es in the world appear to be happier to embrace new directions in building style and design and take a risk when it comes to approving new, non-traditional developments. That approach to city planning seems to be limited to just a few major cities, while most of the others prefer to stay safe, resulting in non-offensive, yet arguably boring city landscapes. For visitors to a city or major town the overall feel of the location is very important. The effort required to fight against tradition and move in new directions can bring substantial rewards in terms of attractiveness to tourists.

A city like London that has a long and rich history and plenty of beautiful traditional architecture is an example of somewhere that appears more cautious than others when it comes to leading edge modern architecture. Some would argue that developments such as the London Dome (now named the O2) or the famous pineapple building are iconic examples of leading edge design, but these are the exception rather than the norm in London and there are many more average, plain and somewhat dull buildings being erected there.

One city that manages to embrace interesting and modern building design while still allowing its traditional architecture to co-exist is Paris. There have been some very ambitious and risky buildings erected in Paris over the years that can now lay claim to have contributed to the international reputation and identity of the city. These include the Eiffel Tower built in 1889, the Pompidou Centre from 1976 and the towering Grande Arche at La Defense, completed in 1990.

Another city that doesn’t seem constrained by traditional approach to architectural design is Barcelona in Spain. Part of the city’s identity is based on contemporary art in all its forms. The architect Antoni Gaudi, who came to Barcelona to study in 1873 and lived there until his death, has left a catalogue of unique and characteristic structures across the city. The most famous is perhaps the breathtaking Sagrada Famil? a church that has been undergoing construction since 1882 and even today is not complete. The latest estimates are that the building will finally be completed in 2026 and, even in its current state, it is certainly one of the world’s most remarkable buildings. Every visitor to Barcelona should make an effort to include a visit there.

That Spanish flair and love of design is also evident in the Canary Islands, where a love of modern architecture has been nurtured over the years, leaving several of the islands with impressive contemporary public buildings. That love of style and progressive architecture has been helped by some talented local architects, in particular Cesar Manrique who influenced architecture on his native Lanzarote for over thirty years until his death in 1992. His most famous designs include the Mirador del Rio, a clifftop viewpoint in the north of Lanzarote, the Lago Martianez, an outdoor salt water swimming pool complex in Tenerife, the La Vaguada shopping complex in mainland Madrid and also his own home, which is now the Cesar Manrique Foundation. Here visitors can see how the architect reflected his own styles and preferences in his own home and garden. Manrique was also responsible in some part for the design and approval of many other buildings across the island group.

Another Spanish architect leaving his mark in the Canaries is Santiago Calatrava. Back in 1970 the island of Tenerife decided it needed a new opera house and started a design and approval process that continued without success for almost 20 years before it was finally abandoned. Certainly the path to achieving modern architecture in our cities is not always smooth. A second attempt at providing the island with a modern auditorium led to the commissioning of Calatrava in 1990 to start the new design and in 2003 the new Auditorio de Tenerife was opened. Those 33 years of effort have eventuallyleft the island with a thoroughly modern and impressive structure that signifies the island’s modern approach to living and will surely be a treasured asset for many years to come.

Calatrava has a growing international reputation and has design some remarkable buildings around the world. These include music venues in New York, Atlanta and Valencia, bridges in Dublin, Israel and Venice, and the spectacular Qatar Photography Museum. Calatrava is currently working on another music venue for the Canary Islands.


By: Mark Bartley