Living in an icon of Brutalism in Torremolinos

A dazzling beam of light forces you to squint as you step out of the small lift and cross the threshold of Juan Fernández’s home. He shows his courtyard, full of plants, and explains: "Everything is as it was originally." That includes, in addition to the open-air foyer, other aspects such as the kitchen, adapted to a cylindrical shape. He lives on the 14th floor of one of the three towers of the Los Manantiales complex. It is difficult to miss this residential complex, the gigantic vertical concrete structures that make it stand out from almost any point when looking towards Torremolinos.

Experts speak highly of these tower blocks, designed by Luis Alfonso Pagán López de Munaín more than half a century ago. "It is mind-blowing. An example that rigorously complies with all the guidelines of brutalism and which are similar to the famous Torres Blancas de Sáenz de Oíza in Madrid," says Luis Ruiz Padrón, doctor in architecture and professor at Malaga university.

The constructions are inspired by a corn cob. The flats, which rise up to the 18th floor, are the kernels, according to Padrón.

The towers have an obligatory reference to the 'Estilo Relax', that is to say, its construction follows the development of tourism on the Costa del Sol, which is the best and the worst thing about them. “They are designed as summer apartments, but, with the passage of time, they now have a function for which they were not designed. In many cases, there are neighbours (not like Juan Fernández) who have done what they want with them," explains the architect.

The fact is that the towers, which won international awards, have not been well protected. This has led, for example, to the disappearance of some of the curved elements that gave them their personality, and their surroundings have become overcrowded and distorted.

"Many of the people who buy here are architects or designers, they love them," explains Rafael Hernández, administrator of the association of the 300 owners, who has a flat at the foot of one of the roof terraces of the complex. "The terrace embraces the whole building, they are like hanging villas," he says.

"There are those who hate these buildings and those who love them because they understand they are a work of art," he adds. Among the former are those who are irritated by issues such as the fact that some of the furniture has to be made to measure to fit in with "lines that are not purist", or that are annoyed that the bathroom is semi-circular. The administrator is not in this group, although, as the person responsible for dealing with the problems presented by this development, he is aware that, beyond Brutalism, there are complications, such as those caused by the downpipes, which can fill the lifts with water when it rains heavily.

But the problems with the elevators, and also with the concrete planters, which due to lack of maintenance have caused a few scares, are not the main challenge in the day-to-day running of the towers.

The objective of the president of the mancomunidad, Luis Rojas, is the rehabilitation of the communal areas, which have been neglected for years or, in ruins, as is the case with the hotel, the "base of the corncob", as the architect Ruiz Padrón would say. From being the entrance to the holiday complex, the avant-garde hotel, due to the result of a succession of debts, has been left unused and derelict.

The idea of the current owners of the flats is to restore at least the façade. "We want to give prestige to this architectural icon and for it to be protected", states Rojas. In fact, he says that they are in talks with the town hall to ensure that the Los Manantiales complex enjoys urban protection and, in this way, is preserved.

This complex has a monumental design: infinite concrete cylinders with spiral staircase designed to absorb the force of the wind and earthquakes; wood used for warmth; striking brick boxes to hide the machinery of the lifts; roofs allowing plenty of light to enter, and a Brutalist set of terraces that look out over the Mediterranean.