Grand Tour, Gran Canaria. Gianugo Polesello and the University Complex in Tafira, Las Palmas

Abstract

The article explores Gianugo Polesello’s project for the Tafira University Campus in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. The complex, commissioned in 1987, was only partially realised and now houses the faculties of Marine Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science. The text examines the precedents employed by Polesello, with a focus on references to distant contexts in time and space. Spanning from the classical world to Mesoamerican culture and the Canarian setting, such references triggered an architectural synthesis that goes beyond simple geometry. Through squares, triangles, and circles, Polesello undertakes an intellectual and design Grand Tour, demonstrating that his work engages with its environment and exhibits a rich cultural complexity, offering layered and nuanced interpretations.