Cesar manrique architecture: Lanzarote: César Manrique. Architecture

The architecture of César Manrique in Lanzarote in Spain is Culture

Lanzarote can not be conceived without the contribution of César Manrique. The artist was fascinated by the unique nature of Lanzarote’s volcanic landscape. Whilst others saw it as a desert, arid and inhospitable, he saw that volcanic nature as a synonym of beauty and, in the respect, admiration and gratitude for that landscape where he had grown up, created his art.

How can his work be defined? It is difficult to answer that question and, more so, straightjacket Manrique’s work within artistic currents and techniques used. Although he defined himself as a painter, it is true he was also a sculptor, architect, town planner, landscaper, ecologist and a monument curator. Manrique was all these things and this is what his work reveals.

His first and perhaps most spectacular work in Lanzarote was the Jameos del Agua grotto, with the creation of a perfectly integrated natural auditorium in a whimsical volcanic formation. Its beauty and contracts of light and colours make it a universally admired work. It largely summarises what Manrique did throughout his life: spatial composition where human additions were harmoniously integrated into the natural setting, extolling beauty and value.

The Río vantage point is another of his projects in Lanzarote, magnificently integrated into the cliffs on the north of the island. His own home in Taro de Tahiche is perhaps the work which best represents Manrique’s personal and artistic ideals: it expresses his longing to live with lava, making it an exceptional example of integration of a home in nature, an oasis in the middle of a river of blue-black lava.

At present, it is the headquarters of the César Manrique Foundation, set up in 1992 with the aim of driving the research and promotion of the work of Manrique, as well as the promotion of environmentally-friendly artistic and cultural activity. The building was constructed in 1968 on a lava outflow and takes advantage, on the lower level, of the natural formation of five volcanic bubbles to create a surprising liveable space; the upper level and exterior of the house are inspired by traditional island architecture.

The monument to Farm workers, the cactus garden are other works that can be visited in Lanzarote. Manrique also left a major legacy off the island. Highlights of his spatial work include the spectacular vantage point of La Peña (El Hierro), the Palmarejo vantage point (La Gomera), the Maritime Park of Puerto de la Cruz and Playa Jardín (Tenerife), La Vanguada Shopping Centre (Madrid) and the large Mediterranean Maritime Park (Ceuta). All are public spaces, works of architecture and town planning, although he was always criticised for not having exact architectural knowledge. Manrique never debated this criticism and limited himself to stating he was an artist and expressed himself at all times with the media he believed appropriate. In any case, it is true that all these works are truly unique where the natural setting is the main protagonist.

In short, for César Manrique nature was not only the main reference point for his artistic creation but also for his life. He did not create in nature but rather with it, and his relationship with the environment was not simply aesthetic but also a truly exemplary commitment to defending the environment. There is no other Spanish artist whose work is so intimately linked with nature.

Intro – CÉSAR MANRIQUE LANZAROTE, ARCHITECTURE

Architecture by César Manrique in Lanzarote

Official site of the book César Manrique, territorial acupuncture in Lanzarote —considered the reference  work on the architecture of César Manrique— with extracts of the work and exclusive content. This website also includes an interactive map of Lanzarote, with the location of all of Manrique’s architectural work on the island.

DRAWINGS

AUTHOR

MAP OF LANZAROTE

Lanzarote

Lanzarote is an island with predominantly volcanic landscape, located within the Canary archipelago. Its appeal went unnoticed for decades, hidden by the natural exuberance of the main neighboring islands. Despite its apparent sterility and limited size, in the last decades of the twentieth century Lanzarote has become a benchmark of balance between tourism attraction and sustainable development. This example of growth contrasts with the general reality of other islands from the same archipelago, and its particular principles of development can still be seen in our days.

In 1993, Lanzarote was declared by the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, considering the island as an oasis worthy of being preserved. This recognition was granted for the first time to a “territory as a whole, including all its population centers.”

César Manrique

The unique development of Lanzarote is frequently associated with the local artist César Manrique, and particularly with his active intervention from the 60’s and until his death, in 1992. Manrique was a visionary, able to anticipate the hidden potential of the island. The artist would compare Lanzarote to Cinderella, with a uniqueness above her sisters -the other destinations in the archipelago-.

