Engineering Europe (2025) s01e02 Episode Script
Nordics
1
[Narrator] These are the
engineering wonders of Spain.
Their secrets revealed
in a way never seen before.
For centuries, visionaries
shaped this land
with lavish palaces,
grand stadiums,
and cathedrals
of breathtaking scale.
Today, Spanish engineers
build on this history,
blending tradition
with pioneering stretches
and cutting-edge machines
for the modern world.
In this series, we reveal
the secrets of the engineering
that built Europe's
great nations,
the wonders that shape
its cities,
landscapes, and history.
We reveal the astonishing
innovations
and surprising connections
that help to forge
this mighty continent.
♪
♪
Spain lies on the southwestern
frontier of Europe.
This arid mountainous nation
is a bridge
between North Africa
and southern Europe.
For centuries,
Spain has been shaped
by different civilizations that
have crossed into this land,
including Romans, Muslims,
and Christians.
Spain's engineers have
drawn on this history
to meet the needs of the future
by reshaping buildings
like Cordoba's former mosque
converted into
a Catholic cathedral.
And landscapes, like in Elche,
where Muslim engineers
turned a Roman date plantation
into a flourishing oasis.
♪
Throughout the ages, Spanish
engineers have pioneered
the construction
of some of Europe's
most visionary public spaces.
Spain has a long history
of constructing
religious buildings
of astonishing scale.
In Seville,
the Santa Maria de la Sede
is the largest Gothic cathedral
in the world.
In Barcelona, engineers are
taking cathedral construction
to new heights,
completing a masterpiece
that's over a century
in the making.
♪
This is La Sagrada Família,
Barcelona's famous
unfinished cathedral.
It's an engineering wonder
that's been under construction
since the late 19th century.
The building is made
from over 200,000 tons
of carved stone blocks.
Each facade is
engineered to depict
a different chapter
of Jesus' life.
The walls of the 18 towers
are dotted
with hundreds of intricate
windows to cut weight
and allow more light
to flow through the atrium.
Once complete, it will be
the tallest religious building
in the world.
This revolutionary cathedral
was the brainchild
of the maverick
Spanish designer, Antoni Gaudí.
Now, over 140 years since
they started work,
it's finally nearing completion,
led by architects
like Xisco Llabres.
[speaking Spanish]
[Xisco Llabrés, translated]
He had such a big vision
that he knew he wouldn't be able
to finish it himself.
So Gaudí laid the groundwork for
those who would come after him,
for his successors.
[Narrator] Work on the building
started in 1882,
but progress stalled
in the 20th century
with Gaudí's sudden death
in 1926.
And after anarchists set fire
to his early drawings
and models during
the Spanish Civil War.
By 2014, only 60% of
the building had been finished.
But in the last decade, modern
engineering breakthroughs
have dramatically sped up
the construction
of Gaudí's intricate designs.
[Xisco] There's a lot
of experimentation
with new and innovative
techniques.
Things we started testing here
10 years ago,
like fiber-reinforced concrete.
Now it's become a standard
material in construction.
[Narrator] Fiber-reinforced
concrete is used to strengthen
the stone panels in the building
of the spire of Jesus Christ.
It's the tallest and heaviest
of all the towers
and the most challenging
to construct.
To build a spire that
the old foundations can carry,
the team must use
slender sandstone.
But in high winds, the spire
could bend and possibly break.
So they give the spire
of Jesus Christ a backbone
of concrete and steel.
And to strengthen
the stone panels,
they tension them
with steel wires
and slot them
into the steel scaffold.
This way, the majestic spire
will fulfill Gaudí's vision,
rising almost 200 meters
into the air,
safe from even gale force winds.
Carefully designed connections
ensure that when workers
lower the panels into place,
they lock together without the
need for on-site adjustment.
Sensors record the tension and
movement of the steel scaffold
to measure how the load
is balanced
between the stone blocks.
This guarantees each one
is fitted correctly.
Inside the church,
the branching, tree-like
columns gently tilt.
These angles give the columns
enough strength to hold up
the ceiling without the need
for external buttresses.
The central columns
are the thickest
and will support
the incredible Jesus tower
when it is finished.
♪
La Sagrada Família is
set to be completed
exactly 100 years after
the death of Gaudí,
and will be a fitting tribute
to his legacy.
[Xisco] I never imagined
I'd have the chance to work on
the Sagrada Família,
let alone help finish it.
It's spectacular.
♪
♪
[Narrator] Spain is one of
Europe's hottest countries.
For centuries, the people here
have engineered clever ways
to seek shade from the sun.
At the Alhambra in Granada,
deep courtyards with water
features and lattice screens
create cool, shaded spaces.
In Andalusia, entire villages
known as Pueblos Blancos
are painted white
to reflect the heat.
In Seville, this age-old
battle for shade
has taken on
an innovative twist.
♪
♪
In the historic old quarter
sits a record-breaking monument
to timber engineering.
This is the Setas de Sevilla,
known locally as the mushrooms.
Six large wooden
honeycomb parasols
tower over Plaza de Encarnación,
providing shade to shops,
bars and restaurants beneath.
The structure is made from
over 3,500 pieces of pine.
At over 150 meters long,
70 meters wide,
and 28 meters high,
it is thought to be
the largest free-standing
wooden structure in the world.
It's the job of
José Pedro Pulido to ensure
this masterpiece of wooden
engineering stays standing.
[José Pedro Pulido, translated]
We're always keeping an eye
on this structure, making sure
it's in top condition
and everything stays
in the best shape.
If anything important comes up,
we're ready to act fast
and fix it right away.
[Narrator] Construction of
the mushrooms started in 2006.
Designers opted to use
a composite material
made from thin layers
of wood glued together.
This makes the structural
elements stronger
and lighter than solid timber.
Over 16 million nuts and bolts
join the beams together.
A metal viewing platform and
walkway snakes across the top,
providing 360-degree views
of the skyline.
A weatherproof resin coats
the surface of the structure,
and it's topped up every decade.
But even this protective layer
has its limits.
In Spain's harsh climate,
with cold winter nights
and summer days
exceeding 40 degrees,
the wood expands and contracts,
putting strain on each joint.
[speaking Spanish]
[José] We monitor humidity
levels at around 20 points
across the structure, using
metal plates and steel screws
inserted into the wood
to take readings.
[Narrator] Throughout the year,
José's team survey
the entire structure to examine
whether joints have shifted
and to tighten any loose bolts.
For more than two centuries,
the Plaza de Encarnación
had been a thriving market
in the heart
of Seville's old town.
