The architect himself defines his style as “bringing a difference between design and architecture.” In his projects, he says, he continues the traditions of Spanish modernist engineering by Antonio Gaudi, Felix Candela and Rafael Guastavino, interspersed with a personal style that is based on a long study of the human body and the surrounding nature. Architectural critics usually agree that Calatrava continues the traditions of Eero Saarinen's expressionism.
Santiago Calatrava was born on July 28, 1951 in Benimamet, a small village near Valencia in Spain. He received his primary education in Valencia, formerly a prosperous royal city. Founded by the Greeks, it was conquered by the Romans, Arabs, Moors and Goths, and was home to a wealthy Jewish settlement in the 13th century. Despite its royal past, the city was involved in numerous republican uprisings in the 19th and 20th centuries. Then Valencia turned into the center of an agricultural region, but the rich past of the city could not but be reflected in its architecture. The historical center of the city, in particular the complex of buildings of Lonja de la Seda, where little Santiago was taken for a walk, especially amazed him. He later said in an interview that it was the effect of Lonja's majestic tree-like columns that influenced his understanding of "anti-gravity space."
Calatrava's passion for design began early when, at the age of 8, he was sent to the Valencian art school to study drawing. When he was 13, his mother, in order to broaden her son's horizons, arranged for Santiago to go on an exchange trip to Paris so that he could learn French and become acquainted with great masterpieces of art. 4 years later she sent him to Zurich, this time to study German. Santiago returned to Paris after finishing school in 1968 with the intention of enrolling at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and found himself at the center of the student uprisings that engulfed the city. In order not to waste time, Calatrava returned to Valencia to enroll in the School of Arts and Crafts, but, nevertheless, the “spirit of creation” of May 1968 influenced his worldview. He studied at school only until the end of the year. At that moment, he realized that he wanted to study architecture. The laconic, direct statement he sent to the Valencia Higher School of Architecture said:
Reasons why I want to study architecture:
I'm interested in drawing.
I've always liked art.
I think I have the potential to learn and develop this profession.
I have high career expectations and expect that through work and persistence I will fill the educational gaps that currently exist.
I also think that this is where I can best benefit society and I am confident that I can exercise my abilities in this field with enthusiasm and love.
Calatrava entered the Valencia High School of Architecture in 1969, ironically, just as the echoes of the student uprisings in Paris reached Valencia. Across Europe and the United States, students have begun to actively promote “alternative” types of education. This also affected the architectural school. On the one hand, the situation upset Calatrava, who wanted to gain thorough knowledge in the necessary disciplines. On the other hand, he agreed that the limitation in creativity and the emphasis on studying only the main tendencies that were dominant at that time, which was inherent in classical education, would greatly hinder its development. The prospect of self-education suited his independent nature. Calatrava eagerly developed a course with other students that would include visiting and studying Iberian vernacular buildings as opposed to modern buildings. For Spanish students and young architects, studying this architecture, which does not belong to the generally recognized monuments, was something of a challenge. For Calatrava, exposure to the freshness, directness, and functionality of these buildings further strengthened his view that serious learning involved self-analysis and setting one's own goals, rather than passively receiving and assimilating accumulated information. Following the goal of self-education, he planned a trip to Ronchamp, France, to the building of the Notre-Dame-du-Haut chapel, built by Le Corbusier. The famous building in those years was considered out of the ordinary, but Calatrava was completely delighted with what he saw. He also liked other works of Le Corbusier.
In his sketches, he tried to combine the indescribable, shapeless appearance of the Ronchamp Chapel and Spanish rural architecture. But simple sketches could not convey the full innovativeness of the projects. And then descriptive geometry came to the aid of Calatrava. Santiago also decided to study it on his own, drawing geometrically constructed perspectives of two buildings. Of course, descriptive geometry could not reveal all the “secrets” of the organization of Ronchamp’s space, but in the course of attempts, the architect learned to convey explosive, emotional images through rational science and became confident in the power of analytical tools. To improve his skills in this field, in 1974 Calatrava went to Zurich to continue his studies there at the Zurich Institute of Technology in the department of civil engineering. Having completed his studies in 1979, Calatrava began working as an assistant in an engineering company and at the same time writing a scientific paper. For some time, his thoughts were occupied only with mathematical calculations and the strict pragmatics of numbers. In 1981, he defended his dissertation while also working as a teacher. That same year he opened his first studio in Zurich. Then Calatrava chose this city as his permanent residence.