However, the fact that Manrique has developed his architectural work without an official title of architect and within a limited geographical context -away from the large population centers-, has not helped to achieve the recognition deserved. The influence of César Manrique on the development of Lanzarote has not been the subject of any comprehensive scientific analysis to date.

Territorial acupuncture

Manrique‘s intervention, and in particular through the architecture that the artist created in Lanzarote with the Art Centres, has meant an urban and territorial acupuncture that has transformed the island. Its influence has reached hundreds of thousands of inhabitants and more than fifty million tourists.

Contemporary vision of Manrique’s

architecture

In addition to analysing all these elements in detail, the book César Manrique, territorial acupuncture in Lanzarote provides a contemporary vision of the artist’s architectural work, supporting the analysis in the unpublished testimonies of prestigious contemporary architects such as Alvaro Siza, Jacques Herzog, Frei Otto or Fernando Menis.

Cesar Manrique: the story of the architect who built the whole

Cesar Manrique: the story of the architect who built the whole | Perito

“This is not a dystopian plot, this is the world we live in”

PeritoDestinationsEuropeSpain

ArchitectureIslandsSpain

Publication date 02/10/2020

The airport was named after him.

Anton Dyakonov

text

The island of Lanzarote in the Canary archipelago is inextricably linked with the artist and architect Cesar Manrique. He completely transformed the island and became one of the pioneers of the concept of sustainable tourism. In 2019year in honor of the centenary of the artist, an airport on the island was named after him.

For the last few years, until his death in a car accident on September 25, 1992, Manrique lived in the village of Aria in the north of the island. The village is located in the center of the Valley of a Thousand Palms. According to legend, a new palm tree is planted in this place every time a child is born in the region. Manrique’s “Palm House” on the outskirts of Aria has been preserved the same as it was on the morning of the artist’s death. Even the tubes of paint and dirty overalls remained in their places. The only new detail is a screen that shows footage of Manrique at work. nine0003

The landscape of Lanzarote was affected by a series of volcanic eruptions at the beginning of the 18th century. As a result of the disaster, almost a quarter of the island was buried under a layer of solidified lava. Manrique found his own beauty in lifeless views and devoted 25 years to turning this place into a work of art – and succeeded.

The landscape of the Timanfaya Volcanic Park is so reminiscent of another planet that NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) train astronauts on its territory for future missions to Mars and the Moon. They are also testing new models of rovers. nine0003

Map of the island and view of the Timanfaya Park

César Manrique was born in Arrecife on April 24, 1919, and moved to Madrid in 1945 to study art. Over time, he became a successful painter and sculptor. But his imagination was occupied by the primitive colors and landscapes of his native island. He painted abstract canvases of that period in charcoal and crimson tones, like the lava-struck nature of Lanzarote.

Energetic and charismatic, Manrique liked good parties. Some time in the middle of 19In the 60s he lived in New York, collaborating with Andy Warhol. However, the bohemian American art scene quickly lost its charm for him. “Man was not made for this artificiality,” he wrote to a friend. “I feel the need to return to earth. Feel it, smell it.”

The artist decided that he was “rootless” without “the purity of his people … and the deserted Canarian landscape” and in 1966 returned to his native island with plans to direct all his efforts to reveal its surreal splendor to the world. “Lanzarote itself is like an unfinished work of art,” Manrique said many years later. “I just framed it for everyone to see the island. ” nine0003

Responsible tourism, “sugar houses” and “wind toys”

Luckily, the head of the government of Lanzarote was one of Manrique’s oldest friends. Under their joint leadership, responsible tourism began to be introduced on the island – long before the concept was invented: billboards were banned, telephone cables were removed from poles and laid underground, and mass tourism was limited to three resorts, imposing height and capacity restrictions on hotels.

Manrique often repeated the mantra “Arte – naturaleza, naturaleza – arte” (“Art is nature, nature is art”). He believed that any construction should be environmentally friendly and combine man-made forms with natural spaces. His white “sugar houses”, for which the village of Aria is known, were built according to a simple principle: doors and window frames were painted azure near the seashore and green in the interior of the island. nine0003

Fifty years after Manrique’s return to his homeland, these houses have become one of Lanzarote’s calling cards. The influence of the architect is felt everywhere – even in the beautification of the streets. There are not many places in the world where the design of urns was developed by an eminent artist whose work hangs in museums next to Picasso and Miro.