But by the 1970s,
the area was in decline.
That all changed when
Roman ruins were discovered
beneath the site, sparking
plans to protect the history
and revive the space.
The result was Setas de Sevilla,
a bold sculptural landmark
that shields the square
from the scorching sun and
brings new life to old Seville.
The mushrooms are more than
just a showcase
for spectacular
timber engineering.
Electrical engineering is
on full display here, too.
[Narrator] Hidden within
the beams of Setas de Sevilla
are sensors hooked up to LEDs
and speakers
that respond directly to
changes in the environment,
including wind speed,
air temperature,
and crowd movement.
[Pedro Parrilla Calle]
From sunset to midnight,
we have every day a different
show created by the software,
a new immersive experience
for the visitor.
[Narrator] As night falls,
inputs from the web of sensors
trigger an ever-changing
light show across the surface.
The audio visual spectacle,
known as Aurora,
transforms the structure
into a glowing landmark
for the public.
This audacious piece of
civil engineering has achieved
its goal of reviving
the old quarter
by creating an icon that both
protects people from the sun
and attracts art lovers
and business,
which, in turn,
boosts the economy.
♪
Spain's legacy of building
astonishing public spaces
is not just a modern phenomenon.
It goes back millennia.
On the shores
of the Mediterranean,
Tarragona's Roman amphitheater
once housed 1,400 spectators
to watch gladiatorial combat.
While in the ancient town
of Mérida,
one Roman site is
remarkably still in use
2,000 years after
it was first built.
♪
Mérida is one of the world's
best preserved Roman cities.
The jewel in its crown
is the oldest working theater
in the world.
♪
The stage is 60 meters long
and has a backdrop that rises
almost 20 meters into the air.
Decorative features, including
columns, statues and cornices
were made of beautiful marble
imported from across the empire.
But for the main structure
and foundations,
the Romans used
durable local granite.
Added strength came from
extensive use of concrete.
Unlike modern concrete,
the Roman mix was made of lime,
water, and a secret ingredient:
a volcanic ash called pozzolan.
This made it extremely strong
and long-lasting.
The result is
a 2,000-year-old theater,
so tough, it's still
in use today.
At its peak, the theater could
hold up to 6,000 spectators,
and modern-day crowds still
pack its marble terraces
for music, film,
and theater performances.
Annual inspections ensure
it remains safe
and well preserved.
Conservationist Maria Paz Perez
is leading the work.
[speaking Spanish]
[Maria Paz Pérez, translated]
The problems we see
are deterioration
caused by the weather.
Exposure to the sun and rain,
because they're open
to the elements.
These buildings are
2,000 years old,
and we also have to work
around the visitors.
[Narrator] The cornices are made
from white marble,
which is strong but porous.
This makes them vulnerable
to weathering.
Conservators must protect
their horizontal surfaces
with a layer of render.
As they carry out
their inspections,
Maria's team find an area
where this protection
is flaking away.
It's not just the weather this
theater has to contend with.
The damage can also
be accelerated
by modern-day sound systems.
Vibrations caused
by loudspeakers
during iconic performances
can cause the crumbling
marble to collapse.
To combat the problem,
the conservation team
have introduced
strict guidelines.
[Maria] We have already
established the parameters
that cannot be exceeded.
So all of the companies know
they can't go beyond
that set level of decibels
so that it doesn't
affect the monument.
[Narrator] To repair
the flaking stonework,
the team uses a special render
that is made to an ancient
recipe of lime, sand
and powdered marble.
[Maria] This mortar is applied
to protect the upper part
of the cornices, because
everything is out in the open.
It's the only way to protect it,
since the monument has no roof.
[Narrator] Now it's time
for the team to perform
their vital intervention.
[Narrator] The restoration team
applies the layer of render.
Once it dries and weathers,
it will blend in seamlessly
with the original marble,
protecting the cornices from
the ravages of the elements
and musical vibrations.
[Maria] I feel that doing
this work contributes
to future generations
being able to enjoy,
contemplate, and study
this heritage.
[Narrator] As long as engineers
continue this painstaking work,
Mérida's masterpiece
of Roman engineering
will host performances
for another two millennia.
♪
♪
Spanish engineers have not only
pioneered the creation
of extraordinary public spaces,
they have also trailblazed
the construction of spectacular
architectural wonders.
♪
Across Spain, engineering
marvels are transforming
the country's
traditional landscapes.
Valencia's Turia River was
diverted to prevent flooding.
The dry riverbed is now
a vast urban park.
In Bilbao, the Guggenheim Museum
helped to turn the city's
industrial dockland
into a world famous
cultural hub.
In Rioja, the country's
iconic wine region,
architects have revitalized
the area's oldest vineyard
with a modern engineering
superstructure.
♪
♪
This extraordinary vision is
the Hotel Marqués de Riscal.
It was designed by Frank Gehry,
who also created the Guggenheim
in Bilbao.
The hotel attracts over 100,000
annual visitors
to gaze at its stunningly
engineered curves,
bringing economic benefits
to this quiet corner of Spain.
Its roof is made up
of approximately
3,400 square meters of titanium.
Titanium makes a good
roofing material.
It is strong, light, and
very resistant to corrosion,
but it can also be treated
to produce
a surprising range
of bright colors.
Gehry's vision was to use
engineering principles
to create a modern work of art,
set within the region's
oldest vineyard.
It's a venue maintained by
hotel manager Stefan Friedl.
[Stefan Friedl] The idea was
to have a building
that has no weight
and it's floating
like the skirts of dancing
Spanish girls flying in the air.
[Narrator] The different colors
of the roof
at a final level of symbolism,
representing a bottle of wine.
Red for the wine itself,
silver for the foil
and gold for the mesh,
which covers each bottle
produced here.
The project cost a total
of 60 million euros.
♪
Just building the twisted
steel backbone
for the signature canopies
took almost three years.
And to fit the thousands
of titanium panels,
the workers had to mount every
single one of them by hand,
like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle.
The twisted, overlapping roof
may look spectacular,
but it makes cleaning
the exterior a challenge.
Scaffolding and ladders risk
damaging the titanium ribbons.
So Stefan works with a company
that has developed
an ingenious
engineering solution:
a drone equipped with
a high-pressure water jet.
[Josele Bernabé]
That's our main drone unit.
It's the most powerful drone,
which is able to be used
legally in urban areas.
[Narrator] The drone has to be
as powerful as possible
to compensate for the force
of the water,
which constantly pushes it
away from the surface,
creating unpredictable
air turbulence.
[Josele] Sometimes we have some
kind of shaking mass of air
affecting the drone.
