Andalusia - a tour to Granada, Córdoba, Sevilla and Málaga
The national tourism office of Span (spain.info) starts a text about Andalusia with:
“This is a land of culture, history, fiestas, nature areas and excellent food. You’ll be able to visit everything from outstanding monuments to a wide variety of different natural landscapes… and you'll have the chance to take part in several unique popular events and sample a range of delicious gastronomic products”.
Indeed, Andalusia is known for flamenco, paella, beaches, Picasso, the Alhambra in Granada, the Great Mosque in Córdoba, Sevilla’s historic city, the white villages, etc. Very few people go to Andalusia for modern architecture in their city trips. And Andalusia has very fine modern buildings and cityscapes. A number of places worth visiting are pictured below. This is far from a complete list; places like Jerez de la Frontera, Jaén, Almería and Huelva are not mentioned, and also projects in rural areas are lacking. And even in places visited we make a selection.
We made an Andalucian tour (click on the map to enlarge); first to Granada, then to Córdoba with a stop in Jaén, then on to Sevilla and we ended with a few days in Málaga. The route is beautiful with olive trees as far as they eye reach on the roads to Granada and Córdoba, and hills from Granada to Sevilla and further to Málaga. As often, the provincial roads offer better views than the highways. Some very nice and enjoyable architecture is pictured below.
Granada - Parque de Sciencias (Science Centre)
In Granada, two places of modern architecture are worth a visit: Parque de Sciencias (Science Centre) and its neighbour Centro Cultural CajaGranada Memoria.
Parque de Sciencias is a big (70.000 sq.m) space with all functions that can be expected from a science park. During weekdays, schools from the region organise visits for their students. The park has seven halls with permanent expositions, temporary exhibitions, a digital planetarium, a library, a conference room, a viewing tower, etc. The latest enlargement of the park was in 2003. Pictures with an overview of the architecture are given by Architecturaviva (click here).
The science park is a very pleasant architecture, both the park and the building. In the building the visitor keeps an overview and sense of direction. The walls are closed but daylight comes in through windows in the roof. The exterior is a nice design, with all sort of objects and a viewing tower.
Links:
https://www.parqueciencias.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thtIG6llo6k&t=43s
Museo Memoria de Andalucía
Located next to Parque de Sciencias is the cultural centre Museo Memoria de Andalucía and the Exposition Hall. They are centres of the foundation CajaGranada. According to the CajaGranada foundation, the magazine National Geographic included Museo Memoria de Andalucía in a list of 10 museums in the world with 'spectacular architecture'. That is a matter of interpretation; how spectacular, special, different, appealing is the architecture of this museum. It is not in our top 10, but it is different, and worth a visit when you are in Granada or do the Andalusia modern architecture route.
Once a month an architectural guided tour is organised.
Link: www.cajagranadafundacion.es/centros/museo-memoria-de-andalucia/, /arquitecturaviva.com/obras/museo-memoria-de-andalucia
Cordoba CA3
CA3 is the short name for Centro de Creación Contemporánea de Andalucía. The focus of C3A is on production, creation and experimentation. CA3 wants to show to the public the creative process and its outcome, not just finished works. There are audiovisual labs and creation workshops, a reading room and exhibitions spaces, and public space for for example concerts. Workshops for professionals and courses for the general public are offered.
The exterior of the building has references to the city of Cordobá and its Hispano-Islamic past. The interior has a hexagonal geometric pattern that allow natural light into the workshops and galleries. The centre has a 100 m. wide media wall (behind the wall with its hexagonal holes), and projections start after sunset. CA3 has a big open space - a garden with art and orange trees.
In the centre, tourists stand in a queue for a visit to the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba (a wonderful UNESCO heritage place), and the old part of the town. Very few cross the bridge to visit CA3. That is good news for a relaxed modern architecture experience.
Links: www.c3a.es/
Click to enlarge
A few other places in Córdoba may be mentioned. Ciudad de la Justicia de Córdoba (first and second picture below) which is unfortunately not accessible to the general public - only those who have a meeting with the legal system can enter. Second is the modern church Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Consolación (third picture, close to Ciudad de Justicia), and that is also interesting because it reminds of the Centro Cultural CajaGranada Memoria de Andalucía in Granada (above). The public library in Córdoba is nice. The archeological ensamble Madinat Al-Zahra has an interesting visitor centre. The last picture shows Las Setas (the mushrooms), that give shade in the warm summers to the stalls on the open market that is organised twice a week.
Sevilla
Spring and autumn are good for a visit to Sevilla, a city with 0.7 million inhabitants. The city receives many tourists, who all want to see the cathedral and the palace complex Real Alcázar and spend a day amid the bars and eateries. The interest to see modern architecture, even the Metropol Parasol (las Setas) is limited. Good for the visitors who have modern architecture on their list.
Las Setas - Metropol Parasol
Some citizens hate it, but many citizens and visitors love it - the giant sunshade complex in Plaza de la Encarnación in the old city centre. In the past, since 1832, the square had a wholesale market. It was demolished in 1973. The area became dilapidated and in 2004 a competition for the future of the square was organised. 'Metropol Parasol' won and was popularly renamed into Las Setas - the mushrooms. It has become a city icon. It is said to be the largest woorden construction of the world. It is about 150 by 70 m. and the viewing walkway is at 260 m.
Las Setas has a viewing platform on top, a café and restaurant, and the Mercado de la Encarnación on the ground. On the square you also find the antiquarium, an archeological museum and historical buildings (see the website of the mercado => culture for an overview, link below).
