‘La Muralla Roja’ When the sun goes down III, is an evocative new Photo series by Andrés Gallardo. 5 years after initially visiting Ricardo Bofill’s creation, Gallardo revisited with the intention of creating a totally contrasting series, capturing the complex through sunset, the night and into sunrise. With regard to the fact that there are not many photographs in circulation during the night-time period, Gallardo set out to capture the complex during twilight, with the placid roll of the waves against the seafront.
‘La Muralla Roja’ translated as ‘The Red Wall’ is a vibrant housing project in Spain’s Calpe. Casbah is a term often mentioned in regards to this particular project, suggesting Bofill himself drew upon North African Arabic themes for his inspiration. Casbah refers to a citadel or castle, a walled central area of a town or city upon the traditional quarter. The Mediterranean complex mimics this built-up realm, with an entanglement of walkways, stairs, balconies, and bridges interlocking in harmonious effect.
The late Ricardo Bofill was a Spanish Architect renowned for his diversity and vernacular approach to architecture, often celebrated for his monumentality in terms of architectural style. Graduating from the Barcelona School of Architecture he is known for works including La Fábrica, Taller de Arquitectura, once a disused and decaying cement factory re-imagined through methods of Adaptive Reuse.
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What makes my photo series special ? Well, this one is shot at night, a rarely seen side of this amazing piece of architecture - Andrés Gallardo
Gallardo has captured the spirit of the apartment complex in a striking collection of photos, capturing the vivid use of reds, violets, and contrasting blue tones, against the night sky. Claret tones resemble that of the ablazen sun setting upon the horizon, and blue shades similar to those of the tranquil starlit sphere. Its angular Postmodern form casts an atmospheric shadow against its walls, highlighting geometric shape and its domineering presence as a magnificent piece of architecture. It heavily corresponds with theories and characteristics of constructivism.
Its capture during the twilight period incites its radiance and sense of mystery, with much of its vibrancy lost in the daylight hours. The use of color creates an illusion of space, reflecting those shades found in nature itself, a popular theme in much of Bofill’s architectural works. Seeking to break down the division between private and public spaces, the labyrinth of walkways corresponds with the Greek Cross typology, grouping 5m ‘arms’ and providing kitchens, bathrooms, etc. where these intersect.
Andrés Gallardo is a self-taught photographer from Spain, featuring in multiple publications including the BBC, Vogue Brazil, ArchDaily, and Lonely Planet. He has been recognized at prestigious awards such as the Sony world photography awards, Siena international photo awards, and the IPA international photo awards and continues to create memorizing new architectural compilations and commercial photo series.
See the full series and learn more information about his work on Andrés Gallardo's website.
.jpg?1648130587 "Bofill's La Muralla Roja Captured in Evocative New Photoseries by Andrés Gallardo")
