Santiago Calatrava
in Valencia. A similar open avenue was designed for the Athens Olympic complex. Santiago Calatrava is a Spanish architect whose international work has become increasingly popular worldwide. Born July 28th 1951 in Valencia, Spain, Calatrava enrolled in undergraduate studies at the Architecture School and Arts and Crafts School in Valencia. Following graduation in 1975 he moved to Zurich, Switzerland, and enrolled in the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) to pursue post graduate work and a PhD in Engineering. Calatrava was inspired by the famous french architect, Le Corbusier, whose chapel Ronchamp, inspired Calatrava to examine how complex form could be understood, and generated in architecture. In 1981 after completing his doctoral thesis, "On the Foldability of Space Frames", he started his architecture and engineering practice. Calatrava's unique, creative, and highly influential style combines a striking visual architectural style that interacts harmoniously with the rigid principles of engineering. His work often draws on form and structure found in the natural world, and can be described as anthropomorphic. His works have elevated the design of some civil engineering projects such as bridges to new heights. He has designed numerous train stations, heralded for their bright, open, and easily-traveled spaces. His newest project is a residential skyscraper composed of 12 townhouses in the shapes of cubes. The 12 cubes move up a main beam and follow a ladder-like pattern, providing each townhouse its own roof. The "townhouse in the sky" design has attracted a high profile clientele, willing to pay the hefty 30 million for each cube. It will be built on 80 South Street, New York, New York, down in the financial district facing the East River.
Notable works
Completed Jakem Steel Warehouse, Munchwilen, Switzerland, 1983-1984 Ernsting Warehouse, Coesfeld, Germany, 1983-1985 Stadelhofen Railway Station, Zürich, Switzerland, 1983-1990 Wohlen High School, Wohlen, Switzerland, 1983-1988 Bach de Roda Felipe II Bridge, Barcelona, Spain, 1984-1987
Lucerne Station Hall, Lucerne, Switzerland, 1983-1989 Barenmatte Community Center, Suhr, Switzerland, 1984-1988 Tabourettli Theater, Basel, Switzerland, 1986-1987 BCE Place, Toronto, [Canada , 1987-1992 City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain Telecommunications tower at the Montjuïc Olympic Plaza, Barcelona, Spain, 1992 Kuwaiti Pavilion at the 1992 World's Fair, Seville, Spain Alamillo bridge, Seville, Spain Trinity Bridge, footbridge over River Irwell, Salford, England TGV Station, Lyon, France, 1989-1994 Oberbaumbrucke, Berlin, Germany Alameda Bridge, Valencia, Spain Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, 2001 Sundial Bridge, Redding, California Puente de la Mujer, in the Puerto Madero barrio of Buenos Aires Argentina, 1998
one of many building Calatrava designed for the Athens Olympics. Athens Olympic Sports Complex, Athens, Greece
Under construction World Trade Center Transportation Hub, New York City, USA Atlanta Symphony Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA TGV Station, Liège, Belgium Turning Torso, Malmö, Sweden Calatrava has also submitted designs for a number of notable projects which were eventually awarded to other designers, including the Reichstag in Berlin and the East London River Crossing. The East London River Crossing, in particular, was a very elegant and bold design which was considered by most to be a far more worthy design to the one actually built.
Awards Santiago Calatrava - The Poetics of Movement - By Alexander Tzonis
|
|