For the architecture tourist, Las Setas is a great experience, a must-go. The dimensions and structure are surprising, the viewing platform is a wonderful experience (not in the hot Summer though), the Spanish market with fresh products is nice, and there is a lot to do and to see on the square.
Links: //setasdesevilla.com/, //mercadodelaencarnacion.es/
Click to enlarge
Torre Sevilla area
Across a closed branch of the river, we find the Torre Sevilla area, on Isla de la Tortuja. It comprises of the tower itself (offices and a hotel), a commercial centre, Parque Magallanes and the cultural centre CaixaForum. With 180 m. the tower is a landmark in Seville and the tallest building in Andalusia. The commercial centre is well designed. Torre Sevilla has a rooftop restaurant and terrace with great views of the city. But better views on Isla de la Cartuja are from the 60 m. tall Torre Schindler, part of the Pabellón de la Navegación, an educational centre with a museum of navigation and the sea, just across the street.
CaixaForum is an underground cultural centre, inaugurated in 2017. It has an aluminium construction as a cover, a restaurant and underground 8100 sq. m. for the central hall of the CaixaForum, exhibitions spaces, an auditorium, an art shop, restaurant, etc. Daylight is lacking but the space is very nice.
Links: www.torre-sevilla.com, caixaforum.org/es/sevilla/home/
Close to the Torre Sevilla area, on the Isla de la Cartuja, various interesting places can be found. The Expo92 area shows dilapidated pavilions and some repurposed and renovated buildings. The Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, housed in a former monasterio de la Cartuja and a ceramics factory, is recommended for its modern arquitectural reuse of a monastery and a ceramics factory (and its art). The award winning Parque Magallanes is a popular leisure place (see the article in Arquitecturaviva). Just across the river is the Plaza de Armas, with a nice architecture of NH Hotel Sevilla and Centro Comercial Plaza de Armas in a repurposed old railway station. On the Torre-side of the river, Centro Cerámica Triana is worth a visit, a modernized old ceramics centre.
Málaga
A very nice architourist walk in Málaga is from Soho district with Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga (1 on the map below) to Muelle Uno / Dos in the city port area (2), and then to Centre Pompidou Málaga (3). Málaga has a lot to offer to visitors. The city promotes arts – and calls itself the city of museums. The Museo Picasso draw huge crowds, and the Museum Carmen Thyssen Málaga is well-known too, housed in a 16th century building and with a new annex. Málaga has an attractive city centre, monuments, a beautiful Plaza de Toros with an exhibition space, beaches, etc. etc.
CAC Málaga - Soho
CAC is in the former Mercado de Mayoristas de Málaga, the wholesale market that was inaugurated in 1944, along the river Guadalmedina. This wholesale market fell into disuse. In 1987 the building was declared as object of Cultural Value (Bien de Interés Cultural). It took 13 years to make plans and start the renovation, and in 2003 CAC Málaga opened its doors. The building has 2400 sq. m. for temporary exhibitions, and 3600 sq.m. space for classes, performances, workshops, offices, a café, etc.
The building of CAC Málaga is a fine example of adaptive reuse – to repurpose a building for another type of use. The building was modern in 1944, and during the renovation the colour was changed, giving it a more modern look. The exhibition halls in the former market are spacious and pleasant. But more interesting is the exterior that shows a history, and the other spaces for education and performances.
CAC is in the district Soho, and strolling through Soho is nice for street art. Soho was a neglected district and has been revitalized, with (street) art as one of the spearheads. Many artistic events, exhibitions, and music concerts started to bring the life back to Soho. Soho is now a trendy district.
Link: https://cacmalaga.eu/
Muelle 1 and 2
Muelle 1 and 2 (pier 1 and 2) are perfect for a stroll. It is a big and well-designed public space and open to the sea. Muelle 1 was opened in 2011. Muelle 1 has shops, bars and restaurants, Muelle 2 (sometimes the whole area is called Muelle 1) was opened in 2021, and the quay was converted into El Palmeral de las Surpresas. On one side palm trees and on the other a central overhead curved concrete sunshade or pergola with views to the port. Muelle 2 receives boats and smaller cruise ships. In the corner of Muelle 1/2, is the Centre Pompidou Málaga.
Pier 2 is a promenade for strolling, with a park, cafés and restaurants, some offices, a modern terminal building for cruise ships, and all sort of tourist activities and services.
From an architecture point of view, the design of the space and the big pergola are the most interesting. Muelle 1 is an enjoyable space for strolling and sitting, with the smell and the sounds of the port, there is a lot to see, like very nice architecture.
Link: www.muelleuno.com/
Centre Pompidou Málaga
Centre Pompidou Malaga (CPM) was established for a period of five years in the Cubo, a building with a cultural vocation that was erected in 2013. It was modified in 2014 in order to host the Centre Pompidou. Centre Pompidou signed an agreement for 5 years, with was extended with another 5 years, until 2025 The twelve-metre wide glass cube ('el cubo') is the most visible part of the 7,600 sq. m. cultural building, which houses the new branch of the Centre Pompidou El Cubo was designed by L35 as part of Muelle Uno, was given a new touch of colour by French artist Daniel Buren.
CPM is a really beautiful place. The two main assets are the colourful cube in its open space and the interior of the museum. Architects have given a philosophy regarding the building's exterior, which probably few visitors will notice (background info here). The cube is something different, colourful, delightful. It gives something special to a part of the interior. The interior creates wonderful space for the art displayed.
