Puerto-City Building (Maritime Station)

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Architecture · Subcategory: Civil architecture · Year: 1994 - 2021 · Authors: Antonio Corona Bosch, Arsenio Pérez Amaral, Eustaquio Martínez García

In 1992, the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife considered replacing some old warehouses built in the mid-20th century on the Ribera quay with a modern building to house a maritime station. The new building emerged from the architectural study of Antonio Corona Bosch, Arsenio Pérez Amaral and Eustaquio Martínez García, authors of the Jet-Foil maritime station built years earlier on the North Quay.

The new station on the Ribera Quay was inaugurated in 1994, coinciding with the commemoration of five centuries of history of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The construction was named "Puerto-Ciudad Building", intending it to be the point of union between both elements. 

The two-storey building skilfully combines several materials: corten steel, wood and bateig stone. Its broad horizontal sense is topped in the centre by a structure that simulates a ship's chimney, through which an elevator runs. The lower floor has a spacious waiting room, ticket sales outlets, a bazaar and a café. The upper floor was intended to house various offices. The roof was designed as a walkable area and balcony overlooking the quay. 

More than twenty-five years after its inauguration, the building has undergone intense restoration and various significant modifications. After a costly investment and almost two years of work, the first phase of its transformation was completed in 2021. The gardens were refurbished, new external elevators were installed and, most strikingly, a winding walkway was added connecting the lower level of the building with the upper, where the roof is expected to host various commercial and leisure establishments.

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