Architectural landscapes in Benidorm, Spain
This is the portrait of an atypical city, especially for its architecture. Considered as one of the European cities with more skyscrapers (more than 20 buildings exceeding 100m), Benidorm leaves no one indifferent. It is loved by few and hated by many, although in recent years it has opened an interesting debate regarding the improving on environmental sustainability issues that achieve this type of cities, especially on the coast. Contrary to what happens in housing complexes and isolated or detached houses, in which a large expense and energy is needed to meet the demand of a few (plus a lot of ground), in skyscrapers everything is centralized for a large population, so that the overall energy consumption is much lower, and therefore more sustainable.
Benidorm (and Spain in general) has failed to use this argument to sell a better image of the tacky Mediterranean city in decline that most have in mind (at least spanish people). The main reason for this could be found in the Spanish urban development from the 60s and 70s decades, with low budgets and the desire to accommodate as many people as possible. The results were highly variable in design and quality, usually bad, but with honorable exceptions. However, in recent years have been built very interesting buildings. As I recently read, if we would have 10 Benidorm on the Mediterranean coast, the rest would be unspoiled coastline… but it's too late. Private housing developments, golf courses very expensive to maintain, and half-finished constructions, suddenly stopped by the crisis, punctuate our coast from north to south.
Benidorm has crappy buildings and very interesting buildings, at least from an architectural point of view. In the photographs I intend to show the spatiality of the city, its architecture and the feelings that those things caused in me while touring the city for several days. The light was everywhere, and I had a leaden and alienating feeling when walked its streets, which also showed on the faces of the people I passed, probably caused by the stifling heat. The sky seemed to descend to my eyes, a warm and motionless atmosphere, as if sewn by the scattered skyscrapers around the city.
Benidorm has crappy buildings and very interesting buildings, at least from an architectural point of view. In the photographs I intend to show the spatiality of the city, its architecture and the feelings that those things caused in me while touring the city for several days. The light was everywhere, and I had a leaden and alienating feeling when walked its streets, which also showed on the faces of the people I passed, probably caused by the stifling heat. The sky seemed to descend to my eyes, a warm and motionless atmosphere, as if sewn by the scattered skyscrapers around the city.
