La Muralla Roja: The Latest Architecture and News

‘La Muralla Roja’ When the sun goes down III, is an evocative new Photo series by Andrés Gallardo. 5 years after initially visiting Ricardo Bofill’s creation, Gallardo revisited with the intention of creating a totally contrasting series, capturing the complex through sunset, the night and into sunrise. With regard to the fact that there are not many photographs in circulation during the night-time period, Gallardo set out to capture the complex during twilight, with the placid roll of the waves against the seafront.

‘La Muralla Roja’ translated as ‘The Red Wall’ is a vibrant housing project in Spain’s Calpe. Casbah is a term often mentioned in regards to this particular project, suggesting Bofill himself drew upon North African Arabic themes for his inspiration. Casbah refers to a citadel or castle, a walled central area of a town or city upon the traditional quarter. The Mediterranean complex mimics this built-up realm, with an entanglement of walkways, stairs, balconies, and bridges interlocking in harmonious effect.

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Marking the 80th birthday of architect Ricardo Bofill last December, photographer Sebastian Weiss recently captured the designer's iconic La Muralla Roja in Calp, Spain. The housing project references popular architecture of the Mediterranean and was inspired by the tradition of the casbah. The striking colors that cover the outer and inner facades are selected to both contrast nature and complement its purity.

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Photographer Andres Gallardo, who has captured images of noted architectural works such as Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza and MAD Architects’ Harbin Opera House, has turned his lens on La Muralla Roja (The Red Wall) by Ricardo Bofill. Located in Spain’s Calpe region, the building plays on the popular architecture of the Arab Mediterranean Area, influenced by the Mediterranean tradition of the casbah.

In recent years, the 1968 development has extended its popularity beyond architectural circles, having been featured in the music video for Martin Solveig’s hit “Do It Right.” Gallardo’s photoset, which you can see below or on his website, zooms in on the sharp, clean-cut, vibrant form of the development, informed partly by shadows cast from the hot Mediterranean sun. Despite the somewhat exact and pristine nature of the development, Gallardo also captures details of human habitation and everyday life, such as plants, vehicles, and furniture.

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