As you walk along Avenida de los Castillos in Alcorcón (south of Madrid) you will discover a set of 16 concrete sculptures created by Spanish sculptor Carlos Armiño which are the main decorative element of Parque de los Castillos. The collection is called El refugio de la vida (the shelter of life).

Armiño has his work on display in other parts of Alcorcón but it is here in the park that his best pieces can be admired together with the nearby Castillos de Valderas. Armiño spent months working on these pieces which were eventually acquired by the Alcorcón city council and carefully placed in the Parque de los Castillos in 2005.

Carlos Armiño began his artistic career as a painter before shifting his focus to sculpture, a task to which he has devoted himself for years. He masters different shapes depending on the materials he works with. Considering that these 16 pieces would have to endure the harshness of both summers and winters in this part of Madrid, he decided to use concrete for the pieces on display at this park in Alcorcón but he has also worked with iron and wood, the latter being his great passion.