In 1983, Calatrava received his first serious order: designing a railway station in the suburbs of Zurich. Over the course of several years, he designed several railway stations. In 1986, the 9 October Bridge in Valencia opened, marking the beginning of a series of bridge projects around the world.
One of the key points on the path to world fame was the communications tower on Montjuïc in Barcelona, which appeared on the eve of the 1992 Olympics, as well as the Allen Robert Gallery in Toronto.
During his undoubtedly successful and fruitful work, Santiago Calatrava was awarded dozens of different awards, and he was recognized as an honorary doctor of science by about 12 universities around the world.
Modern architecture is a delicate and painstaking matter, although at first glance it may seem completely different. And the Spanish architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava is personally familiar with this statement. Among his works are numerous futuristic structures that are scattered across various continents of our planet. Each of his projects is a masterpiece, which only a true connoisseur of style can understand.
Santiago Calatrava: biography
The future architect was born in the city of Valencia on July 28, 1951. Since childhood, he showed creative abilities, so he went to study at the School of Architecture, Arts and Crafts in his hometown. Santiago Calatrava received further education in Zurich, at the Swiss Higher Technical School. There he received his first engineering diploma and decided to stay in this city for further creative development. When he was very young, he opened his own workshop in Switzerland, where he acted as an architect and engineer at the same time. After successfully completing the first project - a hangar for the Jakem company plant, the master was able to open a branch in Paris.
Further work
In 1983, the architect Santiago Calatrava receives a very serious and important task. He needs to design a railway station, which will be located in the suburbs of Zurich. The master coped with the task “one or two” and immediately began his next, much more important project. Although it is worth saying that at the initial stages Calatrava himself did not think that this order would play a decisive role in his career. He was just designing a bridge called "9 October" in his native Valencia. He was followed by a whole chain of bridges that the architect built for European, American and Asian countries. Later, Santiago Calatrava designed several more railway stations in Europe and soon managed to open a third branch of his company - in the city of Valencia.
Origins of inspiration
Despite the fact that all the architect’s works are made in a futuristic, one might say, unearthly style, they are based on natural forms that are found in nature. As Santiago Calatrava himself states, he loves to observe the integrity of the living world that surrounds him. His creative mind is captivated not only by beautiful landscapes, mountain slopes and endless sea expanses. He is looking for something subtle, something that will give him the impetus to create a new masterpiece in people, animals, in their forms and habits, in their colors and mood, and he always finds it. That is why all of his creations, even despite the complete separation from everything earthly, look incredibly organic and appropriate in any setting. They are like a particle of nature that has the same natural shapes, curves and colors.
Stylistics
To begin with, we suggest paying attention to the masters who at one time served as the basis for Calatrava’s further creative development. Their works, of course, are fundamentally different from those we are now considering. But there is something in common that unites them, some individual details, moments, technologies. What word can describe all the projects that Santiago Calatrava created? The style is defined as bio-tech, or romantic high-tech. This is modern neo-organic architecture, the expressiveness of its structures is achieved by copying natural forms. It is worth noting that there is no clear imitation in this case. Similar attempts were made, but as a result it turned out that the structure had many non-functional compartments. In general, this style is under development and does not have clear boundaries yet. It is believed that it is either subject to the creator, or it is not.
Santiago Calatrava: projects
The works of this remarkable Spanish architect clearly show the influence of Le Corbusier; they are also laconic and holistic. But at the same time, Calatrava’s projects are much more plastic, there is more nature and naturalness in them. It is worth saying that his second hobby, sculpture, has a huge influence on his performance technique. He gives plasticity to any form, and at first glance it seems that appearance is the main trump card of all his buildings. However, his engineering education allowed Santiago to construct not just beautiful buildings, but also functional ones. This is perhaps the most unique combination in the world, when both aesthetic and practical aspects are taken into account. Let's look at what projects of this author became his calling card, thanks to which he became famous and how he won the hearts of people.