So we need to be always ready
for any kind of strange reaction
that the drone has.
♪
[Narrator] To make cleaning the
building even more difficult,
the combination of metals
in the roof actually generates
its own electromagnetic field,
which disrupts the drone's
auto-navigation systems.
[Josele] All this structure
affects the GPS signal
from the drone, affects
the compass from the drone.
So we are flying
almost in manual.
[Narrator] It takes two days
to restore the building
to its pristine best.
[Stefan]
It's just an amazing view,
which doesn't fail to give
a warm feeling around my heart
every morning I come to work.
[Narrator] This innovative
technology promises to preserve
architectural masterpieces like
Hotel Marqués de Riscal
for years to come.
♪
Spain has a long history
of transforming
its most treasured landmarks.
The Alcázar of Toledo was
a palace built by Romans,
then became an Islamic
fortress, and later expanded
during the Christian era
to become a royal residence.
♪
In Madrid, cutting-edge
architects are giving
a facelift to an engineering
wonder of the city's skyline.
[Narrator] The 117-meter-high
Columbus Towers
loom over the heart
of Spain's capital city.
And they have been an icon
of Madrid's skyline
for over 50 years.
Their most striking feature is
that this enormous structure
appears to be supported
by just the thinnest
of concrete stalks.
The building's gleaming
glass exterior is brand new,
but their gravity-defying
internal structure
dates back to the 1960s.
And it's an example
of one of the world's weirdest
architectural ideas.
Hidden beneath
the gleaming glass
are two slender concrete cores
that the whole building
rests on.
Two extremely sturdy slabs
sit at the top.
Each serves as an anchor point
for the heavy duty steel cables.
Wrapped in concrete,
they support the concrete
floors of the building,
suspending them like
the rungs of a rope ladder.
It's an ingenious design that
almost makes it look like
the Columbus Towers are
floating in midair.
♪
♪
Architect Luis Vidal
is the mastermind
behind the towers'
most recent transformation.
His renovation adds
a four-story glass box
to the original towers' design,
a sleek new glass bridge
to connect the two towers,
and modern reinforcements
to the aging cable stays
that hold the building together.
After four years
of construction,
Luis and his team are
performing a final inspection
before handing the building
over to its new owners.
[Luis Vidal] We want to make
sure that everything
is looking as we designed
and make sure that everything
is working as envisioned.
[Narrator] While Luis examines
the interior of the building,
his colleague Manuel
inspects the exterior works.
[Luis] We want to go down
to level 24
so we can see the brackets and
how the new cables are working.
[Manuel] Understood.
[Narrator]
Manuel reaches the point
where the long, steel
stay cables start their journey
down the outside
of the building.
The pale gray columns house
the original steel cables
from 1967, but each column
is now flanked
by two sleeker, black additions.
[Manuel] Everything's looking
pretty solid, to be honest.
Looks fantastic.
[Narrator] The original cables
still help support
the building's weight.
But the new 21st century cables
add extra strength
and resilience.
The team still has to inspect
the improbable glass box
perched on the top
of the two towers.
♪
Luis' bold idea
to transform the towers
was to create new office space
on top of the structure.
Whilst the building below is
a wonder of 1960s engineering,
this new addition is a marvel
of 21st century design.
Luis' daring engineering
innovation was to use glass
as a main structural element,
eliminating the need
for internal pillars.
[Luis] What's really interesting
about the structure
is that all the glass is curved.
If you get a single
piece of glass
and you place it vertical,
it falls.
But if you curve it,
it's free-standing.
This is the principle
of what we have designed here.
We don't need any mullions.
We don't need any columns.
We don't need anything.
[Narrator] With the inspection
complete,
the building is ready
to be handed over.
This engineering marvel will
remain a striking feature
of Madrid's skyline
for years to come.
♪
♪
Sport has been a pillar
of Spanish culture
throughout history,
and inspired engineers
to construct stadiums
of remarkable scale.
In Madrid, Las Ventas, Spain's
largest bullfighting ring,
has drawn crowds
for nearly a century.
While in Barcelona,
the 1920s-built Estadi Olímpic
was reborn for
the 1992 Summer Olympics.
In the city's
Les Corts district,
engineers are building
on the legacy
of one of football's
most iconic stadiums.
[Narrator] This busy
construction site
is giving Barcelona
Football Club's stadium
the ultimate facelift.
Once finished,
this massive redevelopment
will raise the capacity
to 105,000 seats,
making it the largest football
club stadium on the planet.
This unique transformation is
an extraordinary
engineering challenge.
The new stadium is being built
without destroying
the club's original and
much-loved ground-level stands
from the 1950s.
Overseeing this complex process
is director of operations
Joan Sentelles.
[speaking Spanish]
[Joan Sentelles, translated] No
Barcelona fan could ever imagine
the stadium being somewhere
other than in Les Corts.
This is our home.
This is where our heart is.
And this is where
Barcelona Football Club stadium
should be.
[Narrator] The first step was to
reveal the 1950s architecture
by removing the 1980s extension
that sits around it.
Specialized machines resembling
mechanical dinosaurs
carefully nibbled away
the later additions,
leaving the original core
untouched.
♪
Next, engineers built
a free-standing ring of steel
around the old stadium
to carry the weight
of the new development.
This avoids any
unnecessary strain
on the stadium's original
75-year-old foundations.
The new third tier will hold
30,000 spectators.
A lightweight roof
will cover every seat,
sheltering fans from
the blazing Barcelona sun.
And 18,000 square meters
of solar panels
will help make the stadium both
sustainable and spectacular.
♪
The new cleverly engineered
third tier is designed
as a cantilever,
so it will appear to float
above the old stadium.
The external ring of steel also
bears the weight of the roof.
The stadium's new framework
is inspired
by 1930s New York skyscrapers.
To erect it, workers use
prefabricated steel beams,
manufactured
to precise tolerances
that simply bolt together.
A layer of concrete then adds
extra strength and stability.
This rapid assembly technique
allows the 3,500-strong team
to construct around 600 tons
of steel in a week.
[Joan] To give you an idea, the
Eiffel Tower weighs 7,000 tons.
In two and a half months,
we built an Eiffel Tower.
[Narrator] Remarkably, much of
the raw building materials
have been recycled from the
demolition of the old stands.
97% of the old steel will be
reused in the new construction,
lowering the carbon footprint
of the new design,
as well as incorporating
elements of its past.
♪
With the finish line in sight
and hopes of welcoming fans
even before construction
is fully complete,
Barcelona's new stadium is set
to captivate audiences
across Europe and beyond.
