CTBA
Encyclopedia
Cuatro Torres Business Area (CTBA) (Spanish
for Four Towers Business Area) is a business district located in the Paseo de la Castellana
in Madrid
(Spain
), on the former Ciudad Deportiva of Real Madrid
. The area contains the tallest skyscrapers in Madrid and Spain (Torre Espacio
, Torre de Cristal
, Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso
and Torre Caja Madrid
). The construction of the buildings finished in 2008. The complex was formerly known as Madrid Arena.
. In November 2006, its height surpassed that of the Gran Hotel Bali
, thus making it the tallest building in Spain, although it retained that title only for a short time (see below). The structure was topped out
on March 19, 2007. On the night of that day, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, mayor of Madrid, attended a ceremony with fireworks to commemorate the event. It was designed by Henry N. Cobb
and built by Obrascón Huarte Lain
.
Designed by Lord Foster
, it was first known as Torre Repsol and would have served as headquarters for Repsol YPF
, oil and gas company. During the construction of the tower, Repsol decided to change the location of its future headquarters and the financial institution Caja Madrid
purchased the building for €815 million in August 2007 .
It was built by a joint venture of Dragados
and Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
.
It has been designed by Cesar Pelli
and it was built by Dragados
.
.
TV series.
Spanish pop singer David Bustamante
released one of his albums in the Torre de Cristal
attic.
The Torre Espacio
building project was featured on the Discovery Channel
's Build It Bigger series due to the skyscraper's unique form and shape.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for Four Towers Business Area) is a business district located in the Paseo de la Castellana
Paseo de la Castellana
Paseo de la Castellana , commonly known as La Castellana, is one of the longest and widest avenues of Madrid. It is named after an old fountain that used to exist in Plaza de Castilla...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), on the former Ciudad Deportiva of Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. The area contains the tallest skyscrapers in Madrid and Spain (Torre Espacio
Torre Espacio
The Torre Espacio is a skyscraper in Madrid, Spain. The skyscraper is 236 metres tall and has 57 floors....
, Torre de Cristal
Torre de Cristal
The Torre de Cristal is a skyscraper in the Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid , completed in 2008. With a final height of 249.5 metres, it ranks as the second tallest building in the country after neighbouring Torre Caja Madrid...
, Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso
Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso
The Torre PwC, formerly Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso, is a 52-floor 236 metre tall skyscraper, completed in 2008, located in Madrid, Spain. Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso is one of four buildings in the Cuatro Torres Business Area...
and Torre Caja Madrid
Torre Caja Madrid
The Torre Caja Madrid is a skyscraper located in the Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid, Spain. With a height of and 45 floors, it is the tallest of the four buildings in the Cuatro Torres Business Area complex, surpassing Torre de Cristal by less than a metre, and the tallest building in...
). The construction of the buildings finished in 2008. The complex was formerly known as Madrid Arena.
| Building | Year Finished | Height | Floors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torre Caja Madrid | 2009 | 250m | 45 |
| Torre de Cristal | 2008 | 250m | 52 |
| Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso | 2008 | 236m | 52 |
| Torre Espacio | 2007 | 224m | 57 |
Torre Espacio
Torre Espacio (Spanish for Space Tower) is 224.5 metres (736 feet) tall and has 57 floorsStorey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
. In November 2006, its height surpassed that of the Gran Hotel Bali
Gran Hotel Bali
Gran Hotel Bali is a 4-star hotel located in Benidorm, province of Alicante, Spain. It is, with 186 metres height , the tallest hotel in Europe and one of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe...
