Cesar Manrique on Lanzarote

Cesar Manrique (1919-1992), born on the Canary island Lanzarote, has been a painter, sculptor and architect who has produced a plethora of works. He has been amazingly influential to curb tourism on Lanzarote (no high-rise hotels, a construction code for all new buildings etc.), the island he returned to after he had risen to fame in New York's world of art.

He has built two houses for himself on Lanzarote, the first at Tahiche - which has become an exhibition site for his works and his collection, the second at Haria where he moved to in 1986. He died in a traffic accident in 1992.

This series also contains some images of holiday apartments which he constructed at the coastline of Puerto del Carmen - Bungalows Velazquez - and images of the Mirador del Rio, a spectacular overlook at the notheasternmost tip of the island.

#1 Windmill in front of the Tahiche house



#2 Tahiche house - pool. The house at Tahiche has been built into emptied volcanic lava bubbles (Lanzarote is dominated by wide spaces of volcanic origin covered with lava rocks, quite similar with Hawaii's Big Island - but there is no active volcano).



#3 Tahiche house - living room in a volcanic lava bubble



#4 Tahiche house - the living room seen from above



#5 Tahiche house - corridor, connecting bubbles



#6 Manrique tried to make the volcanic landscape a part of the interior - large windows have been another way to realize this idea.



#7 Tahiche house - inside/outside



#8 Tahiche house - courtyard



#9 Tahiche house - work of art



#10 Tahiche house - courtyard access



#11 Bungalows Velazquez, Puerto del Carmen - stairs down to the sea



#12 Bungalows Velazquez, Puerto del Carmen



#13 Bungalows Velazquez, Puerto del Carmen


The interiors of Manrique's second house at Haria are most fascinating. Unfortunately photography is strictly prohibited. Only images of the exterior are allowed.

#14 Haria house - dining quarters (completed after Manrique's death)



#15 Haria house - pool



#16 Haria house - Veranda



#17 Haria house - Manrique's studio



#18 A look into the studio (photo taken from the outside) - BTW: Manrique used a Nikon SLR



#19 Haria house - courtyard



#20 Detail courtyard


The Mirador del Rio is another example how Manrique blended buildings into the landscape. It consists of two terraces overlooking the islands La Graciosa, Isla de Montana Clara and the Isla de Alegranza, a self-service restaurant and a gift shop.

#21 Road to the Mirador and parking lot



#22 Mirador del Rio - entrance and corridor



#22 Mirador del Rio - encased stairway to the upper terrace



#23 Mirador del Rio - view from the upper terrace to the Western tip of La Graciosa



#24 Mirador del Rio - in the restaurant (windows needed a cleaning)



#25 Mirador del Rio - sculpture by Manrique at the ceiling



#26 Mirador del Rio - view from the upper terrace to La Graciosa and the village of Caleta del Sebo


Sony A99M2 with Sigma Art F/4 24-105mm except #24: CZ Distagon (ZF) F/2.8 21mm

C&C always welcome! Thanks for viewing!

What a beautiful place!
And each picture is carefully composed and edited and curated and presented very well indeed.
A pleasure!
TFS
Sashi

Harald, thanks for posting such a feast for the eyes. Fascinating architecture and nicely depicted in your images. They all have something to like about them but #6 and #7 stand out for me with the unexpected intrusion of landscape into the building and in #12 the colours, gradients and composition I find very appealling.

Lovely photos and fond memories - my wife and I visited the house several years ago (pre-children, when you can take your time and enjoy these places!). You've captured it very nicely. TFS