The dean of the College of Architects of Lanzarote, Miguel Ángel Fontes, has expressed concern about the situation in Arrecife in relation to the care and protection of heritage. In addition, he has criticized that he cannot debate the situation with the mayor, Astrid Pérez: "I don't even know how many appointment requests with the mayor I have tried, and I only find closed doors." He also advocates for the realization of the catalog of Assets that would provide legal certainty, currently there is one from 2004 with only 19 properties.
Likewise, the dean has denied on Radio Lanzarote – Onda Cero, that the declaration of a property as an Asset of Cultural Interest paralyzes a city, "it is not having read the resolutions".
What do you think about the controversy that exists with the BIC in Arrecife?
With everything that is happening I feel frustration, because we have shown that technically it can be done. We can have a Heritage and we are losing our identity. I walk through the city and it is difficult for me to recognize the heritage of my city.
It is disappearing rapidly, it seems that we have to go to old photos to discover our heritage. Yesterday, in a round table at the IES Agustín Espinosa, we put up old photos, and we see that there is an ease to demolish and destroy popular architecture. Look how much I tried, that we had to value popular architecture, which is interesting... and I don't understand what is happening now, to be honest.
It is true that you say that these houses have value, but they may be doomed in Arrecife, are they seen more as a plot where they can build four floors than for the architectural value they have?
When we presented the project we said it, when you leave Arrecife people give the importance and meaning that heritage has. When you arrive in Arrecife it becomes that, old houses. There are ways to rehabilitate the Heritage, and also combine it with height, with contemporary architecture, but I think the easy thing is to demolish it. We start from a serious mistake, which is not giving value to our heritage.
Look how tired I am of seeing interviews, and really saying that they are old houses, and we don't give it the value, when it can be given. In dialogue with popular architecture and that we don't lose the history, which is fundamental.
We see buildings without any kind of essence, we are going to walk through the city and we are not going to know where we come from... and it frustrates me. I would like to see how it evolves, that a single-family home becomes a local or a museum... To value what we have left, and I don't see a way out.
Has it been allowed that the houses become a ruin?
Since 2004 almost 20 years have passed, and we only have 19 properties with legal certainty, 90% do not have legal certainty, and by not having it and not giving it the value it has for not being part of a catalog, they are old houses and can be demolished and nothing happens.
We have to be a little self-critical, we also as technicians, and we have to see in what we have participated, but always looking at what we have been wrong.
We need help, I don't even know how many appointment requests with the mayor I have tried, and I only find closed doors. I just want to find common ground, and I miss the debate in this city.
Here it is either black or white, that is his speech that half does not have a technical basis, and there it stays. Let's talk about the project, where it disagrees, but it is a very short speech.
Is declaring a BIC paralyzing the city?
I listen to the statements and I swear that I worry more than I was. When they say that kind of thing you have to read the resolutions.
I have the three resolutions, what can be done, on the facades, inside, and in the back... investigation, valorization, maintenance, conservation, consolidation, restoration, reconstruction and above in the back remontage and extension, What else do you want to do in a BIC?
We are not going to invent anything new, if you go to any nucleus outside this island, you see uses in cataloged buildings, hotels, commercial, and they are profitable.
We have examples of demolitions in buildings, and buildings of three and four floors have been made. And you see that in those three or four they are completely empty.
Are you as a College looking to see what can be done?
We discussed it in the board, but if we don't give it legal certainty these things happen. And the City Council is aware that it is fundamental.
But if you are involved in demolishing, you don't give it legal certainty. If you had a serious and responsible heritage policy... It's been 20 years. They have been left behind, we currently have a catalog with 19 properties and 50% is public.
It is not that the public part is an example, because they are quite abandoned. If we give it to them, someone who has thrown has civil and criminal responsibility, but if it does not have legal certainty that happens.
