How Spain built the world’s most complex building

In the 1990s, Bilbao was in freefall—until a daring plan put a futuristic museum at the heart of its revival. Designed by Frank Gehry and modelled using fighter jet software, the Guggenheim Bilbao defied convention with its swooping titanium curves—and somehow opened on time and on budget.

The impact was immediate. The museum put Bilbao on the map, sparked a global trend for cultural-led regeneration, and helped drag architecture into the digital age. Few projects since have matched its success, but none have changed cities—or construction—quite like it.