Showing posts with label architecture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label architecture. Show all posts

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Spanish Architecture

Hey guys! ^0^
For the lovers of the spanish architecture, today I wanna introduce some of the most important Spanish architects and their most representatives buildings.

I guess you must know him, Antoni Gaudi (1852 –1926) was a Spanish Catalan architect and the best-known representative of Catalan Modernism. He's very popular, if you'll visit Barcelona you will have a nice opportunity to met his stunning buildings





TIP: you don't miss visit in Barcelona: la sagrada familia, Park Güel, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà.


Santiago Calatrava is one of the most modern Spanish architects, Calatrava is an architect, sculptor and structural engineer whose most representative work is the City of Arts and Science  in the city of Valencia [pic1], the Montjuic Communications Tower at the Olympic Ring in Barcelona [pic2], Caja Madrid Obelisk in Madrid, Palace conference in Oviedo [pic3]

Calatrava's style has been heralded as bridging the division between structural engineering and architecture,, his style is also very personal and derives from numerous studies of the human body and the natural world.

TIP: You don't miss visit in Valencia: City of Arts and Science,and check out the post about Calatrava ^_~

Another important spanish architect is Rafael Moneo, he was born in Tudela, Spain in 1937.
Moneo won the Pritzker Prize for architecture in 1996.
He graduated in 1961 from the Escuela de Arquitectura in Madrid after which he worked in the Denmark office of Jorn Utzon for two years. He then worked as an assistant at the Academia de Espana until 1965 when he established a private practice in Madrid.
In his work Moneo divides his professional life into two categories: teaching and architectural practice. In both facets of his career, he decries the modern trend toward short-lived architecture and attempts to emphasize the importance of creating lasting monuments to society.

Unlike many contemporary architects, Moneo does not borrow from the trends associated with European utilitarianism and expressionism. Instead, Moneo produces a softened version of Nordic and Dutch traditions. To this conception he adds an evaluation of his own historic traditions. This range of influences and aims is especially clear in his works of the 1960s. During these years Moneo was one of the centers of interest and excitement in Madrid architecture.
 
If you have a chance i'll recommend you visit:
Prado Museum Extension in Madrid (1996-2001) [pic. 1], Museum of Sciences in Valencia (1994-96) [pic. 2], Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid (1989-92), San Pablo Airport in Seville (1987-91), Pilar & Joan Miró Foundation, Palma de Mallorca (1987-93) and so on.
Another of his most representative works in Madrid is Atocha Railway Station (1984-92), this is a beautiful and pleasent place for the turist who is waiting for the trains, Inside there is a tropical garden with a pond full of turtles and fish, also you can find lot of stores and restaurants.


Famous Spanish architects of the 20th century
  •     Antonio Gaudí (1852–1926)
  •     Lluis Domenech i Montaner (1850–1923)
  •     Secundino Zuazo (1887–1971)
  •     Antonio Palacios (1874–1945)
  •     Casto Fernández-Shaw (1896–1978)
  •     Josep Lluis Sert (1902–1983)
  •     Josep Antoni Coderch (1913–1984)
  •     Luis Gutiérrez Soto (1890–1977)
  •     Alejandro de la Sota (1913–1996)
  •     Miguel Fisac (1913–2006)
  •     Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza (1918–2000)
  •     Julio Cano Lasso (1920–1996)
  •     Fernando Higueras (1929–2008)
  •     Rafael Moneo (1937), Pritzker Prize in 1996
  •     Ricardo Bofill (1939)
  •     Santiago Calatrava (1951)
  •     Enric Miralles (1955–2000)
  •     Alberto Campo Baeza (1946)
  •     Alejandro Zaera (1963)

Monday, May 23, 2011

La sagrada familia

Hi everyone, i wanna show you one masterpiece of Spanish architecture, one of the most beautiful treasure of Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia.

Location:
Mallorca St. 401, 08034, Barcelona
    Metro: Sagrada Familia (Blue Line, L5) and (Purple Line, L2)
 
La Sagrada Familia is one of Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona. It's a giant temple that has been under construction since 1882 (that's not a typing error!) and it's not expected to be completed for between 30 to 80 years ( time for completion varies depending on different sources of information)

Much controversy surrounds the building of the Sagrada Familia. Today new construction materials are being used which, some feel, Gaudi himself would not have used.

When you visit the building you will see the c ontrast in the stone colour between the front and back of the building. Also the actual style of construction appears somewhat different between the new and old parts of the building.

Gaudi played an active role in directing the construction of the Sagrada Familia until his death in 1926. He would often request that work be modified and adjusted until it was exactly what he had in mind. However today, because of the nature of the existing designs, his work is partly open to interpretation.
Interpretation of the ordinal designs by present day architects is particularly challenging because the actual construction stones are irregularly shaped.

The building is still under construction so be prepared to see a lot of work continuing when you visit. However this in itself is interesting, especially if you visit the museum inside the building. There you will see the stone masons at work carving stones to be used in the building.
Regardless of all the controversy surrounding the Sagrada Familia it is a truly magnificent building and an absolute must-see when you visit Barcelona.


SAGRADA FAMILIA
Opening hours
09:00-18:00         (Oct-Mar)

09:00-20:00         (Apr-Sep)

Admission :
12.00 €

Map showing location of "Sagrada Familia" in relation to the nearest Metro underground stops.



Saturday, May 7, 2011

Santiago Calatrava





Hi people!
I wanna show you the work of the internationally recognized and award-winning Spanish architect-sculptor Santiago Calatrava.

I'm graduated in Fine Arts and Calatrava is one of my favorite architects ^0^ his works are really cool, always are characterized by a unique combination of architecture and engineering.

Santiago Calatrava was born 1951 in Valencia, as i said he's architect, sculptor and structural engineer. Famous for his bridges and train stations, Calatrava combines artistry with engineering. His graceful, organic structures have been compared to the works of Antonio Gaudí. Already well-known in Europe for his unique design aesthetic, Calatrava is beginning to make a name for himself in the United States.


In my opinion his most representative work in Spain is the complex City of Arts and Science in Valencia. Truly recommed you don't miss visiting.
Others buildings you don't miss discover is the Montjuic Communications Tower at the Olympic Ring in Barcelona, Caja Madrid Obelisk in Madrid and the Palace conference in Oviedo.
Calatrava designed the  train station in the World Trade Center in New York City. The PATH Terminal at the WTC site in New York is the final building design for the rebuilding project. In the days immediately following the reveal, it is clear that this building has captured the favor of the general public.

For more info:
http://www.calatrava.com/