PLAZA DE ESPAÑA

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
- Espacios Urbanos. Plazas -

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From a political point of view, the peak and major work of the era that corresponds to the post-war architecture in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the Monument to the Ca two of the Plaza de Espa, inaugurated in 1947.

It was symbolically erected at the head of the population, evoking its immense cross the approximate place where it was raised by the conquerors, with which the Canarian contribution to the 'Cruzada ' became a sign of gratitude. Its architect was Tom s Machado and M ndez Fern ndez de Lugo, designated for this purpose in a national competition.

On the symbolic façade towards the port, from the second concentric circle, there are two soldiers supported by cross-swords. The base is a fountain, in which a ship transports La Victoria over the boat, with a beam of spikes aimed at the Indians. The set, the work of Alonso Reyes, except the soldiers who are from Riojano, is all basalt. On its sides two rectangular panels symbolize the aborigines, Canarian participation in the Crusade and the military of the three armies, articles of triumph in the Civil War. The homeland group, a midwife and the Ca do, the work of Cejas Zald var, is the starting point of the Crusade.

Finally, this Francoist aesthetic culminates, with an effective composition, a later work, the monument to Franco de Juan de Valos, the author of the sculptures of the Valle de los Ca dos, in a monumental fountain between Anaga Avenue and the end of the Ramblas adjoining the old Barracks of Almeid ...

MANUEL HERN NDEZ GONZ LEZ: Tenerife. Historical and Cultural Heritage, Edit Rueda, Madrid, 2002

Editorial and research team : Architecture Unit of the CICOP Foundation.

Miguel ngel Fern ndez Matr n.

Jos Luis D will read Mart nez.

Sendy Hern ndez lvarez.

Photograph: Jos M. Bossini Ruiz.

The Plaza de Espa a Santa Cruz de Tenerife after three years of work, presents an innovative and avant-garde appearance, printed by the prestigious architectural firm Herzog & De Meuron. Vertical gardens, a lake that is filled with water depending on the tides and some original drop-shaped luminaries are the new hallmarks of this neurological point of the city, which has preserved traditional elements such as the Monument to the Ca dos and La Alameda.

One of the most significant aspects of the remodeling of the square created by Herzog, are its vertical gardens on the facades of two of the three pavilions that were created. It is an ornamentation system devised by the French landscape architect Patrick Blanc that is identified by its colorfulness but, in addition, has a thermal insulation effect that contributes to reducing energy consumption, both in winter, protecting from fr or the building in which it is installed, as in summer, providing a natural cooling system.

Another of the novelties is the lake, name with which a large circular structure located in the center of the square is designated, of 2,500 cubic meters of capacity and 90 centimeter deep, and that is changing in dimensions as it progresses The process of filling and emptying. Regardless of this process, the lake permanently has a space full of water, central to the main perimeter, which has the appearance of a fountain and from which emerges, a 30-meter-high freshwater geyser.

The luminaires are ...