The road above a residential building in Tenerife, Canary Islands
Credit:Pixabay:jdegheest
In Tenerife, Canary Islands, a unique road built on the rooftops of a residential building has become a social media sensation, sparking both fascination and mixed reactions from locals and tourists alike.
Forget optical illusions, cartoon drawings or Super Mario Kart racing games, in the Canary Islands there is a scene that ticks all the boxes for being something that might seem like virtual reality. One building in the scenic town of Tacoronte, North Tenerife is not fascinating for the 60 apartments within it, but for the road spanning the length of its rooftop – making it one of the most extraordinary and eye-catching infrastructures across Spain.
Unusual road built on rooftop in Tenerife: housing needs vs transport connections
This social media masterpiece was erected in the 1960’s originally to house apartments during the growing housing crisis. At the same time, the demand for a support road towards the coastline was a budding priority. Voila! The two structures were merged. Despite being over 20 metres above ground level, this is no deterrent for drivers who skim the building’s rooftop on a daily basis. Connecting the neighbourhoods of Mesa del Mar to the coast, the construction has received mixed opinions, both favourable and bitter, yet locals in the area do confess that the concept has facilitated access to the community without invading residential areas.
Criticism of Tenerife’s quirky road has been divided
Understandably, criticism of the design has focused on safety and noise disturbance for residents in the building. Cars are no longer allowed to park on the road due to excessive weight on its foundations. Concerning residents, many claim to be unperturbed by noise with those on the top floor reporting reverberatory noise and vibration only from heavier vehicles.
There have been complaints outside of the radar of locals. Urban planners have highlighted safety concerns, especially as coastal areas tend to be prone to unpredictable weather conditions, which saw another local construction, Mar y Sol – converted from hotel into homes – partly destroyed by recent storms. They emphasize that whilst the structure may draw social media attention to the area and to Tenerife as an icon, it is important to find a compromise between functionality, safety and the environment in architectural developments such as these.
