15 SHOPPING AREA LA SAL

The area now home to La Sal once housed salt flats dating back to the 18th century. Sea water was evaporated in shallow basins to collect salt, mainly used to preserve fish and for export. The salt works operated until the mid-20th century.

The salt flats were divided into small plots for controlled evaporation. Though many have been filled in, their original layout still influences the new urban design, especially in the paving patterns and the spatial organisation of the public areas.

Old transport routes once used to carry salt to the harbour were preserved as pedestrian walkways. These paths follow the land’s natural topography and create seamless links between the centre, seafront promenade, and residential areas, free from architectural barriers.

Windmills pumped seawater into the evaporation basins without human intervention. Aligned with the wind, their simple mechanisms allowed continuous operation. Some structures have been partially restored as a reminder of the site’s technical and industrial heritage.

For many years, the site remained unused. The construction of La Sal marked a thoughtful urban renewal, preserving the open character of the area. The new structure echoes the location’s industrial past not only in name, but also in physical layout and texture.

La Sal’s design features references to layered salt: in paving tones, material rhythm, and façade textures. The finish combines light plaster and volcanic stone, blending industrial memory with a distinctly Canarian architectural identity true to its setting.