In the vibrant urban landscape of San Sebastián, where the elegance of the Belle Époque meets the strength of the Cantabrian Sea, a structure emerges that captures the look and spirit of the city: the Kursaal Congress Palace and Auditorium. Popularly known as the “Moneo Cubes”, these two translucent prisms, designed by the renowned Navarrese architect Rafael Moneo, have become much more than a building; They are a symbol of San Sebastian modernity, a cultural and economic engine, and an unavoidable meeting point at the mouth of the Urumea River, next to the Zurriola Beach.
This article delves into the rich history of the Kursaal, from its conceptual origins and the figure of its architectural promoter, to the details of its construction, marked by debates and controversies. We will explore the genius behind its design, the multiple uses it houses today – with special emphasis on its starring role during the San Sebastian International Film Festival (Zinemaldia) – and its consolidation as an international architectural and cultural reference. Join us to discover the multiple facets of these “stranded rocks” that dialogue with the sea and the city.
The Kursaal Solar: A Legacy of Leisure and Entertainment
To understand the importance and impact of the current Kursaal, it is essential to look back at the site it occupies. For decades, this privileged enclave was home to the Gran Kursaal of San Sebastián, a sumptuous palace inaugurated in 1921. Designed by architect Ramón Cortázar, this building with an eclectic and monumental style housed a casino, a restaurant, movie theaters and a theater. It was an epicenter of San Sebastian social life and glamour, especially during the golden years of the Belle Époque.
However, the banning of the game in 1924 marked the beginning of a slow decline. Although it continued to function with other uses, such as cinema and theater, the Gran Kursaal gradually lost its original splendor. Finally, in 1973, the building was demolished, leaving a physical and symbolic void on the city’s seafront, a site known as Solar K. For almost two decades, this space stood as a reminder of a glorious past and an opportunity for the future. Nostalgia for the old building and the debate over what should occupy this strategic place would mark the years to come.
The Genesis of a New Icon: An International Competition and a Bold Vision
At the end of the 1980s, San Sebastián felt the need to have a modern infrastructure capable of hosting large congresses and top-level cultural events, something that the city, despite its tourist and cultural appeal, did not possess. Solar K was presented as the ideal location for this strategic project.
Basque public institutions, mainly the San Sebastián City Council, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the Basque Government, promoted the idea and, in 1989, they called an international architectural competition to design the new Conference Center and Auditorium. The expectation was maximum. Proposals were presented from world-renowned architects, including figures such as Arata Isozaki, Mario Botta, Norman Foster, Juan Navarro Baldeweg and Luis Peña Ganchegui.
After an intense process of deliberation, in 1990 the jury unanimously chose the proposal by the Navarrese architect Rafael Moneo. Its design, radically different from the rest and far from the classical monumentality of the old Kursaal, surprised and generated an intense debate from the first moment. Moneo, who years later, in 1996, would be awarded the Pritzker Prize, presented a bold and poetic idea that broke with what was expected.
Rafael Moneo and the Concept of “Beached Rocks”
Rafael Moneo’s vision for the Kursaal did not seek to imitate or compete with the Belle Époque architecture predominant in the Ensanche Cortázar of San Sebastián. Instead, he proposed a direct dialogue with the natural landscape: the Cantabrian Sea, the mouth of the Urumea River and Zurriola Beach. Its fundamental concept is based on the idea of ”two rocks stranded” in the sand, two autonomous cubes of translucent glass slightly inclined, emerging as artificial geographical elements that mark the end of the land and the beginning of the sea. Moneo described his project as a way to “perpetuate geography and underline the harmony between the natural and the artificial.”
To materialize this vision, the choice of material was crucial. Moneo opted for an innovative double wall of translucent pressed glass, mounted on a complex metal structure. This glass becomes the defining element of the building, allowing natural light to bathe the interiors during the day with changing hues depending on the weather and time. At night, the interior lighting transforms the cubes, projecting them outwards like two gigantic lanterns or urban lighthouses, whose luminous presence is perceived from emblematic points of the city.