Rotating Torso Residential Building, Malmö, Sweden
The author drew inspiration from his own sculpture, which is called “Twisting Body”. It depicts a man preparing to throw a discus. This building is the second tallest in Europe and the first in Scandinavia. It consists of nine blocks, which are located on top of each other, offset at a certain angle. As a result, it turns out that the upper block is offset relative to the lower one by exactly 90 degrees.
"City of Arts and Sciences", Valencia, Spain
This complex was built in 1998 at the bottom of the drained Turia River. In this case, Calatrava collaborated with the architect Felix Kundela, and the collaboration of the two talents exceeded all expectations. “City of Arts and Sciences” is an architectural complex consisting of five buildings, three of which were designed by Santiago. His pride in this project is the Opera House and theater stage. The design is shaped like a fish with its mouth wide open. The most interesting detail of the structure is the fin roof. Also, as part of this complex, the architect built a building that resembles a human eye. There is a cinema, a planetarium and a laser theater there. Well, the third part of the complex is a garden-gallery.
Auditorio de Tenerife, o. Tenerife, Spain
This building is rightfully considered an art object; it is incredibly beautiful and very non-standard. The shape resembles either a fish or a spaceship. Its walls smoothly flow into the roof, gradually changing their height and width. The building is notable for the fact that it does not have a facade - you can look at it from any angle, and in all cases it will be beautiful.
Harp of David Bridge, Jerusalem, Israel
This is the first suspension bridge in Jerusalem. Its mast and canvas are balanced with each other using 66 strings, the diameter of each of which is 5 cm. The total height of the structure is 118 meters, length - 360 meters, and width - 14.82 meters. The bridge has two-way vehicular traffic as well as pedestrian sidewalks.
"The Shining Pearl of Athens", Athens, Greece
In 2004, Calatrava began to reconstruct the Athens Sports Complex, and its renovation became a real masterpiece for the city. In particular, he renovated the athletics stadium. The structure consists of 200-meter steel arches that rise to a height of 60 meters. In shape, this design resembles a parabola, or depicts a pattern along which an athletics disc flies. Above all this splendor rises a dome of laminated glass. Along with such “bionics”, Santiago designed walkways, gardens and framed it all in vaulted arches.
Montjuic Tower, Barcelona, Spain
This is an older work by Santiago Calatrava, which dates back to 1991. The Montjuic telecommunications tower was built to broadcast the Olympic Games, which took place in Barcelona in 1992.
In shape, it resembles a kind of knot, although the author himself said that he based it on an athlete holding a cup in his hands. Due to the shape and height of this tower, it is often used as a sundial.
Spanish architect and sculptor, author of many futuristic buildings in different countries of the world. Its aesthetic is sometimes described as "bio-tech".
The Women's Bridge in Buenos Aires, Argentina is the only work of Santiago Calatrava in South America. Local businessman Gonzales decided to combine the cultural with the progressive and useful and invited Santiago Calatrava to build a futuristic pedestrian bridge in Buenos Aires. Calatrava, who by that time had developed a signature style for bridges, decided to build a modification of the famous single-support bridge in Argentina. Its main feature (besides, in fact, the support, turned, for the first time in his practice, not towards the shore, but...
Local businessman Gonzales decided to combine the cultural with the progressive and useful and invited Santiago Calatrava to build a futuristic pedestrian bridge in Buenos Airos. Calatrava, who by that time had developed a signature style for bridges, decided to build a modification of the famous single-support bridge in Argentina. Its main feature (besides, in fact, the support, turned, for the first time in his practice, not towards the shore, but in the direction of the bridge) was the movable central part. It is capable of rotating 90 degrees, thereby ensuring the passage of large vessels.
Art exhibitions have been tried in Milwaukee since 1872. In 1881, exhibitions were already held in the local exhibition hall. Soon after, Alexandra Mitchell donated her entire collection for the construction of the city's first permanent art gallery. In 1994, after a long search, the museum commission decided to commission the design of the future building from Santiago Calatrave, whose unconventional ideas made a strong impression on her. The Quadracci Pavilion covers 13,200 square meters. W...
