Tenerife Espacio de las Artes

The arts centre was conceived as a lively place for people of all ages and interests, where the different activities flow into one another, reached from every side.

Past the counters, a large spiral stair links the upper and lower museum levels. The upper level has top-lit galleries of various sizes for a permanent collection, and the lower level offers a large floor that can be divided for temporary exhibitions, with ceilings of around six metres or more. Smaller photography galleries sit on the lower level as well.

Crossing the square, visitors come upon the bright spaces of the island library behind large glass screens, a volume that glows along the ravine at night. Long courtyards bring daylight, views and orientation, and it took time for the design team to see that every function belonged under one continuous roof rather than in separate wings.