, thus making it the tallest building in Spain, although it retained that title only for a short time (see below). The structure was topped out
Topping out
In building construction, topping out is a ceremony held when the last beam is placed at the top of a building. The term may also refer to the overall completion of the building's structure, or an intermediate point, such as when the roof is dried in...
on March 19, 2007. On the night of that day, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, mayor of Madrid, attended a ceremony with fireworks to commemorate the event. It was designed by Henry N. Cobb
Henry N. Cobb
Henry N. Cobb is an American architect and founding partner with I.M. Pei of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, an international architectural firm based in New York City....
and built by Obrascón Huarte Lain
Obrascón Huarte Lain
Obrascón Huarte Lain, S.A. is an Spanish-based multinational construction and civil engineering company. The company is involved in infrastructure and commercial property construction, as well as homebuilding and the operation of toll road and other transport concessions. In the latter, the group...
.
Torre Caja Madrid
Torre Caja Madrid (Spanish for Madrid Box Tower), with a height of 250 m and 45 floors, is the tallest of the four buildings in the complex, just 89 cm higher than Torre de Cristal.Designed by Lord Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
, it was first known as Torre Repsol and would have served as headquarters for Repsol YPF
Repsol YPF
Repsol YPF, S.A. is an integrated Spanish oil and gas company with operations in 29 countries...
, oil and gas company. During the construction of the tower, Repsol decided to change the location of its future headquarters and the financial institution Caja Madrid
Caja Madrid
Caja Madrid, formally the Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Madrid, headquartered in Madrid, is the oldest of the Spanish savings banks. It was founded on December 3, 1702 as Monte de Piedad de Madrid by Francisco Piquer, an Aragonese priest...
purchased the building for €815 million in August 2007 .
It was built by a joint venture of Dragados
Grupo ACS
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios, S.A. is a Spanish company dedicated to civil and engineering construction, all types services and telecommunications. It is one of the leading construction companies in the world, with projects in many countries around the world...
and Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas is a leading Spanish construction company based in Barcelona. It is publicly traded and is part of the IBEX 35.Over 50% of the shares are owned by a company controlled by Esther Koplowitz and others.-History:...
.
Torre de Cristal
Torre de Cristal (Spanish for Crystal Tower). With a height of 249.5 meters, it ranks as the second tallest building in the country after Torre Caja Madrid. In April 2007, its structure surpassed the height of Torre Espacio, for a while becoming the tallest building and structure in Spain.It has been designed by Cesar Pelli
César Pelli
César Pelli is an Argentine architect known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects listed Pelli among the ten most influential living American architects...
and it was built by Dragados
Grupo ACS
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios, S.A. is a Spanish company dedicated to civil and engineering construction, all types services and telecommunications. It is one of the leading construction companies in the world, with projects in many countries around the world...
.
Torre Sacyr-Vallehermoso
Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso is a 52-floor and 236 meters (774 feet) tall skyscraper, completed in 2008. It has been designed by Carlos Rubio Carvajal and Enrique Álvarez-Sala Walter and was built by Sacyr SauSacyr Vallehermoso
Sacyr Vallehermoso is a leading Spanish construction company based in Madrid. It is publicly-traded and is part of the IBEX 35 market value-weighted stock market index.-History:...
.
In popular culture
The towers under construction were depicted several times in the Spanish remakes of the Hermanos y Detectives and Sin tetas no hay paraísoSin Tetas No Hay Paraíso
Sin tetas no hay paraíso is a famous Colombian television series, produced and aired by Caracol TV. The show is based on the best-selling novel with the same name written by Gustavo Bolivar....
TV series.
Spanish pop singer David Bustamante
David Bustamante
David Bustamante Hoyos is a Spanish singer.-Biography:Bustamante's breakthrough was in the TV hit Operación Triunfo. This show broke ratings records as well as dominated the top position of the CD sales charts during its 5 month run...
released one of his albums in the Torre de Cristal
Torre de Cristal
The Torre de Cristal is a skyscraper in the Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid , completed in 2008. With a final height of 249.5 metres, it ranks as the second tallest building in the country after neighbouring Torre Caja Madrid...
attic.
The Torre Espacio
Torre Espacio
The Torre Espacio is a skyscraper in Madrid, Spain. The skyscraper is 236 metres tall and has 57 floors....
building project was featured on the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's Build It Bigger series due to the skyscraper's unique form and shape.