Originally posted by the forumer Efren in the spanish forum

The architect Calatrava has recently presented his project for the station of the AVE (high speed train) in the city of Huelva, Spain. It includes a 353 metres tall tower, there's very little info about the project yet, just the height, and that it will have a hotel:
Huelva is in the region of Andalucia in the southwest of Spain, close to Sevilla and Portugal, city population is 145763, Im not sure about the population of the metro area:
http://www.luventicus.org/mapas/espana/andalucia/huelva.gif

current tallest is an old 19 floors tall residential building

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/847/1113at2.jpg

The project, the images are of low quality, but we can see it's got an amazing design
the news: http://www.huelvainformacion.es/article/andalucia/16400/calatrava/plantea/una/torre/metros/para/ave/huelva.html

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/estacion.jpg?t=1198270636

http://media.grupojoly.com/imagen.php?imagen=//0000000000/0000012277.jpg&an=580&alt

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/4648/estacinru0.jpg

http://media.grupojoly.com/imagen.php?imagen=//0000000000/0000013083.jpg&an=230

http://media.grupojoly.com/imagen.php?imagen=//0000000000/0000012367.jpg&an=230

Edit 31/12/07: new images:
Thanks to JaVI®, who posted this in the spanish forum:


http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/6245/neumona2xh8.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6662/neumonaok3.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9950/seccinex6.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9703/neumona4tx9.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1464/neumona3ql7.jpg

I like very much this project! I hope that it is done!

Area where this tower has been projected.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/punta%20umbria/100_1766.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/punta%20umbria/100_1763.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/punta%20umbria/100_1761.jpg
General view of Huelva from one of the tallest buildings in the town
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/24/62737895_e370d136c7_o.jpg
River Odiel
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/punta%20umbria/100_1745.jpg
Some pictures of Huelva
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/100_0575.JPG
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/100_0594.JPG
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/100_0623.JPG
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/100_0626.JPG
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/100_5968.JPG
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/100_5953.JPG
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2490.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2513.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2532.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2572.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2574.jpg
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/000_0196.JPG
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/000_0191.JPG
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2604.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2598.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_2614.jpg
http://www.guiadehuelva.com/img_sistemas/img_galeria/000_0208.JPG
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_3180.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/1002.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/huelva/100_3220.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/skyscrapercity28/foto2471.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/35/108335026_30677e1d22.jpg?v=0
http://static.flickr.com/34/71863478_a3f868eb17_b.jpg

interesting design, looks cool :)

Cool project! I look forward to getting better renderings as time progresses.

looks badass to me!
:applause:

It´s really incredible a project such this for a small city like Huelva, but I hope will be a reality soon. Congratulations "onubenses"! :D

Very nice photos. Thanks!

Great design. I really hope it gets built.

Won't happen in a million, billion years. Good luck financing it.

Is this one a sex toy for women or not? :nuts:

OMG... Calatrava is always surprising you.

But, don't you think that this tower will looks better in a bigger city? I mean, the tallest building is only 19 floors:dunno:

Very nice thread introducing the context with so much detail and pics...!

How many floors??? I like the design very much !

cool but weird.

no

Nice design but bad context for skyscrapers.

This looks very promising, can't wait to see some good renderings. :)

And this one will fit the city and area, will stand out as a huge landmark, compared to if built in the middel of Dubai or NYC!

Hmmm.... Another twisting tower design from Calatrava? Originality has always been his strongest ally. This tower is different from his other twisting designs, however, it is still.....ah, I don't know...after you've designed the ultimate twisting behemoth in Chicago, it just doesn't have the same effect in a smaller city.
On another note, congrats if this tower gets built. Huelva looks like a beautiful city, and Calatrava can only make it better.

^ Based on this (http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/4648/estacinru0.jpg) rendering, im not sure we can call it a twisting tower. :)

Huge building for a <150K city. Amazing that it is possible!

Nice design.
Reminds me of the Calatrava towers in Valencia.

jodo como os constullan eso vais a triunfar!!!!:nuts:

Thanks to JaVI®, who posted this in the spanish forum:


http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/6245/neumona2xh8.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6662/neumonaok3.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9950/seccinex6.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9703/neumona4tx9.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1464/neumona3ql7.jpg

Huge building for a <150K city. Amazing that it is possible!
WOW only 150,000?? :omg: anyway amazing project..

It's called "Torre del AVE", which means it's related to AVE, the Spanish high-speed railway company. AVE (actually the company's called Renfe) has public fundings and is almost like a mafia syndicate. I don't think they'll have any problems financing it.

Maybe the climate is different in Spain (and Europe generally) but a project like this would piss a lot of people off if proposed in America. Just because the government can find the money doesn't make it a good idea to use it here.

