Emblematic auditorium
Introduction
The Tenerife Auditorium[1][2][3] is the work of architect Santiago Calatrava. It is located on Avenida de La Constitución in the Canary Islands capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), next to the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Its construction began in 1997 and ended in 2003, being inaugurated by the then Prince of Asturias, Felipe de Borbón. In 2005 it was visited by the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton. The building is part of the neo-futurist architecture of the end of the century. The Tenerife Auditorium is the headquarters of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra.[4].
The modern profile of the auditorium has led it to be considered an emblem[5] of the city of Santa Cruz and the island of Tenerife.[6] It is the most modern civil building in the Canary Islands[7] and is a tourist attraction on the island. The Correos postal service included the auditorium in a series of six stamps that it issued in March 2008, with images of emblematic works of Spanish architecture, due to its uniqueness.[8] In 2011, the image of the auditorium was included in a series of commemorative 5 euro coins, on which emblems of several Spanish cities appeared.[9] In addition, the building has become an establishing shot in films, television series or programs set in the city. of Santa Cruz and the island of Tenerife.
Location
The Tenerife Auditorium is located in the central area of Cabo-Llanos in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, between La Constitución Avenue, the César Manrique Maritime Park and the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a short distance from the Tenerife Tram interchange or station.
Next to the auditorium rise the two Towers of Santa Cruz.
Project
In 1977, and in response to the voices that had been demanding the construction of an auditorium in Tenerife since 1970, the Island Plenary approved the location of an auditorium on the El Ramonal estate, and the following year the competition of ideas for the drafting of the project began. Initially, the appointment of the project to architect Antonio Fernández Alba was agreed. Later, in 1985, the Insular Plenary approved the new location of the auditorium on the El Chapatal estate.[10] In 1987, the previous project was abandoned in favor of the architects Antonio Fernández Alba, Vicente Saavedra and Javier Díaz Llanos. In 1989, contacts began with the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava Valls, who would eventually be the designer of the plans.[10] In 1991, the preliminary project for the Tenerife Auditorium located at the end of Tres de Mayo Avenue "Avenida Tres de Mayo (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)") in the capital was publicly presented, and in 1992 the supervision and control commission was created. In 1996, the change of location to the castle of San Juan Bautista "Castillo de San Juan (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)"), located next to the sea, was approved.[10].