Valencia was appointed host city of the 32nd America’s Cup in 2003, the third major sporting event of the world, after the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. This date was the starting point of a spectacular change. The city of Valencia has experienced an air, land and sea metamorphosis that will not fail to impress anyone passing by. The continuous urban growth, the wide variety of leisure offerings and the technological avant-garde that our city boasts have been a key element to choose Valencia as host city among other cities, such as Lisbon, Marseille and Naples. Since then, Consorcio Valencia 2007 which consists of the three public administrations of the region (General State Administration, Comunitat Valenciana Regional Government of Valencia, and Valencia City Council has carried out an ambitious urban remodelling program to host an event whose economic impact will be of approximately 2,500 million Euros and 10,000 new jobs.
The choice of Valencia as host city of the America’s Cup Is important at a national level, but also at a continental level, as it is the first time in the history of this competition the first regatta was held 155 years ago that a European city hosts it, after being harbored in New Cork, Newport, Freemantle, San. Diego and Auckland. In recent years, Valencia has led a dizzying urban transformation, especially around the area of Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas, towards the northwestern exit of the city, as well as at the Avenida de Francia, which offers a wide variety of sports and green areas. Communication infrastructures have also improved considerably thanks to the underground extension, the long-awaited construction of a second runway at the Airport, and the improvement of the access to the port, especially the great remodeling of Avenida del Puerto.
All these changes have brought benefits for and have given Valencia international renown. The port is the main setting of the America’s Cup, so its adaptation has been one of the priorities. The inner harbor has been remodeled to provide it with the entire infrastructure necessary to transform the city and its waters into the perfect venue for the sailing competition. The new inner harbor has gained 425,000 square meters from the sea. The project included the building of a channel that links the inner harbor to Malvarrosa beach and a new waterfront road measuring 80 meters wide and almost 600 meters long, that allows the boats taking part In the event to reach the race course in only 15 minutes.
The south harbor is equipped to install a provisional water surface that will harbor around 1,000 high draft vessels during the sporting events. This action takes up an area of 300,000 square meters fitted with floating gangways, anchorage buoys and maritime signaling. One of the major emblems of the Port remodeling is the guest building named “Veies e Vents”, designed by the architects David Chipperflel and Fermi’n Vazquez. This building has been constructed in only nine months and offers a privileged view to the race course through its glassed terraces.
“Veles e Vents”
It is the only building erected for the sporting event that will stay once the America’s Cup comes to an end. Its name pays tribute to Ausias March’s work and person. This building opened during the preregatta stage held last May and it has become the America’s Cup architectural milestone in Valencia, as well as a real link between the city centre and the port area.
The building consists of four enormous terraces: two of them open to the general public who wishes to contemplate what happens on the race course from a privileged location; while the third one is exclusively reserved for the sponsors of the event; and finally, the fourth terrace is for VIP guests of ACM (Ame¬rica’s Cup Management, the company that organizes the event). The America’s Cup’s square, called AC Park, which expects about 40,000 visitors a day during the regattas, will be linked to the building through a ramp. The surrounding vegetation is not just a fortuitous selection of shrubs, but the product of many months of research and deliberation. Finally, this area will include on an area of palm trees with 180 specimens to bear the strong wind blowing from the sea. it is expected that the guest building will receive the crowd going to the inner harbor, so that thousands of visitors will be able to watch the competition from such a privileged location.
However, quietness was one of the goals for the architects, and it seems it has been achieved. Pedestrian routes have been arranged at different levels to that end. Furthermore, the square will allow walking around to the northern dock of the exterior estuary, whose moorings were awarded quite a while ago. The south area of the AC Park will border on the channel and there is a two-story covered car park. Although at first it was expected to provide space for 800 VIP cars, currently the possibility of granting half the space for public car park and the rest to rotation is being considered. If in spite of everything there is not enough parking, an area at level ground located at the promenade will be used as a car park.
The building has a maximum capacity of 8,000 people and houses shops, several stages and about twenty leisuretime establishments, as well as giant television screens to follow the regattas live, in all, 41 establishments with a wide offering for visitors and bystanders will open from 9 to 2 AM, according to what the organization finds necessary. On June 23rd 2007 the regattas for the winner of the 32nd edition of the America’s Cup begin. When this day comes, millions of people from all around the world will have their eye on Valencia and will gaze upon the great changes carried out in this city with one goal: to offer inhabitants, as well as vi¬sitors, the best image of a Valencia devoted to the America’s Cup.
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