TEA · Tenerife Arts Space

TEA offers a contemporary way of moving through the city, rather than simply a building for viewing exhibitions. Herzog and de Meuron, working with Canarian architect Virgilio Gutiérrez, used diagonals, ramps and different levels to connect it with the Santos ravine and surrounding streets. Public space enters the complex, linking activities that retain their own identities. Contemporary art, photography, a library and cinema coexist here: different ways of producing and sharing culture. Notice how passages and openings replace the idea of one grand, formal façade. Between the market and La Concepción, TEA adds a recent layer to the old urban centre. It invites comparison between present-day cultural architecture and historic neighbours while making the act of crossing the site part of the experience.