♪
Spanish engineers have
not only constructed
epic architectural wonders, but
also spearheaded the invention
of cutting-edge machines.
♪
♪
For centuries, the nation's
innovators have found
groundbreaking ways to traverse
Spain's rugged landscape.
In 1907, engineers constructed
Spain's first-ever cable car
on Mount Ulia
near San Sebastián,
while Spanish engineer
Juan de la Cierva
built the world's
first autogyro,
the precursor to the helicopter.
In the Basque region, engineers
are using innovative machines
to create an ambitious new
high-speed rail line,
linking Vitoria, Bilbao,
and San Sebastián
through the Pyrenees mountains.
♪
The Basque Country, located
in the western Pyrenees,
has rugged, mountainous terrain.
This creates a major challenge
for the engineers
building the new railway here.
The tracks' viaducts need
to be extremely tall
to span vast chasms.
It's not practical
to construct them
using traditional techniques,
with cranes hauling
their concrete sections
into place block by block.
So engineers use
remarkable machines
that cast the bridge sections
in situ from liquid concrete
poured up to 100 meters
in the air.
♪
Javier Selvas Arsuaga is
in charge of building
a key section of this
high-speed line,
which includes
the Arrazola viaduct.
It's a 1,755-meter-long overpass
connecting the towns
of Atxondo and Abadino.
[Javier Selvas Arsuaga]
I have worked on a lot
of very important projects,
but this project
is very interesting.
It is the longest viaduct
on the entire line.
♪
[Narrator] The innovative
machines at the heart
of the project are giant frames,
known as movable
scaffolding systems
that balance on top
of the bridge columns.
Their insides form a mold
for the team
to pour in liquid concrete.
Once it's set, the machine opens
to reveal the new
bridge section.
Then it moves along,
ready for the next pour.
Today is the big day to unveil
the latest bridge section.
But before they can
open the mold,
Javier must wait for
the concrete to fully set.
[Narrator] In the foothills
of the Pyrenees,
the crawling, yellow,
movable scaffolding system
is part of an army of machines,
building viaducts
across the landscape.
This red machine in
a nearby valley
is preparing for its next
pour of concrete.
First, it contracts
to create a mold
for a 66-meter section
of the viaduct.
Then engineers carefully
position a dense network
of steel rods inside the mold
to reinforce the strength
of the viaduct.
♪
Next, they pour in the concrete
to form the base, sides,
and finally the deck
of this massive structure.
♪
At the Arrazola viaduct,
the concrete is finally set,
and it's time to open
the machine.
Powerful hydraulic pistons
swing open the scaffold.
Javier is now able to inspect
the new section.
[Javier] We want to make sure
there are no fissures
or large cracks before we
continue to the next section.
[Narrator] The viaduct's
undercarriage is too high
to examine from the ground,
so the team use a drone
to get a better view.
♪
[Javier] I am happy
because it turned out well.
[Narrator]
Over the coming weeks,
the Arrazola viaduct
will take shape
and eventually join the largest
high-speed rail network
in Europe,
with the lowest average
construction cost.
These mega machines
are a game changer,
speeding up construction
and allowing engineers
to lay over 50 meters
of viaduct a week.
Each completed section
of high-speed rail track
brings Spain closer together,
strengthening bonds
between the regions, as well as
neighboring countries,
providing a major boost
to the nation's economy.
♪
♪
Spain's arid climate has forced
the nation's engineers
to innovate
to sustain its agriculture.
In Segovia, this nearly
2,000-year-old aqueduct
once channeled water to
irrigate the city's crops.
In Alcalá del Río,
just outside Seville,
an innovative new machine
is revitalizing
one of Spain's
oldest industries.
♪
This monster contraption
is a multi-harvester,
designed for use
in high-density olive groves
and nut tree orchards.
But on this experimental
research farm,
they are trialing it
to harvest oranges.
Local farmers are here
to see this revolutionary
technology in action.
The trial is part
of a growing movement
to harness pioneering technology
to revolutionize
Spanish farming.
Francisco Arenas is
the farm's director
and a leading researcher
in citrus cultivation.
[Francisco Arenas, translated]
Currently, the problems that
farmers face
in citrus cultivation
are the shortage
of available labor
and the increase
in harvesting costs.
[Narrator] For generations,
workers have picked oranges
by hand,
a labor intensive process
that can take weeks to complete.
And oranges are grown on
large trees, seven meters tall,
which makes harvesting even
more difficult and dangerous.
[Francisco] We're always looking
for the possibility
of harvesting in
a more comfortable way
and avoiding the use of ladders.
[Narrator] Francisco studied the
mechanization of other crops
to work out if orange farmers
could adapt
and use this new generation
of machines.
His solution was to change the
way orange trees are nurtured
to make them more suitable
for machine harvesting.
Francisco's team grow
their oranges on low bushes
instead of tall trees,
pruning the branches
to keep the rows compact.
The new trees were planted
three years ago.
They are now mature enough
for Francisco to experiment
with a new machine
to harvest the oranges.
[speaking Spanish]
[Carlos Lucas Sans, translated]
This machine rides
over the hedge.
It's like a tunnel
that receives the hedge
and squeezes it
into the shaking area.
[Narrator] The machine uses
an ingenious system
called shaking dynamic control
to pick the fruit.
It deploys 36 curved
plastic bars that oscillate
at a precise frequency to
carefully loosen the oranges.
♪
[Francisco] The vibration
frequency should not be
too high to avoid
a lot of damage to the tree,
but high enough to release the
maximum percentage of fruit.
[Narrator]
Underneath the shakers,
a belt of plastic petals
gently closes
around the trunk of the tree
to form a basket
which catches the oranges.
This belt moves at exactly the
same speed as the harvester,
but in the opposite direction.
This means the basket remains
static around the tree
to minimize damage.
♪
Conveyor belts move
the oranges upwards.
Powerful blowers remove
the twigs and leaves
as they fall into
the collection hoppers.
The machine gathers 30 tons
of oranges in just two hours,
a job that would take
15 workers two whole days
to achieve by hand.
[Carlos] In the end, simply one
operator is able to operate it
and work six to 10 hectares
during the day by himself.
[Narrator] By adapting
traditional practices
to use this innovative
new machine,
orange farmers can take
a major step forward
to ensure one of Spain's
historic industries thrives
for generations to come.
♪
♪
Spain is a nation shaped by
millennia of cultural influence
and architectural brilliance.
Today, its engineers draw
on that rich heritage
to reinvent historic spaces,
crafting a legacy
for the centuries ahead.