It just doesn't seem to match the realities of the city in which it's located.

How visible would it be from Recre's stadium? Would be amazing to score a goal against the oldest club in spain and celebrate by looking to the heavens and seeing... a giant tower.

Maybe the climate is different in Spain (and Europe generally) but a project like this would piss a lot of people off if proposed in America. Just because the government can find the money doesn't make it a good idea to use it here.

It just doesn't seem to match the realities of the city in which it's located.
In Spain, these kind of towers are not paid by the government, what they do is let a private constructor build a big hotel, office or residential building close to a big project of infrastructure and that constructor pays part of the infrastructures in exchange, so this project would cost more to the government without that tower. In Spain the city plannings are very rectrictive with tall buildings, if they allow to build skyscrapers everywhere, there would be a lot of buildings like this in any small city, for example, in Madrid they let build 4 towers (Cuatro Torres Bussines Area) and the town hall and the owner of the plot earned almost 100 million euros

I don't like it

Bravo!!! Very unique design. LA PATRIA!!!

How visible would it be from Recre's stadium? Would be amazing to score a goal against the oldest club in spain and celebrate by looking to the heavens and seeing... a giant dildo.
The area where Recre´s stadium was built belongs to the same area where this tower has been projected. It´s known as "Ensanche Sur" and it also includes a big shopping center, a cathedral, a convention center, the new AVE Station...

I really like Calatrava's projects, and this one for Huelva seems really good too *__*
I hope it will be done!

See you!

If this were built, it would sure be an outstander amongst the city of Huelva. I don't usually go to Huelva, nor have I ever been there.

*Outstander-A tall tower built in a city whose existing skyscrapers don't exceed at least half the tower's height.

ooooohh.. this beauty has dramatic curves.. :cheers:

In Spain, these kind of towers are not paid by the government, what they do is let a private constructor build a big hotel, office or residential building close to a big project of infrastructure and that constructor pays part of the infrastructures in exchange, so this project would cost more to the government without that tower. In Spain the city plannings are very rectrictive with tall buildings, if they allow to build skyscrapers everywhere, there would be a lot of buildings like this in any small city, for example, in Madrid they let build 4 towers (Cuatro Torres Bussines Area) and the town hall and the owner of the plot earned almost 100 million euros

Good info -- thanks. I suspected there were building limitations, but this does seem like quite a leap.

I've heard about some overbuilding in Spain -- is that limited to residential developments, or is it commercial as well?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/2166491968_4d620685db_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/2166491968_4d620685db_o.jpg

Nice :cheers:

i just noticed how thin this thing is.

Any guesses to what the ratio would be?

Beautifull!

I think the fact it is a very small city is even more amazing, but a very good idea to build a tall tower. Think if you were to have the same amount of floor space spread over 2/3 story buildings, it would dramatically change the cities layout, this dramatically changes the city but for little land. This tower is very spanish! Wouldn't look out of place in Barcelona.

:D gooooood

i don't like it

Looks nice Huelva, i will take time to visit there when ever i am in the Costa del Sol area

I don't like it

i don't like it

^^ jajajaj again??? :nuts:

From fuv.blogsome.com (http://fuv.blogsome.com):

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa250/Sbz2ifc/International/Huelva-TorredelAve.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa250/Sbz2ifc/International/Huelva-TorredelAve2.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa250/Sbz2ifc/International/Huelva-TorredelAve1.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa250/Sbz2ifc/International/Huelva-TorredelAve3.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa250/Sbz2ifc/International/Huelva-TorredelAve5.jpg

This should be built in Huelva. I loved visiting it for it's old architecture not for it's modern architecture. If this was in somewhere like Madrid where theres a mix of old and new that i wouldnt have a problem with it.

WoW the design is awesome! :okay: But the city doesnt need that tall building.

oh!! beautiful tower!! it will give a lot of jobs to this region, and is a great project

WoW the design is awesome! :okay: But the city doesnt need that tall building.

why not?? it can be a symbol for the city, and can give a lot of offices, tuorists and more things

Three comments:

1. Is an exaggerated project for a city with that size
2. I like the design, i would construct this tower in a city like Madrid or Barcelona.
3. Is there any update?, this will be constructed???

Huelva is about 1/10 of Dubai ... imagine 1/10 of Dubai in towers ... :)
Okay this is just a joke ...

But the crysis (especially in spain) this contry still drivin crazy, why ? and how many cities in spain will get a Skyline in the 5 next years ???
I only know : Benidorm (CraZylyAmaZing), Barcelone, Valencia, Madrid, Bilbao and now Huelva...

this is very different

http://bi.gazeta.pl/im/4/6158/z6158204X.jpg

OMG
its a flying spaghetti monster!

Very nice town :)... but I don't like the building very much