The colourful promenade that has adorned the beachfront of Benidorm, Spain, since 2010 is a telling example of how a fresh architectural eye can transform an urban area into a fun, welcoming space. Beyond its aesthetic contribution, the project has the potential to change the lives of the city’s 71,000 residents.
The new pedestrian walkway reduces the built-up surface and forms an intricate transitional strip between the skyscrapers and the beach.
It is built from white concrete walls that form terraces, small gardens, stairways down to the beach, and ramps.
The colourful forms recall something of Gaudí or Burle Marx. The geometry of the structure appears arbitrary, with concave and convex surfaces that are in fact governed by a strict system of modular elements. Small gardens add to the riot of colour. Architectural barriers have been eliminated, and access to the beach is improved by a large number of stairs and ramps.
Before the intervention, the beach ran for about a kilometre and a half alongside a four-lane road and a row of open-air parking spaces. Today the road has been reduced to two traffic lanes, and an underground car park runs along the length of the beach.
The project covers an area of 40,000 m2 and cost €10,620,000.
See the area before and after the works.
Photos: publicspace.org
Text: Natasa Lianopoulou