The structure is essentially made up of these two main volumes, each housing different functions. The largest cube, the one closest to the sea, contains the main Auditorium, while the second cube, smaller in size and oriented towards the city and the river, houses the Chamber Room. Both prisms rest on a common platform or plinth that houses the exhibition areas, complementary services and restoration, functioning as a foundation that connects them and settles them on the ground.
The dialogue with the environment is reinforced by the subtle inclination of the cubes. The Auditorium is inclined 3 degrees and the Chamber 6 degrees with respect to the horizontal. This gesture is not merely aesthetic; It seeks to accentuate that image of natural elements deposited by the waves and, at the same time, direct the visual perspectives from the interior and the terraces towards the magnificent natural scenery that surrounds the building: the sea, the beach and the city.
Construction: A Technical Challenge and a Focus of Debate (1995-1999)
The realization of the Moneo project, carried out between approximately 1995 and 1999, represented a considerable challenge on multiple fronts. From a technical point of view, building two structures of such magnitude with an almost entirely glass envelope, also located in a location directly exposed to the aggressiveness of the marine environment – with strong wind, constant salt spray and the proximity of waves – required advanced engineering solutions. The conception and assembly of the double glass skin and the metal structure that supports it were particularly innovative and complex aspects for the time. Simultaneously, the construction of the interior spaces, especially the auditoriums, demanded a cutting-edge acoustic design to ensure exceptional sound quality, suitable for the most diverse uses.
Parallel to the construction challenges, the project was developed in the midst of an intense social debate. Moneo’s design, so disruptive and far from the predominant aesthetic in the city, was not received with unanimous approval. Numerous critical voices emerged and palpable public controversy accompanied much of the construction. One of the main sources of dissent was the visual and aesthetic impact; Many citizens and opinion leaders considered that the radical modernity of the glass cubes clashed head-on with the classic elegance of the buildings of Ensanche Cortázar and the harmony of the traditional maritime façade of San Sebastián. There was fear of an irreparable rupture of the consolidated urban landscape, leading to the project being described in derogatory terms.
Added to this aesthetic rejection was nostalgia for the demolished Great Kursaal. A part of San Sebastian society longed for the old palace and felt that the new design lacked the representativeness and historical connection of the previous building. As in any major public work, the economic cost was also the subject of discussion, questioning the magnitude of the investment in relation to other needs of the city.
Finally, although there are no specific records of formalized neighborhood complaints beyond the generalized debate, it is undeniable that a work of these characteristics, in a nerve center of the city such as the connection between the center and the Gros neighborhood, next to the Zurriola bridge, generated the inconveniences inherent to any large urban project. The noise, dust, inevitable traffic cuts and the occupation of public space for years temporarily affected the daily lives of nearby residents and businesses, a discomfort that could have been amplified by the climate of controversy surrounding the project. Despite everything, the driving institutions and the Moneo team maintained their conviction in the architectural and functional value of the future Kursaal.
Inauguration and Consolidation: From Skepticism to Pride (1999 – Present)
The Kursaal Conference Center and Auditorium officially opened its doors on August 23, 1999, marking a milestone in the urban and cultural transformation of San Sebastián. The first years were colored by the echo of previous skepticism, but soon the reality of the building began to impose itself. Its evident functionality, the high quality of its facilities and, very prominently, its powerful and changing visual presence, especially the night image of the illuminated cubes, began to seduce both San Sebastian residents and visitors. The successful celebration of the first major congresses and cultural events demonstrated its operational capacity and its versatility as a container for activities.
The definitive turning point in public perception and international recognition came in 2001. The Kursaal was awarded the prestigious European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Prize. This award, one of the most important in the world architectural panorama, validated the audacity and conceptual and constructive quality of Rafael Moneo’s project. It was a fundamental boost that helped dissipate residual criticism and consolidate a growing sense of local pride in the work. The Kursaal stopped being seen by many as a controversial imposition and began to be considered a first-rate architectural heritage, placing San Sebastián on the map of global contemporary architecture.
