Visual Transformations within the Space of the City. The Bilbao Effect

The article focuses on the changes to the face of the space of the city that have been initiated towards the end of the twentieth and which have been developing since the start of the twenty-first century in Bilbao, resulting from a broadly understood process of urban regeneration. It refers to the main problems associated with this process, which cover the spatial, economic and social sides of the city. It discusses the use of art in the humanisation of a place, improving its attractiveness and promoting modern solutions in architecture and urban planning. The process of holistic, systemic urban planning-related transformations of a decayed area has covered improving the accessibility of the site and the placement of a structure that crystallised the spatial layout. The success of this programme can constitute an indication for other centres affected by the necessity to introduce functional and spatial changes, as well as an effective municipal policy.