[Narrator] These are the
engineering wonders of Spain.
Their secrets revealed
in a way never seen before.
For centuries, visionaries
shaped this land
with lavish palaces,
grand stadiums,
and cathedrals
of breathtaking scale.
Today, Spanish engineers
build on this history,
blending tradition
with pioneering stretches
and cutting-edge machines
for the modern world.
In this series, we reveal
the secrets of the engineering
that built Europe's
great nations,
the wonders that shape
its cities,
landscapes, and history.
We reveal the astonishing
innovations
and surprising connections
that help to forge
this mighty continent.
♪
♪
Spain lies on the southwestern
frontier of Europe.
This arid mountainous nation
is a bridge
between North Africa
and southern Europe.
For centuries,
Spain has been shaped
by different civilizations that
have crossed into this land,
including Romans, Muslims,
and Christians.
Spain's engineers have
drawn on this history
to meet the needs of the future
by reshaping buildings
like Cordoba's former mosque
converted into
a Catholic cathedral.
And landscapes, like in Elche,
where Muslim engineers
turned a Roman date plantation
into a flourishing oasis.
♪
Throughout the ages, Spanish
engineers have pioneered
the construction
of some of Europe's
most visionary public spaces.
Spain has a long history
of constructing
religious buildings
of astonishing scale.
In Seville,
the Santa Maria de la Sede
is the largest Gothic cathedral
in the world.
In Barcelona, engineers are
taking cathedral construction
to new heights,
completing a masterpiece
that's over a century
in the making.
♪
This is La Sagrada Família,
Barcelona's famous
unfinished cathedral.
It's an engineering wonder
that's been under construction
since the late 19th century.
The building is made
from over 200,000 tons
of carved stone blocks.
Each facade is
engineered to depict
a different chapter
of Jesus' life.
The walls of the 18 towers
are dotted
with hundreds of intricate
windows to cut weight
and allow more light
to flow through the atrium.
Once complete, it will be
the tallest religious building
in the world.
This revolutionary cathedral
was the brainchild
of the maverick
Spanish designer, Antoni Gaudí.
Now, over 140 years since
they started work,
it's finally nearing completion,
led by architects
like Xisco Llabres.
[speaking Spanish]
[Xisco Llabrés, translated]
He had such a big vision
that he knew he wouldn't be able
to finish it himself.
So Gaudí laid the groundwork for
those who would come after him,
for his successors.
[Narrator] Work on the building
started in 1882,
but progress stalled
in the 20th century
with Gaudí's sudden death
in 1926.
And after anarchists set fire
to his early drawings
and models during
the Spanish Civil War.
By 2014, only 60% of
the building had been finished.
But in the last decade, modern
engineering breakthroughs
have dramatically sped up
the construction
of Gaudí's intricate designs.
[Xisco] There's a lot
of experimentation
with new and innovative
techniques.
Things we started testing here
10 years ago,
like fiber-reinforced concrete.
Now it's become a standard
material in construction.
[Narrator] Fiber-reinforced
concrete is used to strengthen
the stone panels in the building
of the spire of Jesus Christ.
It's the tallest and heaviest
of all the towers
and the most challenging
to construct.
To build a spire that
the old foundations can carry,
the team must use
slender sandstone.
But in high winds, the spire
could bend and possibly break.
So they give the spire
of Jesus Christ a backbone
of concrete and steel.
And to strengthen
the stone panels,
they tension them
with steel wires
and slot them
into the steel scaffold.
This way, the majestic spire
will fulfill Gaudí's vision,
rising almost 200 meters
into the air,
safe from even gale force winds.
Carefully designed connections
ensure that when workers
lower the panels into place,
they lock together without the
need for on-site adjustment.
Sensors record the tension and
movement of the steel scaffold
to measure how the load
is balanced
between the stone blocks.
This guarantees each one
is fitted correctly.
Inside the church,
the branching, tree-like
columns gently tilt.
These angles give the columns
enough strength to hold up
the ceiling without the need
for external buttresses.
The central columns
are the thickest
and will support
the incredible Jesus tower
when it is finished.
♪
La Sagrada Família is
set to be completed
exactly 100 years after
the death of Gaudí,
and will be a fitting tribute
to his legacy.
[Xisco] I never imagined
I'd have the chance to work on
the Sagrada Família,
let alone help finish it.
It's spectacular.
♪
♪
[Narrator] Spain is one of
Europe's hottest countries.
For centuries, the people here
have engineered clever ways
to seek shade from the sun.
At the Alhambra in Granada,
deep courtyards with water
features and lattice screens
create cool, shaded spaces.
In Andalusia, entire villages
known as Pueblos Blancos
are painted white
to reflect the heat.
In Seville, this age-old
battle for shade
has taken on
an innovative twist.
♪
♪
In the historic old quarter
sits a record-breaking monument
to timber engineering.
This is the Setas de Sevilla,
known locally as the mushrooms.
Six large wooden
honeycomb parasols
tower over Plaza de Encarnación,
providing shade to shops,
bars and restaurants beneath.
The structure is made from
over 3,500 pieces of pine.
At over 150 meters long,
70 meters wide,
and 28 meters high,
it is thought to be
the largest free-standing
wooden structure in the world.
It's the job of
José Pedro Pulido to ensure
this masterpiece of wooden
engineering stays standing.
[José Pedro Pulido, translated]
We're always keeping an eye
on this structure, making sure
it's in top condition
and everything stays
in the best shape.
If anything important comes up,
we're ready to act fast
and fix it right away.
[Narrator] Construction of
the mushrooms started in 2006.
Designers opted to use
a composite material
made from thin layers
of wood glued together.
This makes the structural
elements stronger
and lighter than solid timber.
Over 16 million nuts and bolts
join the beams together.
A metal viewing platform and
walkway snakes across the top,
providing 360-degree views
of the skyline.
A weatherproof resin coats
the surface of the structure,
and it's topped up every decade.
But even this protective layer
has its limits.
In Spain's harsh climate,
with cold winter nights
and summer days
exceeding 40 degrees,
the wood expands and contracts,
putting strain on each joint.
[speaking Spanish]
[José] We monitor humidity
levels at around 20 points
across the structure, using
metal plates and steel screws
inserted into the wood
to take readings.
[Narrator] Throughout the year,
José's team survey
the entire structure to examine
whether joints have shifted
and to tighten any loose bolts.
For more than two centuries,
the Plaza de Encarnación
had been a thriving market
in the heart
of Seville's old town.
But by the 1970s,
the area was in decline.