Exploring the Interior: Spaces for Culture and Business
Beyond its iconic glass façade, the Kursaal reveals inside a careful distribution of spaces designed to host a wide range of activities. The heart of the complex resides in the Kursaal Auditorium, located in the largest cube. With a capacity of around 1,800 seats, this space stands out for its extraordinary acoustics, meticulously calculated to offer an optimal sound experience both for large symphonic concerts and opera performances as well as for Zinemaldia film screenings or mass conferences. Its interior, mainly covered in wood, generates a warm atmosphere that deliberately contrasts with the technological coldness of the exterior.
The second main volume, the Chamber Room, offers a more intimate atmosphere. With a capacity of approximately 600 people, it is the ideal place for chamber music concerts, medium-format theater performances, specialized conferences or complementary screenings. It shares with the main auditorium the same rigor in acoustic design and quality of finishes.
The multipurpose rooms are located on the platform that serves as the base for both cubes. These open and flexible spaces are designed to adapt to diverse needs, functioning as exhibition areas for trade fairs, temporary galleries, banquet or cocktail rooms, and other events that require personalized configurations.
Complementing the main rooms, the large foyers and spectacular terraces act as transition, meeting and rest areas. They offer impressive panoramic views of the Cantabrian Sea, Zurriola beach and the city, becoming privileged places for socializing during events. The terraces that look directly onto the beach are particularly valued. The complex also integrates restaurant services, which have varied over the years, adding gastronomic options to the offerings of the area and the building itself.
The Kursaal Today: Cultural Epicenter and Economic Engine of Donostia
Nowadays, more than two decades have passed since its inauguration, the Kursaal has fully established itself as a vital and inseparable infrastructure of the cultural, social and economic life of San Sebastián. Its activity is constant and diverse throughout the year. It plays a leading role as the main venue of the San Sebastián International Film Festival every September. During Zinemaldia, its auditoriums, halls and lobbies are transformed into the vibrant epicenter of the event, hosting official screenings, press conferences, professional meetings and the iconic red carpet on which internationally renowned filmmakers and stars parade.
In addition to its link with cinema, the Kursaal is a powerful magnet for conference and meeting tourism, known as the MICE sector. It regularly attracts numerous national and international conferences in very varied fields, such as scientific, medical, technological or business. This congressional activity generates a very significant economic impact in San Sebastián, benefiting hotels, restaurants, shops and auxiliary services in the city.
At the same time, the Kursaal maintains a stable and high-quality cultural program. Its stages host concerts by the Euskadi Symphony Orchestra, classical music recitals, performances by contemporary music artists, opera and ballet productions, plays and shows aimed at family audiences. This diversified cultural offer enriches the city’s agenda and attracts varied audiences.
Finally, its facilities are also in demand for holding social or corporate events, such as product presentations, shareholder meetings, awards ceremonies, charity galas and other company or institutional meetings, demonstrating its versatility to adapt to different formats and requirements. The Kursaal not only fulfilled its original mission, but has become a key driving force for Donostia.
Conclusion: From Controversy to Celebration of a Modern Icon
The trajectory of the Kursaal Palace is an eloquent story of how a bold architectural proposal, initially received with controversy, can become a beloved and respected symbol of the city that hosts it. The “two stranded rocks” imagined by Rafael Moneo, which challenged the aesthetic conventions of San Sebastián and generated an intense public debate, are today an indisputable emblem of contemporary Donostia, an internationally recognized image.
Its unique architecture, which establishes a poetic dialogue with the light, the sea and the surrounding landscape, is combined with exceptional functionality as a first-class multipurpose space. Its consolidation as the venue for events of the magnitude of Zinemaldia and as the nerve center of the city’s congressional and cultural activity has demonstrated its strategic value. El Kursaal It has transcended its status as a mere building to become a cultural beacon that projects the image of San Sebastián to the world, an economic engine that contributes to its prosperity and a masterpiece of contemporary architecture that enriches the valuable heritage of San Sebastián. Its presence at the mouth of the Urumea is proof that innovation and modernity, when approached with intelligence and sensitivity, can not only coexist with tradition, but also enhance the identity and beauty of a place.
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