Pretty in Pink: The Muralla Roja

This innovative pastel-colored postmodern apartment complex is a popular landmark in the coastal town of Calpe, Spain. It is called Muralla Roja, which means “the red wall”, although it is mostly pink with a bit of baby blue.

Muralla Roja was designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill, and built in the early 1970s. The building was built like a fortress drawing inspiration from the architecture of the North African kasbah. The silhouette of this high-walled, vertical structure is said to mimic the contours of the surrounding cliffs.

The building's striking color palette and strong geometric shapes attract many photographers and “instagrammers”.

“The best thing about ‘Muralla Roja’”, says artist Andrés Gallardo, “is that a photographer could visit it several times and keep taking totally different photos.”

Despite the popularity, Muralla Roja is not easily accessible because it is a residential building where people live. Only residents are admitted beyond the fence encircling the apartment complex. The complex has 50 apartments, with a swimming pool and a sauna for residents on the roof terraces.