Menis transforms objects abandoned by tourists in Fuerteventura into marine-inspired creatures

Read the original version in Spanish here.

Published on July 05, 2026

Spanish architect Fernando Menis designed a series of marine-inspired installations made from recycled objects and materials left behind by children and tourists at hotels in the coastal towns of La Oliva, a municipality in Fuerteventura, in Spain's Canary Islands.

In the Canary Islands, where the weather is consistently warm and sunny, a "white Christmas" and snowflakes make little sense, representing an imported concept. Instead, the design champions imagery and symbols more aligned with the maritime culture of Fuerteventura's coast.

Menis developed his design by recycling materials such as pool floats, surfboards, beach toys, and bottles, involving local residents—particularly children—in their assembly. Out of Menis's various designs, only two have been built so far: the giant squid and the jellyfish garlands.

Creating this recycled, DIY lighting project involves collecting materials left behind in hotels throughout the year and relies on the cooperation of local residents and children. Consequently, the first "edition" of this initiative faced certain limitations. However, the designs can be used in future editions and elsewhere in the world. Aimed at fostering recycling and creativity, the goal is to scale up and refine their use as they gain popularity and the community embraces them.

Installation Descriptions:

Giant Squid

Menis transforms objects abandoned by tourists in Fuerteventura into marine-inspired creatures - Image 3 of 27 — © Patricia Cámpora

The giant squid is assembled using the items most commonly used by tourists during the summer: colorful inflatable floats and pool noodles. This large-scale piece will take over streets and public squares, aiming to become a symbol of maritime Christmas for the residents of La Oliva. Each giant squid consists of 10 plastic floats, 20 hollow plastic noodles, and two plastic buckets, along with the hardware needed for assembly and anchoring. The designs and colors of these materials will be random, depending on the stock collected by the Town Hall and local hotels. It will also feature plastic beach buckets at the tips of the tentacles. The squid is illuminated in two ways: a white light source inside the body, which takes on different hues depending on the color of the floats, and a series of colored light points along the tentacles, created using colored LED string lights. A protective substructure inside the body prevents the light source from coming into contact with the plastic floats.

Hibiscus Flowers

In Fuerteventura, winter is just like summer: filled with bright colors, warm temperatures, and near-constant sunshine. Consequently, this lighting project demonstrates that the true symbols of Christmas in Fuerteventura are not snowflakes, which belong to other latitudes, but the flowers that never close on this paradise island. Each flower is made of nine bodyboards—multicolored boards made of a lightweight, rigid material like expanded polystyrene—adhesive plastic tape, and the necessary hardware for assembly and anchoring.

Palm Trees

This installation is designed specifically for public spaces that, due to their prominence and character, require a more understated, simple, and elegant intervention. In this context, palm trees are the perfect choice, both for their significance in Canary Islands symbolism and because their unique shapes make it possible to recreate a fireworks display that lights up the urban space. The innovation lies in the orientation of the lights, which do not wrap around the palm tree but instead run vertically, from the trunk to the tip of each frond. The design requires dimming the existing public lighting in these areas so that the lines of light outlining the palms take center stage, achieving an effect of light bursts highly reminiscent of a fireworks display.

Small Boats

While Corralejo and El Cotillo are known for their waterfront promenades and scenic views, at night these areas almost always face deep darkness, as the sea becomes invisible after sunset. By simply decorating the boats that sail near the coast at night, the water's surface will be illuminated. This installation relies on community participation, requiring volunteers to offer their boats. Once the number of available vessels is confirmed, the Town Hall will provide the owners with string lights for installation.

Jellyfish Garland

Continuing the themes that celebrate La Oliva's maritime Christmas, and relying on the recycling of common objects, the project proposes decorating coastal promenades with string lights. These will serve as a base for installing lanterns designed to replicate the seabed. While the initial idea is to style these bulbs as small jellyfish, the project also encourages La Oliva residents—especially children—to participate by repurposing ordinary plastic bottles into jellyfish shapes. To unify the inevitably diverse designs and provide a cohesive base, the first step involves applying a coat of fluorescent spray paint (yellow, green, orange, or pink) to each lantern, which children can then decorate further using simple markers.