PERSONAJES
INTERVIEW
V A L E N T Í N
D E
M A D A R I A G A
“SOTOGRANDE IS A UNIQUE AND UNREPEATABLE PLACE. IT IS NECESSARY TO LOOK AFTER IT” We went up to the highest point in Sotogrande in search of one of the most prestigious architects in the country, Valentín de Madariaga. His home in Sotogrande is called “The Flintstones”. A fun name that is an homage to the rocky land on which the villa stands. A slope that the architect fell in love with to the point that he made the entire project revolve around a large rock, the one that crowns the swimming pool, making it clear that this is not just a standard location.
T
he architect opens the doors of this impressive place, and in addition to leaving us really fascinated by its beauty, he offers us a really worthwhile conversation... n HOW DID VALENTÍN DE MADARIAGA COME TO SOTOGRANDE? I knew it practically since its origins because, very nearby, my family had another National Tourism Interest development named Guadacorte. But really, I came to Sotogrande for personal reasons. I began going out with a woman, who had spent her early childhood in the resort, where her father had been commercial director between 1966 and 1968. Carmen Brujó. I married her in 1990, in Sotogrande, at the
Cortijo Paniagua, in the old church. The ceremony was officiated by beloved Father Atacho and we celebrated it at Cortijo Los Canos. That was 28 years ago and we remain happily married. Which is becoming uncommon in modern times! n AS SOMEONE WITH A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE RESORT, WHAT MAKES IT A UNIQUE PLACE? The fact it was dreamed up by Americans. Sotogrande was great since its beginning, it had a motorway on Avenida Paniagua in times when, there were three stretches of that type in the entire company. In that period, other luxury resorts such as
LA REVISTA DE SOTOGRANDE
Vistahermosa and Guadalmina were created. I have nothing against them, but they cannot be compared. Sotogrande is one of the best in the world. It is a destination that would be impossible to make a reality today. n HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THE ARCHITECTURE OF SOTOGRANDE? We were lucky that all the families who came to Sotogrande at the beginning wanted to build their homes with top-level brands, Pichichi Gutiérrez Soto, Chomín Domínguez, Óscar Tusquets and Alfonso Zóbel among others. There were very important architects who designed an exceptional landscape. Houses with a very high quality, but zero flashy properties, thank God.
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