Today, building restrictions have been eased, and Manrique would not be happy about the shopping malls and food courts that have sprung up along the beaches. However, old hotels in three resort towns – Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca – still stand out for their design. Manrique personally designed the luxurious gardens and pools with exotic plants at the Meliá, the flagship hotel of the Costa Teguise. nine0032

Manrique installed unusual monuments everywhere – movable “toys of the wind” (Juguete del Viento) – a tribute to the artist’s windmills from his childhood, which have now disappeared. In the very center of the island, there is the Fertility sculpture (Fecundidad), also known as the “Monument to the Peasant” (El Monumento al Campesino), resembling a constructor. It was made from water tanks that were removed from old ships. Manrique dedicated the sculpture to “unknown farmers whose hard work helped create the unique landscape of the island.” It is difficult to say what exactly Fertility depicts. Most often they say that this is a farmer with a dog or a one-humped camel. nine0003

Manrique’s “Invasions”

Manrique called his larger works “invasions” (intervenciones). All of them are in special places. The observation deck Mirador del Rio (Mirador de Rio) of his authorship is located on a cliff almost 500 meters high in the northern part of the island. It offers a beautiful view of the island of Graciosa. Near each of Manrique’s buildings there is a restaurant – the artist liked to dine in them with friends.

Viewpoint Mirador del Rio

The first of Manrique’s “invasions” – the Jameos del Agua grotto – was opened at the end of 1960s on the north coast of the island. The artist built a network of water tunnels in a volcanic cave. The grotto has an atmospheric restaurant adorned with huge ferns, an azure pool, a man-made white beach with palm trees, and a 600-seat concert hall. Hollywood star Rita Hayworth called this place the eighth wonder of the world.

Manrique’s favorite “invasion” was the cactus garden (Jardín de Cactus) in the village of Guatiza, 15 minutes south of Jameos del Agua. The garden was laid out on the site of a former quarry. It collected several thousand plants that looked like sculptures. The garden restaurant serves cactus veggie burgers in bright red buns. This is a reference to cochineal bugs, which were bred in local cactus fields to produce red dye. The cactus garden was the last of Manrique’s big projects. At that time – at 1991 – he had already moved to Aria and was completing the donation of his former home in the village of Taiche to the island.

Cactus Garden (Jardín de Cactus) in the village of Guatica

The house in Taich is the embodiment of the architect’s wildest fantasies – a futuristic labyrinth of volcanic bubbles connected by lava tunnels. A fig tree grows from the floor in the living room, and small pools resembling precious stones are scattered throughout the rooms. And for couples, secluded corners for relaxation have been created, as in the nightclubs of Ibiza. There is also a small dance floor – it would be a great party here. This house now houses the César Manrique Foundation. nine0003

For Manrique himself, the party ended tragically quickly. After meeting with the trustees of the foundation on a sunny Friday in September 1992, he got behind the wheel of his green Jaguar and left his home in Taich for the last time. A few minutes later he died in a collision with a jeep. At the site of the architect’s death, a kinetic sculpture “Phobos”, built according to his project, was placed. It is made of sparkling balls and disks and resembles a model of the solar system.

Sculpture “Phobos”

Lunch with Cesar: the best restaurants associated with Manrique

LagOmar – restaurant, gallery and bar

Manrique designed this unusual establishment in the village of Nazaret as a private home for a client. In the past, its owner was the actor Omar Sharif, who, according to legend, lost the house at cards. The chic white palace, carved into the rock and decorated with pools and plants, has been turned into a gallery, a restaurant and a bar where live jazz plays on Saturdays.

Address: Calle los Loros, 2, 35539Nazaret, Las Palmas
Coordinates: 29.045230, -13.554531
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
Website: lag-o-mar.com

Bodegas El Grifo – the oldest winery in the Canaries

Bodegas El Grifo in the village of La Geria was founded in 1775. This is the oldest winery in the Canary Islands. Manrique was friends with the owner and designed the vulture logo for him. In addition, the architect helped to design and build a charming museum of the winery, where a photograph of Manrique hangs with a glass of his favorite drink – El Grifo Malvasia Semidulce. nine0003

Address: LZ -30, KM 11. San Bartolomé, Apartado de Correos Nº 6, 35550, Lanzarote
Coordinates: 29.001810, -13.644947
Opening hours: 10: 30–18: 00 9003: 00 : 00 : 00 5 euros with tasting
Website: elgrifo.com