Frank Gehry’s Marques De Riscal Hotel

Architectural Photography project

I had the immense pleasure to photograph this amazing Hotel, the Hotel Marques de Riscal last year. Located in the Rioja region of Spain, the hotel is nestled within its own vineyards, not far from the medieval town of Elciego. Designed by the renowned architect Frank Gehry, it was completed in 2006.

This unique building sits beautifully beside the 19th century headquarters of the Marqués de Riscal Vineyard, the striking and unique architectural shapes of the building hover in the air, seeming to float over the surrounding landscape. It characterises the trademark curvilinear style of Frank Gehry, with elegant flowing canopies of silver, gold and purple/ pink titanium. This was one of those projects where the time of day and location of the sun was really important. As the sun moved through the sky, the colours reflecting on the metallic structure, gave off different hues and tones. Each one more striking and dramatic than the last. Starting early in the morning I tracked the sun through the sky to capture the colours as they changed through the course of the day. Finishing with the striking photograph above where the evening sun turned the burnished metals a darker and more dramatic colour.

Framing the landscape

The supporting structural steel beams are magnificent in themselves and complement the softer waves of the titanium shapes. They elegantly frame the mountains and the historical old village behind them. A truely extraordinary and magical building this was an architectural photographer’s dream to photograph.

Completed a renovation of a hotel or historical building, give me a shout to discuss how photography can showcase it at its best hello@sasfihopeross.co.uk