CRAIG CIGNARELLI REPORTS ON THE TENNIS FROM THE “MAGIC BOX” IN MADRID FOR 10SBALLS
CRAIG CIGNARELLI REPORTS ON THE TENNIS FROM THE "MAGIC BOX" IN MADRID FOR 10SBALLS | 
Photo by 10sBalls
Caja Magica “The Magic Box” sits in the Southeast Corner of Madrid, Spain. 3.1 million Spaniards surround the place, along with a melting pot of non-Spanish Europeans who secretly want Rafa to lose. For $392 million dollars, French architect Dominique Perrault designed the sixteen court facility which includes, five courts with a covered area for 350 spectators each, six practice courts, a pool, headquarters for the Madrid Tennis Federation, a tennis school, clubhouse, press center, stadium boxes and other private areas and restaurants. In case Rafa, Fed or Djoker wants to bat a few around, a covered area for 20,000 spectators shades three indoor /outdoor courts. But none of this gets to the crux of the CM.
When he built the place in 2009, the architect first laid down an artificial lake to surround the building. Squared off at the corners, the water flows around the entire facility and reflects sunlight into the Magic Box. The building is covered in Perrault’s originally- designed metallic mesh, which reflects shimmering sunlight during the day and pours out the inside lighting at night. An addition to the mesh, metal makes up much of the stadium, including the lower seating areas, the base, and the walls. When viewed from the outside, it’s a bit like a spaceship with neon advertising.
The main stadium sits eight meters above ground. It’s upper tier hosts translucent seats, each stained see-through red. As spectators file in, the place pulses like a beating heart.
The massive and retractable roof covers three courts and presents a shadow reminiscent of the Independence Day movie. When the roof is open, the sunlight dances off the seats, the walls and the water in ways that make you wish a harp was nearby.
Inside the stadium, the clay is red this year, which leads some to wax nostalgic about the days when billionaire tournament-owner Ion Tiriac had the courts done up in blue – the Smurf slaughter was just a rumor. Red and white flowers surround the entire court and all of the ball kids are runway models. When not looking at the models, players leave ten foot long skid marks upon the dirt and by the end of a match, it looks like a Monet painting.
There’s an eerie feeling here. The glass and metal stretching out at all angles over the tranquil lake is like a Transformer stepping into a zen garden. Add in the virtual reality booths at every turn and there’s an almost unnerving sense that something isn’t quite right. But then, that’s what Perrault was trying to capture. The tranquility of a beautiful landscape interrupted by the violent swings and athletic force of world-class athletes. It is this blend of peace and chaos that makes Madrid’s Magic Box a unique locale.
10sBalls Editors Note: We Love The Magic Box and we loved the blue clay. Our first year there was someone we sat with who was new to the “box” and they were burning their bums on the seat back. We will find the photos before Craigs trip ends. It was a great laugh.
Photo by 10sBalls
Topics: 10sballs, Caja Magica, Craig Cignarelli, Madrid Masters, Mutua Madrid Open, Tennis News
Share this article:
Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:
10sBalls Top Stories
- No Key Biscayne, No Problem; New Site, Same Great Miami Open Tennis Event
- 10SBALLS SHARES FAVORITE EPA TENNIS PHOTOS Of 2018
- THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR ANY TENNIS PLAYER & FAN
- ATP MEN’S TENNIS • WILL IT MOVE FROM LONDON TO MANCHESTER OR TOKYO OR SINGAPORE? OR TURIN?
- ALIX RAMSAY WRITES TO “TENNIS SANTA CLAUS” WITH HER WISHES • ANDY MURRAY!
- CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE JACK KRAMER CLUB – DECEMBER 15 TO 22 2018 • UTR • ORACLE • AND AN AWESOME NEW TENNIS EVENT
- 10sBalls.com Shares Alix Ramsay’s Rambling On About Tennis and The Holidays
- ROGER FEDERER JOINED BY RAFA NADAL FOR THE 2019 LAVER CUP FESTIVITIES IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- TENNIS PLAYERS’ UNION – IS IT NEEDED? BY MARK WINTERS
- Tennis News: Wilson’s Revolution Is Here – THE CLASH
- ROTTERDAM TENNIS TOURNEY DIRECTOR RICHARD KRAJICEK ANNOUNCES DAVID GOFFIN TO PLAY IN 2019 ABN AMRO
- JELENA VEMIC’S PHOTO GALLERY
- TENNIS NEWS FROM LONDON • 10SBALLS REPORTS ON THE LAWN TENNIS WRITERS HOLIDAY LUNCHEON AT WIMBLEDON’S DEBENTURE CLUB
- 10sBalls.com Shares a Great Gift For A Tennis Player – The Functional Tennis Match Journal
- BNP PARIBAS TENNIS OPEN NAMED 2018 WTA PREMIER MANDATORY TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR
In Case You Missed It
EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA
Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE
Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER
According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife
Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos