GAROÉ

The sacred Garoé tree finds its legend within the Anaga Natural Reserve. This territory plays a vital role in the island’s hydrological cycle, serving not only as "source of water" but also as a fundamental element of its cultural, ecological, and symbolic identity. If legends are the most captivating expressions of a place’s memory and identity, then the aim is to forge a new one—integrating a mistic space as a central feature of the design. This project reinterprets the Garoé’s water-harvesting system, embracing its symbolism and cultural significance to establish sacred spaces in the park.

Born from a meticulous cartographic study of the island’s territory and its deep connection to freshwater, this proposal draws inspiration from Tenerife’s vast network of underground galleries, which channel subterranean water to the surface. Guided by both the ecological and cultural heritage of Tenerife’s ravines, two intertwined narratives shape this landscape recovery and regeneration project: • The first narrative centers on the island’s oldest water gallery, which cuts through the heart of the quarries—the site of this project. Here, three expansive quarries sit, overlooking the bay of Santa Cruz. • The second is rooted in the island’s mythological imagination—the legend of the mystical tree, the Garoé. This sacred tree embraces the mist of the forest, capturing moisture upon its leaves and transforming it into life-giving water. Within this evocative landscape, three sister quarries emerge—three deep wounds in the red stone, carved into the terrain for the construction of the southern breakwater of the port. Over time, nature has begun to reclaim these scars; the trees envelop the temple, hiding it within their embrace. In response, the project envisions three ethereal tensile structures—, suspended above the solid foundation of the red quarry without ever touching it, evolving in complexity, refining, and unfolding. These structures rise through the natural voids, echoing the phenomenon of the Garoé by harvesting the ravine’s mist, condensing it upon their surfaces, and channeling each precious droplet into the grotto below. The quarries are brought to life, forming a sacred space beneath their mystical shade—echoing the legendary shadow of Garoé.