“We refuse to include the harbour’s beautiful orthogonal monotony; we exclude the hardness of the port from the interior, and instead, we seek something that is completely the opposite – translucent, delicate, light, aquatic – something that has to do with what Luigi Nono defined as a space for water music.” – SelgasCano 


 

It doesn’t happen every day that I come across a public building which makes my design engine rev at a slightly higher rate. This little baby however… Wroom wroom! She’s a beauty! Located in the docks of the harbour city of Cartagena in Spain, this auditorium and performance centre El “B” was designed by Madrid-based practice SelgasCano (who are clearly talented, but boy do they have an average website – most unfortunate).

The plastic texture of the building has a magical, delicate quality – the translucent extruded polycarb panels expose the building’s metallic structure. There is a clever play of tonalities created with accents of neon paint into each piece, with varying colours and intensities. The auditorium itself has a surreal aquatic ambience – I imagine one would feel submerged under water in this space.

This building is such a breath of fresh air, don’t you think? Extreme love!


[Images © Iwan Baan.]



About The Author

Founder & Editor

With a disarming blend of authority and approachability, Dana is a former refugee-turned-global design visionary. Through her multi-faceted work as a creative director, keynote speaker, editor, curator, interior designer and digital publisher, Dana empowers others to appreciate and engage with design in transformative ways, making the sometimes intimidating world of design accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the subject. Dana's been catapulted to the status of a stalwart global influencer, with recognition from industry heavyweights such as AD Germany, Vogue Living, Elle Décor Italia and Danish RUM Interiør Design, who have named as one of the Top True Global Influencers of the Design World and counted her among the most visionary female creatives on the planet. Her TEDx talk—"Design Can Change the Way You See the World"— will challenge and transform your understanding of design's omnipresent and profound influence. Through her vast experience in interiors, architecture and design, Dana challenges the prevailing rapid image culture, highlighting the importance of originality, sustainability, connecting with your values and learning to "see" design beyond the aesthetic.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.