Puerta del Sol will have shade for the first time in its 162-year history. Since the completion of the comprehensive remodeling works of this square last year, a controversy -driven by the left- arose regarding the lack of green areas to mitigate the long summer days of heat. Finally, planting trees was ruled out.
Now, after weeks of "analysis and complex calculations" to address this issue, a solution has been found: the installation of canopies "safe for pedestrians, able to withstand gusts of wind, and respectful of the heritage", as the set of buildings that make up the kilometer zero are considered a Cultural Heritage Site.
The Local Commission of Historical Heritage, after verifying on-site a sample of the anchors and fabric that will be used, has already given its approval, although the project still needs to be tendered. And knowing how administrative deadlines go, its implementation will have to wait until the summer of 2025.
"So that the people of Madrid and tourists can continue to see the square and its facades, the fabric had to be very specific. We had to follow guidelines that made this process somewhat more complex," officials from the Works and Equipment area of the Madrid City Council told this newspaper.
The installation of the structures includes a series of stainless steel masts anchored to the new granite benches through threaded tubes that allow for their installation and removal. On these rigid elements, some tensioners will be placed, anchored in turn to the facades of the buildings that make up the square on the commercial plinth. These tensioners will house a series of light-colored textile pieces.
The Local Commission of Historical Heritage also requested that the structure be temporary. In other words, the canopies will be put up each year when the heat starts and removed when it decreases.
The winning project for the renovation of this square, selected by a jury composed of renowned architects, never considered the installation of shade elements. It was during its execution that the planting of nine trees was proposed in the only space without infrastructure below the pavement level.
"When the idea was presented to the Commission, it ruled that these trees were not appropriate because their location did not meet urban or heritage criteria. So it was dismissed. To us, it seemed very logical. The canopies, installed throughout the north arch, will provide more shade," officials from the City Council added.
The configuration of Puerta del Sol, as we know it today, was materialized between 1858 and 1862. "In these 162 years of history, the square has never had shade, neither before the transport infrastructures were built nor in the subsequent reforms. Neither with municipal governments of the Popular Party nor with municipal governments of the left," notes the Mayor's Office.
The City Council, which has been working on this idea for months to mitigate heatwaves, already had the specifications almost finalized awaiting this approval from Historical Heritage. Therefore, once this favorable opinion is obtained, the project will go through legal advice to be able to tender its manufacturing, assembly, and installation, which is scheduled for the summer of 2025, although there is no specific date at the moment.