El Batel Auditorium and Convention Center, Contemporary congress and performance venue in Cartagena, Spain
El Batel is a multipurpose auditorium and convention centre on the port of Cartagena, next to the ARQUA underwater archaeology museum, built on a 17,000 m² plot ceded by the port authority. The Selgascano project by José Selgas and Lucía Cano sank 32 metres below sea level into a reinforced concrete basin of thick counterweight slabs and perimeter walls. It holds the 1,401-seat Sala A, the 444-seat Sala B, a 562 m² divisible multipurpose room, a 500 m² first-floor exhibition space facing a terrace over the Paseo Alfonso XII, and a 1,200 m² hall.
Construction began in 2004 and concluded in 2011, overcoming engineering challenges caused by seawater infiltration and groundwater level issues. The project was part of the city's effort to modernize its harbor zone.
The main concert hall bears the name of local actor Isidoro Máiquez and hosts regular theater, music, and dance performances. The building has become a focal point for artistic gatherings and cultural events in the city.
The facility sits five minutes from downtown Cartagena and is easy to reach by car or on foot. The entrance is level, and interior signage helps visitors navigate the different areas.
The main hall, Sala A, sits below sea level, which is why the building had to be sunk 32 metres and anchored with thick reinforced-concrete slabs acting as counterweights against the shallow water table. It seats 1,401 people and was named after the Cartagena actor Isidoro Máiquez in 2017.
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