Castellana 81

The Castellana 81 (previously known as Torre BBVA, or, in English, BBVA Tower) is a 107m skyscraper in Madrid, Spain, within the AZCA financial district, and is currently the company's Madrid HQ. It was designed by the Spanish architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza, who won the private tender in 1971, convoked by the Banco de Bilbao, nowadays BBVA. It was built between 1979 and 1981.

Castellana 81
Facade
Former names	Banco de Bilbao
General information
Status	Completed
Type	Office
Location	Paseo de la Castellana 81, Madrid,  Spain
Construction started	1979
Completed	1981
Renovated	End2015
Cost	2,200 million Pta.
Renovation cost	€30 million
Owner	Gmp
Height
Roof	107 m (351 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	4 below, 32 above
Floor area	44,716 m2 (481,320 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	14
Design and construction
Architect(s)	F. J. Sáenz de Oiza
Developer	Banco de Bilbao
Structural engineer	Carlos Fdez. Casado
Main contractor	Entrecanales y Távora, OHL
Renovating team
Architect(s)	Ruiz Barbarin Arquitectos-Arquimanía
Main contractor	OHL
Website
castellana81.com

It is one of the most important architectural landmarks of Madrid, with its striking ocher color, more intense as the time passes due to the oxidation of its facade steel. It has a rectangular floor (1,200 m2 per floor) with round corners, and the facade is made of continuous glass and steel, allowing exterior views from every point. The South, East and West facades also have steel sunshades in every floor, contributing to its characteristic look.

View from the ground.

The building is supported on two concrete cores which also hold the utilities and lift shafts. Around them, the office area is a clear working space without divisions. The building has three staircases connecting every floor plus 14 elevators (divided by vertical zones as well as by uses: public, service, board-of-directors exclusive). The foundation had to be designed having in mind that the underground commuter rail passes right through the lowest basement, having the building "ride" the tunnel. The inner core supports, at regular intervals, six prestressed concrete floor platforms, which in turn support the five steel structure floors above each of them.

The building has 28 working floors, with the five top ones dedicated to the company Board of Directors, containing the cabinet meeting room, many other conference and meeting areas, a private restaurant and relax zones. The first basement also holds the BBVA Auditorium and a public exposition space. There are four main utility floors: Basement 4 and Technical Floors 1 through 3 (located over floors 11, 20 and 28 respectively); The underground parking is located on basements 1, 2 and 3.

In 2007 the bank sold it to the real estate company Gmp, although it still occupies the building.