That all changed when
Roman ruins were discovered
beneath the site, sparking
plans to protect the history
and revive the space.
The result was Setas de Sevilla,
a bold sculptural landmark
that shields the square
from the scorching sun and
brings new life to old Seville.
The mushrooms are more than
just a showcase
for spectacular
timber engineering.
Electrical engineering is
on full display here, too.
[Narrator] Hidden within
the beams of Setas de Sevilla
are sensors hooked up to LEDs
and speakers
that respond directly to
changes in the environment,
including wind speed,
air temperature,
and crowd movement.
[Pedro Parrilla Calle]
From sunset to midnight,
we have every day a different
show created by the software,
a new immersive experience
for the visitor.
[Narrator] As night falls,
inputs from the web of sensors
trigger an ever-changing
light show across the surface.
The audio visual spectacle,
known as Aurora,
transforms the structure
into a glowing landmark
for the public.
This audacious piece of
civil engineering has achieved
its goal of reviving
the old quarter
by creating an icon that both
protects people from the sun
and attracts art lovers
and business,
which, in turn,
boosts the economy.
♪
Spain's legacy of building
astonishing public spaces
is not just a modern phenomenon.
It goes back millennia.
On the shores
of the Mediterranean,
Tarragona's Roman amphitheater
once housed 1,400 spectators
to watch gladiatorial combat.
While in the ancient town
of Mérida,
one Roman site is
remarkably still in use
2,000 years after
it was first built.
♪
Mérida is one of the world's
best preserved Roman cities.
The jewel in its crown
is the oldest working theater
in the world.
♪
The stage is 60 meters long
and has a backdrop that rises
almost 20 meters into the air.
Decorative features, including
columns, statues and cornices
were made of beautiful marble
imported from across the empire.
But for the main structure
and foundations,
the Romans used
durable local granite.
Added strength came from
extensive use of concrete.
Unlike modern concrete,
the Roman mix was made of lime,
water, and a secret ingredient:
a volcanic ash called pozzolan.
This made it extremely strong
and long-lasting.
The result is
a 2,000-year-old theater,
so tough, it's still
in use today.
At its peak, the theater could
hold up to 6,000 spectators,
and modern-day crowds still
pack its marble terraces
for music, film,
and theater performances.
Annual inspections ensure
it remains safe
and well preserved.
Conservationist Maria Paz Perez
is leading the work.
[speaking Spanish]
[Maria Paz Pérez, translated]
The problems we see
are deterioration
caused by the weather.
Exposure to the sun and rain,
because they're open
to the elements.
These buildings are
2,000 years old,
and we also have to work
around the visitors.
[Narrator] The cornices are made
from white marble,
which is strong but porous.
This makes them vulnerable
to weathering.
Conservators must protect
their horizontal surfaces
with a layer of render.
As they carry out
their inspections,
Maria's team find an area
where this protection
is flaking away.
It's not just the weather this
theater has to contend with.
The damage can also
be accelerated
by modern-day sound systems.
Vibrations caused
by loudspeakers
during iconic performances
can cause the crumbling
marble to collapse.
To combat the problem,
the conservation team
have introduced
strict guidelines.
[Maria] We have already
established the parameters
that cannot be exceeded.
So all of the companies know
they can't go beyond
that set level of decibels
so that it doesn't
affect the monument.
[Narrator] To repair
the flaking stonework,
the team uses a special render
that is made to an ancient
recipe of lime, sand
and powdered marble.
[Maria] This mortar is applied
to protect the upper part
of the cornices, because
everything is out in the open.
It's the only way to protect it,
since the monument has no roof.
[Narrator] Now it's time
for the team to perform
their vital intervention.
[Narrator] The restoration team
applies the layer of render.
Once it dries and weathers,
it will blend in seamlessly
with the original marble,
protecting the cornices from
the ravages of the elements
and musical vibrations.
[Maria] I feel that doing
this work contributes
to future generations
being able to enjoy,
contemplate, and study
this heritage.
[Narrator] As long as engineers
continue this painstaking work,
Mérida's masterpiece
of Roman engineering
will host performances
for another two millennia.
♪
♪
Spanish engineers have not only
pioneered the creation
of extraordinary public spaces,
they have also trailblazed
the construction of spectacular
architectural wonders.
♪
Across Spain, engineering
marvels are transforming
the country's
traditional landscapes.
Valencia's Turia River was
diverted to prevent flooding.
The dry riverbed is now
a vast urban park.
In Bilbao, the Guggenheim Museum
helped to turn the city's
industrial dockland
into a world famous
cultural hub.
In Rioja, the country's
iconic wine region,
architects have revitalized
the area's oldest vineyard
with a modern engineering
superstructure.
♪
♪
This extraordinary vision is
the Hotel Marqués de Riscal.
It was designed by Frank Gehry,
who also created the Guggenheim
in Bilbao.
The hotel attracts over 100,000
annual visitors
to gaze at its stunningly
engineered curves,
bringing economic benefits
to this quiet corner of Spain.
Its roof is made up
of approximately
3,400 square meters of titanium.
Titanium makes a good
roofing material.
It is strong, light, and
very resistant to corrosion,
but it can also be treated
to produce
a surprising range
of bright colors.
Gehry's vision was to use
engineering principles
to create a modern work of art,
set within the region's
oldest vineyard.
It's a venue maintained by
hotel manager Stefan Friedl.
[Stefan Friedl] The idea was
to have a building
that has no weight
and it's floating
like the skirts of dancing
Spanish girls flying in the air.
[Narrator] The different colors
of the roof
at a final level of symbolism,
representing a bottle of wine.
Red for the wine itself,
silver for the foil
and gold for the mesh,
which covers each bottle
produced here.
The project cost a total
of 60 million euros.
♪
Just building the twisted
steel backbone
for the signature canopies
took almost three years.
And to fit the thousands
of titanium panels,
the workers had to mount every
single one of them by hand,
like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle.
The twisted, overlapping roof
may look spectacular,
but it makes cleaning
the exterior a challenge.
Scaffolding and ladders risk
damaging the titanium ribbons.
So Stefan works with a company
that has developed
an ingenious
engineering solution:
a drone equipped with
a high-pressure water jet.
[Josele Bernabé]
That's our main drone unit.
It's the most powerful drone,
which is able to be used
legally in urban areas.
[Narrator] The drone has to be
as powerful as possible
to compensate for the force
of the water,
which constantly pushes it
away from the surface,
creating unpredictable
air turbulence.
[Josele] Sometimes we have some
kind of shaking mass of air
affecting the drone.
