Torre Picasso
Template:Short description Template:Primary sources Template:Infobox building
Torre Picasso (Picasso Tower) is a skyscraper in Madrid, Spain designed by Minoru Yamasaki. From 1988 until 2007 it was the tallest building in Madrid, measuring Template:Convert and with 43 floors.<ref name="TorrePicasso"/> Torre Picasso is located next to the Pablo Picasso Square, within the commercial complex AZCA along the Paseo de la Castellana.
The building is currently the fifth-largest in Madrid and the tenth-tallest building in Spain.
HistoryEdit
Planning and constructionEdit
The Torre Picasso was part of a plan to build a large block of modern buildings in the expansion area of northern Madrid. Construction of this area, better known as AZCA, began in 1970 and in 1975 the developer Unión de Explosivos Río Tinto, S.A. awarded the design of the tower to American architect Minoru Yamasaki, in collaboration with Jorge Mir Valls and Rafael Coll Pujol. In 1980, Yamasaki received a license to build the highest office complex of Madrid.<ref name="TorrePicasso"/>
Construction began late 1982, and the building opened in December 1988. During this period, construction stalled for a period until new owners Portland Valderrivas S.A. and Inmobiliaria Asón S.A., purchased the incomplete structure and relaunched work in 1985 under the direction of architect Fernando Alas.<ref name="TorrePicasso"/> In 2002, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) regained control of the building through a purchase of Portland Valderrivas.<ref name=takeover>Template:Cite press release</ref> FCC owned the tower until December 2011<ref name="AtEmporis">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> when Pontegadea Inmobiliaria, a division of Industria de Diseño Textil, S.A. purchased the structure for €400 million.<ref name=dominguez>Template:Cite news</ref> PER Gestora Inmobiliaria, S.L.manages the building.<ref name="TorrePicasso"/>
Skyline positionEdit
At its opening in 1988, Torre Picasso surpassed the elder office tower Torre de Madrid. Notable surrounding skyscrapers are Torre Europa, Banco de Bilbao Tower and Torre Titania. Torre Picasso was Spain's tallest building until 2001, when it was overtaken by the Gran Hotel Bali in Benidorm, Alicante,<ref name="AtEmporis"/> the Torre Espacio in 2007,<ref name="AtEmporis"/> and Torre Caja Madrid, Torre de Cristal and Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso since 2009.
Figures and statisticsEdit
The following information can be found on the official website of Torre Picasso:<ref name="TorrePicasso"/>
- Height: Template:Convert above ground (Template:Convert including basement)
- 43 floors
- 5 basement floors (first level is a commercial area, others are parking)
- ground floor houses the lobby
- 42 floors house offices
- 44th floor contains mechanical equipment
- 45th floor contains the heliport
- Area: Template:Convert office space, Template:Convert in total
- Size per floor: Template:Convert
- 26 elevators; 18 serve office floors divided into three zones:
- 1st-18th floors at Template:Convert
- 18th-32nd floors at Template:Convert
- 32nd-43rd floors at Template:Convert (fastest in Spain)
- Glass façade surface: Template:Convert
- Parking space: 837
- Foreseen population: 6,000 persons
- Daily visitors: 1,500 persons
ArchitectureEdit
The structure has a rectangular footprint with a windowless two-storey base. A wide round arch, resting on an underground steel structure for support, serves as the entrance and supports the façade above. The opening under this arch is covered by a special security glass named STADIP (the one used in Torre Agbar in Barcelona). Windows on floors 3 through 43 are grouped in twos divided by a slender pier. The groupings are divided by larger piers into 15 bays across the front of the building and 11 bays on the sides. The façade is covered in white aluminum and the corners of the structure are chamfered.<ref name="TorrePicasso"/> The top two floors are also windowless and the parapet flares to form a cornice. Elevators, in three groupings, occupy a bay in the rear of the structure along with stairways.
Cultural depictionsEdit
- The tower was previously home to the Canal+ TV studios.Template:Citation needed
- It was featured in the last scenes of Alejandro Amenábar's 1997 movie Open Your Eyes. Lead character César (portrayed by Eduardo Noriega) commits suicide by jumping from the Torre Picasso.<ref name="AtEmporis"/>
- It was featured in the Crisis (TV series) pilot as the Porter Pearce HQ though the action is supposed to happen in the DC area.Template:Citation needed
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Commons category-inline
- Official website of Torre Picasso
- Torre Picasso at Google Maps
- Torre Picasso at Flickr
- Picasso Tower, Kembhavi Architecture Foundation