The recent history of Madrid’ s squares seems to be written with the same pattern: reform, installation, viralization, complaint. It happened recently with Santa Ana, whose transformation generated comparisons -with past times- not very favorable in social networks. Now it is the turn of Puerta del Sol, where the placement of awnings has raised more media shadow than real.
The new awnings -32 in total- are already anchored on the row of benches of the north arch of the square, just in the section that connects Alcalá street with Arenal street. They are made of micro-perforated PVC, are beige in color and are not completely opaque, although they do provide some shade. The design, by the team of architect José Ignacio Linazasoro, responds to a municipal commission that was validated by the Local Historical Heritage Commission last December, although with nuances and technical requirements.
The controversy with the Puerta del Sol awnings
The Madrid City Council reminds that it is not possible to plant trees in this area due to the complex subway infrastructure: the Cercanías station, the Metro station, technical galleries and concrete slabs make any attempt to naturalize the square with deep-rooted vegetation unfeasible. According to a recent communiqué, they recall that they even proposed the planting of nine trees in the only area where there was no technical paving… but the Heritage Commission said no.
The institutional response has not quenched the unease. The PSOE spokeswoman in the City Council, Reyes Maroto, denounced what she considers “a malpractice in urban planning”. In her opinion, the reform is neither “good, nor pretty, nor cheap”. Y
The controversy was not only picked up among government institutions, but also flared up in social networks. Madrid Decadente, a critical account that usually analyzes urban reforms in the capital, ironized in networks: “After months of speculation and a million euros later, with a trip to Galicia for banks included … we can finally enjoy the brand new awning supports that will fill with shade and enrich the visual heritage of the square”.