The centerpiece of Bad Bunny’s latest tour is “La Casita,” which transcends the role of a simple VIP box or eye-catching set piece. This structure has been meticulously designed to celebrate the history and culture of the Puerto Rican working class, serving as a visual starting point for exploring complex themes such as the consequences of colonialism and the loss of cultural identity.
The set design is directly inspired by a real home, the same one that appears in the short film Debí tirar más fotos. It was conceived by architect Mayna Magruder Ortiz, who spent time studying the blueprints of Levittown homes in detail, seeking to align the visual aesthetic with a musical concept that blends salsa and dembow with trap structures.
The origins of Levittown and the Caribbean middle class
Levittown was a housing development project built in Puerto Rico with the intention of housing World War II veterans. The main objective was to offer affordable and functional one- or two-story homes to move the population out of the slums. That housing model, designed for those who believed they could never aspire to more, became the seed of the middle class and industrialization on the island.
Over the years, families transformed these standardized buildings, giving them personality and soul. They added extensions, built balconies, and, above all, painted vibrant colors on every facade. This architectural model soon became a benchmark that spread throughout the Caribbean, taking root in the collective memory of generations of jíbaros and Latin Americans of diverse origins.
Nostalgia, local art, and intimacy on stage
To convey this nostalgic atmosphere to its large-scale presentations, the installation includes highly recognizable everyday details. Elements such as the iconic white plastic chairs represent childhoods spent on the street, neighborhood parties, gatherings with neighbors, and irreplaceable family meals. The space is completed with local ceramics, real plants, Caribbean-style sofas, and works by artists from the island such as Alexis Díaz and Lorenzo Homar.
During the show, the TV in the house remains on, and the kitchen transforms into an impromptu bar. Benito leaves the main stage to climb onto this structure and sing more intimate, up-close versions of his songs right in front of his audience.
This article is based on a video by Sélpide originally published on the Madrid Secreto social media accounts.
