Arroyo Building

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Civil architecture · Year: 1933 · Authors: Miguel Martín-Fernández de la Torre

This three-storey residential building was designed by the Gran Canarian architect Miguel Martín Fernández de la Torre in July 1932 for the developer Andrés Arroyo. Both maintained a very fruitful relationship, as reflected in several important commissions, as well as in Arroyo's determined defence of the architect's modern conception of architecture against the narrow-mindedness of many people in Santa Cruz who opposed the new rationalist style.  

This construction, with a marked modern sense, was built in the heart of the Barrio de los Hoteles, where modernist and eclectic houses proliferated, which was a true novelty in the area.

Located on the corner of Jesús and María with Costa and Grijalba streets, the building's exterior clearly reflects a rationalist orientation. It distances itself from the ornamentation of neighbouring constructions, proposing a façade of great simplicity, with large smooth surfaces, only broken by discreet decorative bands on both sides of the windows. The different volumes are very balanced and play with subtle setbacks.   

As was standard in Miguel Martín's constructions, roughcast was used for the lower section, canopies for the continuous balcony on the first floor and for the entrance from Costa and Grijalba street. The enclosure of the balconies and the lower area was made by means of industrial-design metal railings and grilles.

The Arroyo Building presents itself as a magnificent example of a harmoniously resolved corner residential construction, in line with the clearly modern approaches that, during those early years of the fourth decade of the 20th century, were advocated by a visionary intellectuality.

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