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Site Area: 8,800 square meters
Building Footprint: 7,753 square meters
Gross Floor Area: 20,600 square meters
Completed: 2008
Client: Cabildo Insular de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainArchitects: Herzog & de Meuron
“The building typology of our design for the Tenerife Arts Center is based on courtyards. The elongated courtyards are important in many ways, providing daylight, views and orientation for the visitors and users of the museum spaces and the library.
One of them, between the office and museum wings of the arts center is planted with typical plants of the Island.
From the very beginning of the design process we operated with courtyards, also because we wanted to connect the new arts center typologically with its existing neighbour building, the Antiguo Hospital Civil which has recently been transformed into the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre. However it took a while before we understood that all different activities and functions of the arts center should be assembled under one continuous roof structure rather than break down into individual wings.
This is also one of the reasons why the elongated courtyards do not appear like embraced exterior spaces but rather like interior spaces that are being left open. The spatial interplay between inside and outside of the art center integrates rather than separates the very diverse urban landscapes which are so fascinating in Santa Cruz.”
Herzog & de Meuron (1999-2008)
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Photographs:Duccio Malagamba
