During the 90s, the metallurgical industry and the naval industry of Bilbao (Spain) were in crisis due to the exhaustion of its industrial model. Although the simplest solution seemed to be the attempt to revive the industry, finally they opted for something radically different: changing the model from an industrial city to a tourist city after the construction of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum.

The Bilbao effect exists for cities that were forgotten and are then launched into stardom thanks to an architectural plan. They are projects that mark new eras, trends that will be talked about for many years and buildings that impact more than their content.

During this steelTalks conference, what a starchitect is and what happens with the Bilbao effect will be explained. The objective is to analyse the “starchitect” character, as a fundamental actor in the construction of architecture and culture; their role as an “influencer” and the realisation of their iconic work through steel construction technology.