Since the Guggenheim museum was inaugurated in Bilbao in 1997 a new generation has grown up in Spain.   This building more than any other became the symbol of the energy of transformation that brought this country out of the Franco years into democracy and membership of the European Community.

Its legacy lives on, the impulse continues to resonate and the story of Spain’s evolution can be described in the architecture that has followed the Guggenheim.

This will be a cultural journey through the last 40 years, exploring the complex connections between the country, its politics and the architecture that it generates.

About the Lecturer

Rafael Andersen is an architect, writer and historian. He has written and lectured widely on Spanish history, architecture and the Islamic legacy of al- Andalus.

Rafael runs a multidisciplinary architectural practice in the province of Granada entitled Future Ancient Technologies. It combines craftsmen, specialists and other professionals to offer broad skills in all aspects of the construction industry from development to historic restoration and domestic construction.

He teaches architecture and sustainability at the Granada visiting school of London’s Architectural Association, a course which combines the knowledge of ancient and future technologies to explore new possibilities for the age we are entering.

Prior to moving to Spain Rafael worked in London, Hong Kong, Scandanavia and India, he has been premiated in numerous international architectural competitions, widely published and twice exhibited at the Royal Academy in London.

Rafael has worked as a guide lecturer for several years leading tours of the cities of Andalusia including Seville, with the UK based company Specialist Tours. He also guides in the Albayzin with the writer Chris Stewart, and other cultural and historical groups such as the Arts Society.