Tenerife Auditorium Crumbles: Calatrava Blamed for Repair Delays
Tenerife's Adán Martín Auditorium is severely deteriorating with structural damage and leaks, as architect Santiago Calatrava repeatedly misses repair deadlines, leading the Socialist Group to criticize the local government for lacking accountability.
The Adán Martín Auditorium in Tenerife, a key cultural building on the island, is falling apart, and its repair is facing long delays. The Socialist Group in the local government (Cabildo) claims that the island's administration hasn't been firm enough in holding architect Santiago Calatrava, who is responsible for the renovation, accountable.
Bad weather recently, especially rain and wind, has made the building's condition worse. Parts of the outer ceramic tiles, called trencadís, have fallen off. Water leaks have also forced the closure of the second floor in the main part of the building. In the car park, both levels have makeshift containers catching water, showing just how bad the leaks are.
Adding to the problem, the deadlines for the renovation plan have been missed repeatedly. In June 2022, Calatrava's team agreed to submit a repair project within 19 months. This meant the deadline was late 2023 or early 2024. However, Rosa Dávila's government extended it by another year, pushing the new deadline to November 2024. But even now, the project still hasn't been handed in.
Juan Carlos Pérez Frías, the island's Director of Finance, said in January that the project would be moving forward by February. This was after an initial agreement with the architect's team and approval from local experts. However, Pérez Frías later admitted that even though there had been talks with the company meant to fix the wind-damaged areas, the project process "is still ongoing" with no new progress.
The Socialist Group called the Auditorium's state "deplorable" and demanded a quick solution. Their spokesperson, Aarón Afonso, criticized President Rosa Dávila for not pushing Calatrava hard enough. He believes Calatrava should not only deliver the project on time but also pay for the repairs. This comes as a court has also urged an agreement with the original construction companies to fix flaws that have been visible for nearly ten years.
The Tenerife Auditorium opened in 2003, costing 75 million euros – three times its original budget of 24 million. Four years ago, it was estimated that fixing its structural problems would cost another 24 million euros. Because of the slow progress, the socialists have said they will consider further action once they review the project documents and the final timeline they have requested.