultural Asset and Monument. The project aligns the elevator and stairway along a north–south axis, perpendicular to both the Blast Furnace and the Portugalete Suspension Bridge, a World Heritage Site. Large viewing platforms on the cantilevered ends create a visual connection, or “line of desire,” between the two landmarks. The open, linear design allows visibility from multiple angles, ensuring safety and inclusivity, particularly from a gender perspective. The structure is conceived both to observe the surroundings and to be observed, engaging with the landscape and urban memory.

The structural system is based on triangulated steel box girders, prefabricated in workshop conditions to ensure precision and speed during assembly. This modular approach reduced on-site construction time and minimised the need for specialised labour. All auxiliary elements — including railings, steps, and enclosures — were designed and coordinated with the main structure to allow for full prefabrication, avoiding the need for on-site metalwork. The elevator tower is conceived as a closed structural core made up of four Vierendeel girders. It acts as the sole vertical support for the system, from which three cantilevered walkways are suspended: 17 metres to the north, 13 metres to the west, and 3 metres to the south. These cantilevers define the structure’s unique geometry while allowing for generous viewing platforms that reinforce the dialogue between infrastructure, heritage, and landscape.