The Canaries Convention Centre - Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, built by Catalonian architect Oscar Tusquets, is situated in one of the city's most emblematic areas: Playa de Las Canteras. The area provides a unique and relaxing coastal environment, with suggestive views over the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, it's location within the capital of Gran Canaria - internationally renowned for its extraordinarily blue skies the whole year round, plus average yearly temperatures of 23 degrees centigrade, regarded by journal "Consumer Travel Association" as the island with the best climate in the world - makes it the ideal venue to stage all sorts of events.

Oscar Tusquets conceived the "Palacio de Congresos de Canarias" as an isolated and self-sufficient fortress, whose layout and style far from mirrors the trend of uniformity that prevailed in the design of this type of architectonic structure. The wide diversity of styles, materials and colours employed in its construction, while fully and harmonically integrated in the building, leaves guests and visitors with the impression that they move through different spaces.

The building encompasses fourteen meeting rooms, seating up to 3,952 conference attendees. The Convention Centre covers a total surface area of 18,850 square metres, of which 16,050 sq m are usable surface area. The Symphony Hall - one of the jewels in the crown of the Convention Centre - is thought to be the most spectacular Hall in the building, featuring an enormous window, 100 sq. m. in size, as a backdrop to the stage. It allows visitors and conference attendees to enjoy unrestricted views over the Atlantic Ocean. Its seating capacity totals 1,656 and its hexagonal shape renders it one of the best venues for the staging of conferences.

Another of the meeting rooms - the Chamber Music Hall - is also ideal for holding conferences. Seating is provided for 326 guests. Its concave shape creates an impression of closeness in guests and event participants' that use it. Its walls are covered in cedar wood, so sound quality is excellent.

In addition to the above, also available is the San Borondón Hall - 1,759 sq. m in size - an ideal space for the trading exhibits that go hand in hand with large-scale conferences. It can also be used to provide catering services for 1,205 guests, in the case of a cocktail, or 994 in the event of a banquet. Its amplitude and versatility allow it to be sub-divided into eight separate areas, with different seating capacities, thanks to the action of mobile panels. Together with its highly creative design and extraordinary architectural style, it boasts avant-garde telecommunications facilities and solid technological infrastructure, all of which are required to guarantee optimal functionality. The Hall is equipped with an independent sound system, air conditioning, especially designed cabling networks to allow transmission of images, sound and data, a modulated lighting system, numerous power lines and sockets, and recording systems.

The Alegranza Hall, with a usable surface area of 486 sq. m., is another of the areas that can be dedicated to a number of events, from spectacular artistic performances to trading fairs or banquets. It can hold up to 486 guests in the event of providing cocktail catering. The glass panes that surround the Hall offer one of the best views over the Atlantic Ocean.

The quality of the services provided at the Convention Centre are warranted by certification ISO 9001:2000, awarded by the Spanish Association for Normalization and Certification (AENOR, in the Spanish acronym). The Canarias Convention Centre offers congress attendees and visitors a variety of facilities and services which guarantee the smooth running and organisation of large national and international events. Amongst other services are the following: interpretation, technical support, assemblage technicians, conference hostesses, security staff, assistance in erecting stands, flower arrangements, etc.

In addition, the shopping mall adjacent to the Convention Centre provides spectators and conference participants with a broad variety of restaurants, fast-food establishments and cafes. The Convention Centre also offers comprehensive catering services , cafes and its own restaurant to organise cocktails and banquets.

The Canarias Convention Centre is equipped with the latest technology, to guarantee the success of any type of event:

Also provided are RDSI, ADSL or analogical lines ; IT communications; PCs and computer networks; videoconference facilities; video and electronic data projectors; plasma screens; video wall; interactive voting systems, etc.

It is also equipped with a digital telephone system , operating under the RDSI system, offering 150 extensions that can be extended to up to 1,000.

Event participants are provided with easy access to internet at any point in the entire building . Moreover, the Canarias Convention Centre has its own communication network system, with an overwhelming capability for data, image and sound transmission, thus allowing the exchange of information between delegates accommodated in different meeting halls.

The technical equipment of the building also includes simultaneous interpretation facilities based on infrared technology. Both the Symphony and the Chamber Music Halls have a permanent wireless system for simultaneous interpretation, covering four languages that may be extended to up to twelve. There are four and two booths respectively for interpreters in each of the Halls. The remaining meeting rooms are equipped with transportable interpretation systems to meet demands as and when they arise.

The Symphony Hall also boasts an intercommunication system which allows direct contact with the different areas in the Hall and the control booth. Another of the meeting rooms has been designed to cater for press conferences, and also includes the necessary technology to receive signals from the remaining Halls and meeting rooms within the building.

As well as the most advanced and modern communication systems , audiovisual and simultaneous interpreting equipment, the Canarias Convention Centre has unique resources on offer. Most noteworthy, a giant screen (13 by 10 metres) which provides unbeatable quality projection in the Symphony Hall.

MEASURES AND CAPACITIES OF THE HALLS

HALL m2 THEATRE SCH. IMP. COCKT. DAY LIGHT STANDS 3x2M BANQ. OCEAN VIEWS Symphonic Hall 1.650 1.656 --- --- --- yes --- --- yes San Borondón* 1.759 589 306 224 1.205 yes 102 994 --- San Borondón A* 1.024 460 254 88 1.024 yes 63 657 --- San Borondón B* 710 --- --- 136 710 --- 39 495 --- Alegranza 486 417 190 80 486 yes 32 351 yes Chamber Hall 305 326 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- San Borondón B3* 246 234 120 60 250 --- --- 162 --- Atlántico 240 200 120 60 250 yes 9 200 yes Gran Canaria 190 150 60 40 --- --- --- --- --- Tenerife 190 150 60 40 --- yes --- --- --- San Borondón B2* 165 130 72 40 155 --- --- 108 --- La Graciosa 115 105 60 45 120 yes --- 100 --- Lanzarote 83 70 38 30 --- yes --- --- --- Fuerteventura 83 70 36 30 --- yes --- --- --- San Borondón B1* 79 56 32 30 75 --- --- 54 --- San Borondón A1* 96 63 32 30 110 yes --- 63 --- La Palma 67 55 29 20 --- yes --- --- --- La Gomera 66 34 26 24 --- --- --- --- --- El Hierro 66 34 26 24 --- --- --- --- --- Cafetería Canteras y Hall 600 --- --- --- 800 yes 16 --- yes Terraza Canteras 235 --- --- --- 150 yes --- --- yes Cafetería de Cámara 160 --- --- --- 150 yes 4 --- --- Cafetería de Artistas 86 --- --- --- 60 yes --- --- yes Restaurante 200 --- --- --- 200 yes --- --- yes