British architect Lord Richard Rogers has often referred to Barcelona as one of the best planned and designed cities in the world.
Now his practice is making its own impact on the Catalan capital's skyline with its contribution to the 107m-high Hesperia Tower, which will be one of the tallest buildings in Barcelona when it opens in January 2006.
Other members of the project team include Spanish based architects Alonso-Balaguer Asociados, interior architects GCA Arquitectos, BOMA structural engineers and JG y Asociados Services Engineers.
The £35m hotel will offer 280 rooms and suites throughout its 26 storeys.
Its most dominant feature will be a geodesic glass dome restaurant at the top of the Tower, housing the panoramic 'Evo' restaurant, headed by Michelin-starred chef Santi Santamaria. It will also feature a second restaurant 'Bouquet' on the second floor, with a suspended bar above it.
Guests staying at the hotel will have access to the Metropolitan health club and spa located next door to the Hesperia Tower. This 4000m2 centre offers facilities for everything from cycling to fitness, spa, pools or pilates.
Located within Barcelona's new financial district, and strategically linked between the city centre and the airport, the hotel will also offer 5000m2 of meeting space in its Convention & Conference Centre. With multiple halls, an auditorium for 500 people and a large 1,614m2 room that holds up to 1600 people or banquets of up to 1300 diners, the facilities are set to revolutionise those already available in Barcelona.
Hesperia Hotels currently owns and operates a total of 49 hotels, with over forty hotels in Spain, two in Brussels, one in London, one in Andorra and two on Margarita Island off Venezuela. The company recently announced the launch of a new property in Bilbao designed by Basque architect Inaki Aurrekoetxea.
www.hesperia-tower.com
