The Auditorio located on Constitution Avenue in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife was designed by Santiago Calatrava of which this extraordinary form is undoubtedly evidenced. A total area of 23000 square metres was put into public use in 2003 and from that time it has been impressing users, tourists, and designers.
Location on the coast with its opening to the sea and the city, modern architecture, and an auditorium that brings attractive events for the public—are elements that contribute to the success of Auditorio de Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Worth finding more about this design, so further reading is necessary.
The Concept and Form of Auditorium
The basic assumption of this complex was to create a connection between the land and water part of this capital city. The building located in a majestic landscape enriches it with its inspiring and original form that became an orientation point in urban structure. Auditorio de Tenerife in the Canary Islands is an example of late modernism architecture, but is described by some as a style of modern expressionism.
Or more precisely, this complex of indoor and outdoor spaces consists of organic forms that resemble a wave, a wing or a moon. The highest part of the roof above the main auditorium raises the height of 58 meters. The form of the building is based on platform terraces and it is characterized by many interesting geometrical solutions.
Geometrically, the roof is constructed from two intersecting cone segments. By contrast, the symmetrical inner shell of the concert hall, which is 50-meter high, is a rotational body, generated by rotating a curve to describe an ellipse. (calatrava.com)
Indoor and Outdoor functions
Auditorio de Tenerife in the Canary Islands design consists of the auditorium, music hall, plazas, outdoor terraces, gardens and parking lots. The main entrance is located on the north side of the building and is highlighted by the concrete husk of the roof. The Main Auditorium has 1800 seats and the Music Hall offers places for 400 users.
The design of these spaces was in cooperation with musician Albert Blancafort thanks to which in the auditorium unusual acoustic effects consisted of the propagation of sound around the listener. The Chamber Room that contains a Music Hall offers also a lobby with easy access from two sides of the building, press room, shop and cafe, which all create this space less formal.
Interior facilities also contain smaller spaces—rehearsal, meeting or exhibition halls. The back room with technical facilities and dressing room is located on the plinth. The huge advantage of these outdoor spaces is terraces providing amazing views. The first one, Atlantic Terrace, allows visitors to observe the Atlantic Ocean, while The City Terrace is a perfect viewpoint for the modern architecture of the city.
Materials and Construction
The concrete, right before steel and glass, is the main material used for the construction, the white colour was obtained with a mix of sand and titanium dioxide. The advantages of using white concrete are its durability, lack of need for finish painting and the ability of white colour to reflect the light which helps to reduce lumination costs.
Calatrava has been tilted in this play by the reinforced concrete because – as he said, it allows you to mold forms, defying the laws of gravity, like the edge falling from the sky in the Auditorium of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. (wikiarquitectura.com)
The interior of the auditorium is finished with wood panelling because of its sound absorption properties, although the area close to the stage has to reflect the sound and for that reason, there are used vertical aluminium slats which when opened are hung above the orchestra pit. There is various use of external finishes, from smooth shells to decorative tiles and volcanic rock.
Sustainability
The main advantage of Auditorio de Tenerife in the Canary Islands is its multifunctionality. One building that offers a space for opera, symphony orchestra, ballet and world music events makes it very exploitative and does not contain unnecessary uneconomical and long-lasting empty spaces, which makes the building sustainable. Moreover, the auditorium also offers facilities like a cafe and public terraces which creates it more public, inviting, and easily accessible.
The economic technological solution of the auditorium is its ventilation system. The closed spaces where it was necessary are artificially ventilated with the air conditioner but foyers have ensured natural air exchange with the use of windy sea climate.
From the social point of view, this auditorium promotes music and takes care of the cultural education of the inhabitants, moreover the activity of the auditorium is strictly connected with current social needs. Undoubtedly, the building takes part in the sustainable development of Tenerife by the culture.
References
Adan Martin Auditorio de Tenerfe at: https://calatrava.com/projects/adan-martin-auditorio-de-tenerife-santa-cruz-de-tenerife.html?view_mode=overview&image=3 [Accessed date: 06/05/2021].
Tenerife’s Auditorium at: https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/tenerifes-auditorium/# [Accessed date: 06/05/2021].