So we need to be always ready
for any kind of strange reaction
that the drone has.
♪
[Narrator] To make cleaning the
building even more difficult,
the combination of metals
in the roof actually generates
its own electromagnetic field,
which disrupts the drone's
auto-navigation systems.
[Josele] All this structure
affects the GPS signal
from the drone, affects
the compass from the drone.
So we are flying
almost in manual.
[Narrator] It takes two days
to restore the building
to its pristine best.
[Stefan]
It's just an amazing view,
which doesn't fail to give
a warm feeling around my heart
every morning I come to work.
[Narrator] This innovative
technology promises to preserve
architectural masterpieces like
Hotel Marqués de Riscal
for years to come.
♪
Spain has a long history
of transforming
its most treasured landmarks.
The Alcázar of Toledo was
a palace built by Romans,
then became an Islamic
fortress, and later expanded
during the Christian era
to become a royal residence.
♪
In Madrid, cutting-edge
architects are giving
a facelift to an engineering
wonder of the city's skyline.
[Narrator] The 117-meter-high
Columbus Towers
loom over the heart
of Spain's capital city.
And they have been an icon
of Madrid's skyline
for over 50 years.
Their most striking feature is
that this enormous structure
appears to be supported
by just the thinnest
of concrete stalks.
The building's gleaming
glass exterior is brand new,
but their gravity-defying
internal structure
dates back to the 1960s.
And it's an example
of one of the world's weirdest
architectural ideas.
Hidden beneath
the gleaming glass
are two slender concrete cores
that the whole building
rests on.
Two extremely sturdy slabs
sit at the top.
Each serves as an anchor point
for the heavy duty steel cables.
Wrapped in concrete,
they support the concrete
floors of the building,
suspending them like
the rungs of a rope ladder.
It's an ingenious design that
almost makes it look like
the Columbus Towers are
floating in midair.
♪
♪
Architect Luis Vidal
is the mastermind
behind the towers'
most recent transformation.
His renovation adds
a four-story glass box
to the original towers' design,
a sleek new glass bridge
to connect the two towers,
and modern reinforcements
to the aging cable stays
that hold the building together.
After four years
of construction,
Luis and his team are
performing a final inspection
before handing the building
over to its new owners.
[Luis Vidal] We want to make
sure that everything
is looking as we designed
and make sure that everything
is working as envisioned.
[Narrator] While Luis examines
the interior of the building,
his colleague Manuel
inspects the exterior works.
[Luis] We want to go down
to level 24
so we can see the brackets and
how the new cables are working.
[Manuel] Understood.
[Narrator]
Manuel reaches the point
where the long, steel
stay cables start their journey
down the outside
of the building.
The pale gray columns house
the original steel cables
from 1967, but each column
is now flanked
by two sleeker, black additions.
[Manuel] Everything's looking
pretty solid, to be honest.
Looks fantastic.
[Narrator] The original cables
still help support
the building's weight.
But the new 21st century cables
add extra strength
and resilience.
The team still has to inspect
the improbable glass box
perched on the top
of the two towers.
♪
Luis' bold idea
to transform the towers
was to create new office space
on top of the structure.
Whilst the building below is
a wonder of 1960s engineering,
this new addition is a marvel
of 21st century design.
Luis' daring engineering
innovation was to use glass
as a main structural element,
eliminating the need
for internal pillars.
[Luis] What's really interesting
about the structure
is that all the glass is curved.
If you get a single
piece of glass
and you place it vertical,
it falls.
But if you curve it,
it's free-standing.
This is the principle
of what we have designed here.
We don't need any mullions.
We don't need any columns.
We don't need anything.
[Narrator] With the inspection
complete,
the building is ready
to be handed over.
This engineering marvel will
remain a striking feature
of Madrid's skyline
for years to come.
♪
♪
Sport has been a pillar
of Spanish culture
throughout history,
and inspired engineers
to construct stadiums
of remarkable scale.
In Madrid, Las Ventas, Spain's
largest bullfighting ring,
has drawn crowds
for nearly a century.
While in Barcelona,
the 1920s-built Estadi Olímpic
was reborn for
the 1992 Summer Olympics.
In the city's
Les Corts district,
engineers are building
on the legacy
of one of football's
most iconic stadiums.
[Narrator] This busy
construction site
is giving Barcelona
Football Club's stadium
the ultimate facelift.
Once finished,
this massive redevelopment
will raise the capacity
to 105,000 seats,
making it the largest football
club stadium on the planet.
This unique transformation is
an extraordinary
engineering challenge.
The new stadium is being built
without destroying
the club's original and
much-loved ground-level stands
from the 1950s.
Overseeing this complex process
is director of operations
Joan Sentelles.
[speaking Spanish]
[Joan Sentelles, translated] No
Barcelona fan could ever imagine
the stadium being somewhere
other than in Les Corts.
This is our home.
This is where our heart is.
And this is where
Barcelona Football Club stadium
should be.
[Narrator] The first step was to
reveal the 1950s architecture
by removing the 1980s extension
that sits around it.
Specialized machines resembling
mechanical dinosaurs
carefully nibbled away
the later additions,
leaving the original core
untouched.
♪
Next, engineers built
a free-standing ring of steel
around the old stadium
to carry the weight
of the new development.
This avoids any
unnecessary strain
on the stadium's original
75-year-old foundations.
The new third tier will hold
30,000 spectators.
A lightweight roof
will cover every seat,
sheltering fans from
the blazing Barcelona sun.
And 18,000 square meters
of solar panels
will help make the stadium both
sustainable and spectacular.
♪
The new cleverly engineered
third tier is designed
as a cantilever,
so it will appear to float
above the old stadium.
The external ring of steel also
bears the weight of the roof.
The stadium's new framework
is inspired
by 1930s New York skyscrapers.
To erect it, workers use
prefabricated steel beams,
manufactured
to precise tolerances
that simply bolt together.
A layer of concrete then adds
extra strength and stability.
This rapid assembly technique
allows the 3,500-strong team
to construct around 600 tons
of steel in a week.
[Joan] To give you an idea, the
Eiffel Tower weighs 7,000 tons.
In two and a half months,
we built an Eiffel Tower.
[Narrator] Remarkably, much of
the raw building materials
have been recycled from the
demolition of the old stands.
97% of the old steel will be
reused in the new construction,
lowering the carbon footprint
of the new design,
as well as incorporating
elements of its past.
♪
With the finish line in sight
and hopes of welcoming fans
even before construction
is fully complete,
Barcelona's new stadium is set
to captivate audiences
across Europe and beyond.
