Cañada de Agra, composing with topography and landscape

Abstract

Cañada de Agra is a new village designed in 1962 by José Luis Fernández del Amo for the Spanish INC (National Institute for Colonization). This paper aims to elucidate the cultural context of this urban project, during the Franco Regime’s post-war period of isolation, the hinterland colonization challenge and the state of architectural development at that time. The discipline of “ruralism” can be traced throughout the 20th Century both for Spain and Europe, as a sort of planning policy primarily concerned with landscape, both natural and agricultural. Among the Spanish designers involved in this policy area, Fernández del Amo stands out for his extensive work in INC new settlements. In this examination of his career and in-depth analysis of Cañada de Agra, including schemes, diagrams and accompanying photo essay, the aim is to show the relevance of this project to the rural planning of the past century, in parallel with the work of other figures of the post-war Modern Movement. Moreover, as “ruralism” is now making a comeback to the contemporary scene, a re-reading of these events may be of value in considering our approach.

Keywords

• architecture
• urbanism
• landscape
• art
• design