Valencia Tower

The Valencia Tower (Spanish: Torre de Valencia) is a residential building in Madrid, Spain. It is the most known as well as most controversial[1] project by Javier Carvajal.

Valencia Tower
Torre de Valencia
General information
Typeresidential building
LocationIbiza, Madrid
AddressCalle de O'Donnell 4 cv Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo 9
CountrySpain
Construction started1970
Completed1973
Height94 m
Technical details
Floor count26
Design and construction
ArchitectJavier Carvajal Ferrer

History and description
The building profile protrudes in the alignment of the plaza de Cibeles and the Puerta de Alcalá.

The project approval was passed by the City Council of Madrid in 1968.[2] The building process took place between 1970 and 1973.[3] The construction was temporarily halted by the City Council in April 1971 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, on the basis of the complaints filed by the neighbours, who wanted the building to be tore down.[4] The building was then acrimoniously derided in the pages of ABC.[4] The works resumed in June.[4] A 26-floor concrete tower, reaching a 94-metre height, it became the highest residential building in the Spanish capital when it was finally opened in 1973.[4] It is located in the Retiro District, in front of the Retiro Park, in the junction of Menéndez Pelayo Avenue and O'Donnell Street.[3]

It has been noted as "an elaborated product of (Carvajal's) organicism".[5] A controversial work,[5] it has been heavily criticised, particularly in terms of the visual impact it creates in the sight of the puerta de Alcalá from the plaza de Cibeles.[6] Architect Santiago Fajardo defined the building as follows: "an extraordinary building, extraordinarily badly placed".[4]

References
  1. Labarta Aizpún & Tárrago Mingo 2015, p. 38.
  2. Río 2018.
  3. "Torre de Valencia. F2.480". Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid.
  4. Prieto 2018.
  5. Capitel 1996, pp. 57-70.
  6. Gozálvez 2010.

Bibliography

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