♪
Spanish engineers have
not only constructed
epic architectural wonders, but
also spearheaded the invention
of cutting-edge machines.
♪
♪
For centuries, the nation's
innovators have found
groundbreaking ways to traverse
Spain's rugged landscape.
In 1907, engineers constructed
Spain's first-ever cable car
on Mount Ulia
near San Sebastián,
while Spanish engineer
Juan de la Cierva
built the world's
first autogyro,
the precursor to the helicopter.
In the Basque region, engineers
are using innovative machines
to create an ambitious new
high-speed rail line,
linking Vitoria, Bilbao,
and San Sebastián
through the Pyrenees mountains.
♪
The Basque Country, located
in the western Pyrenees,
has rugged, mountainous terrain.
This creates a major challenge
for the engineers
building the new railway here.
The tracks' viaducts need
to be extremely tall
to span vast chasms.
It's not practical
to construct them
using traditional techniques,
with cranes hauling
their concrete sections
into place block by block.
So engineers use
remarkable machines
that cast the bridge sections
in situ from liquid concrete
poured up to 100 meters
in the air.
♪
Javier Selvas Arsuaga is
in charge of building
a key section of this
high-speed line,
which includes
the Arrazola viaduct.
It's a 1,755-meter-long overpass
connecting the towns
of Atxondo and Abadino.
[Javier Selvas Arsuaga]
I have worked on a lot
of very important projects,
but this project
is very interesting.
It is the longest viaduct
on the entire line.
♪
[Narrator] The innovative
machines at the heart
of the project are giant frames,
known as movable
scaffolding systems
that balance on top
of the bridge columns.
Their insides form a mold
for the team
to pour in liquid concrete.
Once it's set, the machine opens
to reveal the new
bridge section.
Then it moves along,
ready for the next pour.
Today is the big day to unveil
the latest bridge section.
But before they can
open the mold,
Javier must wait for
the concrete to fully set.
[Narrator] In the foothills
of the Pyrenees,
the crawling, yellow,
movable scaffolding system
is part of an army of machines,
building viaducts
across the landscape.
This red machine in
a nearby valley
is preparing for its next
pour of concrete.
First, it contracts
to create a mold
for a 66-meter section
of the viaduct.
Then engineers carefully
position a dense network
of steel rods inside the mold
to reinforce the strength
of the viaduct.
♪
Next, they pour in the concrete
to form the base, sides,
and finally the deck
of this massive structure.
♪
At the Arrazola viaduct,
the concrete is finally set,
and it's time to open
the machine.
Powerful hydraulic pistons
swing open the scaffold.
Javier is now able to inspect
the new section.
[Javier] We want to make sure
there are no fissures
or large cracks before we
continue to the next section.
[Narrator] The viaduct's
undercarriage is too high
to examine from the ground,
so the team use a drone
to get a better view.
♪
[Javier] I am happy
because it turned out well.
[Narrator]
Over the coming weeks,
the Arrazola viaduct
will take shape
and eventually join the largest
high-speed rail network
in Europe,
with the lowest average
construction cost.
These mega machines
are a game changer,
speeding up construction
and allowing engineers
to lay over 50 meters
of viaduct a week.
Each completed section
of high-speed rail track
brings Spain closer together,
strengthening bonds
between the regions, as well as
neighboring countries,
providing a major boost
to the nation's economy.
♪
♪
Spain's arid climate has forced
the nation's engineers
to innovate
to sustain its agriculture.
In Segovia, this nearly
2,000-year-old aqueduct
once channeled water to
irrigate the city's crops.
In Alcalá del Río,
just outside Seville,
an innovative new machine
is revitalizing
one of Spain's
oldest industries.
♪
This monster contraption
is a multi-harvester,
designed for use
in high-density olive groves
and nut tree orchards.
But on this experimental
research farm,
they are trialing it
to harvest oranges.
Local farmers are here
to see this revolutionary
technology in action.
The trial is part
of a growing movement
to harness pioneering technology
to revolutionize
Spanish farming.
Francisco Arenas is
the farm's director
and a leading researcher
in citrus cultivation.
[Francisco Arenas, translated]
Currently, the problems that
farmers face
in citrus cultivation
are the shortage
of available labor
and the increase
in harvesting costs.
[Narrator] For generations,
workers have picked oranges
by hand,
a labor intensive process
that can take weeks to complete.
And oranges are grown on
large trees, seven meters tall,
which makes harvesting even
more difficult and dangerous.
[Francisco] We're always looking
for the possibility
of harvesting in
a more comfortable way
and avoiding the use of ladders.
[Narrator] Francisco studied the
mechanization of other crops
to work out if orange farmers
could adapt
and use this new generation
of machines.
His solution was to change the
way orange trees are nurtured
to make them more suitable
for machine harvesting.
Francisco's team grow
their oranges on low bushes
instead of tall trees,
pruning the branches
to keep the rows compact.
The new trees were planted
three years ago.
They are now mature enough
for Francisco to experiment
with a new machine
to harvest the oranges.
[speaking Spanish]
[Carlos Lucas Sans, translated]
This machine rides
over the hedge.
It's like a tunnel
that receives the hedge
and squeezes it
into the shaking area.
[Narrator] The machine uses
an ingenious system
called shaking dynamic control
to pick the fruit.
It deploys 36 curved
plastic bars that oscillate
at a precise frequency to
carefully loosen the oranges.
♪
[Francisco] The vibration
frequency should not be
too high to avoid
a lot of damage to the tree,
but high enough to release the
maximum percentage of fruit.
[Narrator]
Underneath the shakers,
a belt of plastic petals
gently closes
around the trunk of the tree
to form a basket
which catches the oranges.
This belt moves at exactly the
same speed as the harvester,
but in the opposite direction.
This means the basket remains
static around the tree
to minimize damage.
♪
Conveyor belts move
the oranges upwards.
Powerful blowers remove
the twigs and leaves
as they fall into
the collection hoppers.
The machine gathers 30 tons
of oranges in just two hours,
a job that would take
15 workers two whole days
to achieve by hand.
[Carlos] In the end, simply one
operator is able to operate it
and work six to 10 hectares
during the day by himself.
[Narrator] By adapting
traditional practices
to use this innovative
new machine,
orange farmers can take
a major step forward
to ensure one of Spain's
historic industries thrives
for generations to come.
♪
♪
Spain is a nation shaped by
millennia of cultural influence
and architectural brilliance.
Today, its engineers draw
on that rich heritage
to reinvent historic spaces,
crafting a legacy
for the centuries ahead.