"The El Cabanyal district, a former fishing port in the east of Valencia, is a mix of small-scale historical development and buildings from the 1960s and 70s. Easily distinguished against this heterogeneous environment is the El Musical cultural centre with its angular, exposed concrete structure and clear, stark language of forms. It was built on a U-shaped plot, almost entirely enclosed by the fire walls of the surrounding buildings. These circumstances presented technical challenges in construction, particularly as regards the back wall of the auditorium. Strongly fluctuating groundwater levels called for a fully waterproof ground slab. El Musical replaces an earlier arts centre which could no longer be renovated. The only part of this older structure to be retained is the Plaza del Rosario facade; partly reconstructed, this facade maintains the distinctive urban character of the square. Behind this classicist portal, the visitor is surprised to find a modern, spacious interior."