The Spanish photographer Manuel Álvarez Diestro documents urban development across China and South Korea through ‘Seas of Construction,’ a series in which construction sites become abstract landscapes charged with symbolism.

The project began on Hainan Island, where Álvarez Diestro noticed a surprising resemblance between the fabrics placed over building sites and the waves of the sea. Under the palm trees, those green and blue canvases took on an undulating rhythm that brought to mind the ocean. The observation led to a strong visual metaphor: a sea woven on solid ground where constructions emerge.

The images in ‘Seas of Construction’ capture vast sheets of cloth used to stabilize soil and minimize dust during construction. These functional elements, usually ignored, are transformed into visual landscapes that recall land art and abstract topographies. In this re-reading of the built environment, textile acquires a new role: it is no longer just a utilitarian material, but a covering for transitional spaces, areas emerging to be parts of cities.

With this series Álvarez Diestro recontextualizes temporary installations in building sites to reveal an emerging aesthetic. ‘Seas of Construction’ does not only document urban growth, but interprets and reimagines it.