All language subtitles for E.E.S01E02.1080p.WEB.h264-EDITH_track3_[eng]

[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.