DIPC embarks on a new era on the inauguration of its new building
2026
Jun
24
With an investment of 21 million euros funded by the Basque Government, DIPC’s new building houses over 1,100 m² of state-of-the-art scientific laboratories and marks the start of a new era for the center. The facility, inaugurated today by the Lehendakari Imanol Pradales, means that new experimentation capabilities can be promoted and DIPC can be consolidated as a leading international research center.
Following 25 years of ongoing growth, the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) today officially opened its new building, a facility designed to strengthen its scientific capabilities and address the present and future needs of research.
The event was attended by the Lehendakari (Head of the Basque Government) Imanol Pradales, accompanied by the President of DIPC Pedro Miguel Etxenike, as well as by representatives of the institutions, members of DIPC’s board of trustees and the scientific community, who toured the new facilities and got to know their main scientific and technological capabilities directly.
Lehendakari Imanol Pradales noted that, thanks to the vision and efforts of previous generations, Donostia and the Basque Country are now among the world's leading centres for quantum physics and technologies. He emphasised the responsibility to carry on that legacy with ambition and commitment. In this regard, he stated that the new facilities at the DIPC will strengthen its scientific capabilities and its connection with society, thereby reinforcing the Basque Country’s dedication to science, knowledge, and innovation as the cornerstones of the future.
The new facility represents an investment to the tune of approximately 21 million euros, funded by the Basque Government’s Department of Science, Universities and Innovation, and includes the construction of the building and part of its scientific and technical equipment. The building, designed by IDOM and built by Construcciones Sukia Eraikuntzak, has a total floor area of 6,200 m² distributed across six floors and has been designed to accommodate the center’s growth over the coming decades. Envisaged to meet high standards of architectural quality and sustainability, it has an A energy rating and incorporates advanced solutions to optimize energy consumption and emissions.
One of the most prominent features of the new building is state-of-the-art scientific laboratories occupying over 1,100 m² dedicated to experimentation research in strategic fields such as quantum technologies, nanoscience and quantum materials, neutrino physics, chemistry and advanced polymers, the nanoneuro field and the origin of life. There are also additional spaces set aside for future developments. The lower level houses laboratories with particularly demanding technical requirements, such as those for tunneling microscopy and quantum technologies, which benefit from advanced conditions of insulation and stability.
“This building is the result of a sustained commitment over time. It is the outcome of the self-governance, commitment and trust of the institutions and our private patrons,” said Pedro Miguel Etxenike, DIPC’s president. “It is more than just a facility; it embodies a future project that has been in the making for years. In science, the only way to stay on the crest of the wave is to ‘build the wave’, to quote Lord Rutherford, director of the legendary Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge,” he added. “Idom and Sukia have succeeded in understanding the ambition of our project. I would like to express my gratitude to them for their brilliant support throughout this process,” concluded Pedro Miguel Etxenike.
In addition to the laboratories, the new building includes workspaces, meeting rooms and communal areas designed to encourage interaction between researchers from different disciplines. Its design seeks to encourage daily gatherings and the exchange of ideas, thus fostering a more collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. The new facility also reinforces DIPC’s commitment to bringing science closer to the general public. To this end, it includes an auditorium with a capacity for around 150 people, designed for science communication activities and engagement with the general public, as well as for international scientific conferences.
As the new building becomes operational, DIPC is taking a significant step forward in its scientific development by strengthening its ability to attract international talent, by driving forward new lines of experimentation research and by contributing to the advancement of knowledge in areas of strategic importance for science and society.
Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)
Founded in 2000, DIPC has established itself as one of the leading centers for fundamental research in southern Europe. Recognized as a Basque Research Center of Excellence (BERC) by the Basque Government, DIPC promotes a model based on excellence, creativity and the freedom of its research staff. It currently brings together an international scientific community comprising over 300 researchers representing more than 35 nationalities and carries out cutting-edge research in fields ranging from quantum technologies and new materials to the origin of life and the evolution of the universe. To date, it has accumulated over 7,357 publications with an impact exceeding 315,000 citations. The center received 36,641 citations in 2025 alone.