Elisa Valero Ramos began her professional career in 1996, renovating one of the most representative works of the architect Félix Candela, a 5 cm thick folded reinforced concrete sheet, with a surface of 1800 meters and eight supports.

Since then, her research into the possibilities offered by concrete has led her to experiment with the material and the construction systems that enable its optimisation.

This exhibition is an overview of 10 works that have accompanied the construction of this intellectual journey. The last piece is the actual exhibition panel, a double-folded 180x180 sheet made in one centimetre thick high performance concrete manufactured by FYM- Heildelberg Cement.

"Over the brief course of our lives, we are forced to choose between unwavering hope and cautious hopelessness"

Margarita Yourcenar

Since its inception and throughout 20 years of work, Elisa Valero's architectural studio has been a space for reflection and action, born out of an "unwavering hope" for a better future. This exhibition shows one of the fields of experimentation she has been working with, reinforced concrete.

This investigation began in 1996, with the restoration of ‘Manantiales’, the most iconic work of Félix Candela. Thus, a journey began in Mexico looking at the design of structures as a fundamental factor for formalising architecture and the possibilities offered by industry to develop new materials for the sake of rationality and economy of means. During this century, a concern for the environment and sustainability has been added to the mix. Reducing the consumption of materials and energy is not just economically advantageous but is also an ethical requirement for all the inhabitants of this little planet.

This is just the beginning of an investigation journey with ongoing projects. We will continue to work with the conviction that a more human architecture that reaches everyone will lead to a fairer society.