In 1994, after a long search, the museum commission decided to commission the design of the future building from Santiago Calatrave, whose unconventional ideas made a strong impression on it. The Quadracci Pavilion covers 13,200 square meters. The building has a sun screen consisting of movable elements that, when raised and lowered, create the effect of a soaring bird. To implement this idea, Calatrava needed 72 steel “feathers” ranging from 8 to 32 meters in length. The weight of the entire structure was as much as 90 tons. But despite their massiveness, the “wings” look almost weightless, and the “flapping” takes only 3.5 minutes.
By the way, for safety reasons, the “wings” are equipped with sensors that constantly monitor the wind speed and direction. And if the wind blows at a speed of 10 meters per second for more than three seconds, the system automatically folds the sunscreen.
The Auditorio de Tenerife Concert Hall is considered one of the most significant works of modern architecture. It was built in 2003 and is the work of Santiago Calatrava. Calatrava’s creation is located on the shores of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on an area of 23,000 square meters. A quarter of this space (6471 sq.m.) is given directly to the needs of the opera house. The rest (and most) part is reserved for terraces. But the main element that attracts so much attention to the Concert building...
Calatrava's creation is located on the shores of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on an area of 23,000 square meters. A quarter of this space (6471 sq.m.) is given directly to the needs of the opera house. The rest (and most) part is reserved for terraces.
But the main element that attracts so much attention to the building of the Concert Hall is not included in the countless halls and terraces; it rises above them (58 meters). This is... the second roof. Made in the shape of a wave and cast from concrete, it mainly has a decorative purpose (after all, the opera house has its own roof). However, it also has useful properties. Lamps are built into the inside of the roof, which provide excellent soft lighting at night. Moreover, the light is distributed in such a way that both the main building and the areas adjacent to it are illuminated. Also, the concrete wave, visible from almost any point in the city, can serve as a landmark for tourists and residents of Tenerife.
Gare de Saint-Exupéry is a steel and concrete railway station near Lyon, France, part of the Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport. The station was designed by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava. The approximate cost is 750 million francs. Opened on July 3, 1994. If you look closely, the overall silhouette of the railway station building resembles a bird taking off (which is symbolic, given that there is an airport a few hundred meters from the station). True, an ordinary bird would hardly take off even if it had “wings” weighing 1,300 tons. "Wings" closed...
If you look closely, the overall silhouette of the railway station building resembles a bird taking off (which is symbolic, considering that there is an airport a few hundred meters from the station). True, an ordinary bird would hardly take off even if it had “wings” weighing 1,300 tons. “Wings” cover the main station building measuring 120x100 meters. In addition to birds, silhouettes of people can also be found at the station. They are hidden in the columns supporting the canopy over the railway tracks leading to the station.
With a height of 190 meters, the twisted Turning Torso skyscraper in Malmö is the tallest residential building in Scandinavia and the second tallest in Europe. Vertically, the Turning Torso skyscraper is divided into nine pentagonal segments, each of which rotates 10 degrees clockwise. The load from 54 floors goes to the vertical core, which is supported by external steel frames (see third photo). You can see the view of this wonderful building from the Öresund Strait in the second photo. HSB Turnin...
Taking as a basis a sculpture consisting of 7 cubes, slightly rotated relative to each other, he developed the TurningTorso project, which already had 9 cubic sections, the difference between the rotation angle of the 1st and 9th blocks being 90 degrees. Only if in the sculpture the “cubes” were “twisted” relative to a curved steel rod, then in the house they were “twisted” relative to the internal axial reinforced concrete structure in which elevators and stairs were placed.
In order for the house to be stable, its foundation had to be deepened into the ground by 18 meters, three of which were “fixed” in the rocky foundation. To ensure that the building was innovative in every sense, it was equipped with autonomous energy sources: a wind power plant and solar panels.
The Liege-Guillemin railway station in the Belgian town of Liege is the main transport artery passing through the city and one of the main high-speed railway hubs in the country. One of the last completed works of Santiago Calatrava is the Liege-Guillemin station in Belgium. Its opening took place in September 2009. Calatrava was faced with the task of building a modern building that could accommodate not only regular commuter trains, but also high-speed TGV series (to ensure fast...
One of the last realized works of Santiago Calatrava is the Liege-Guillemin station in Belgium. Its opening took place in September 2009. Calatrava was faced with the task of building a modern building that could accommodate not only regular commuter trains, but also high-speed TGV series (to ensure fast delivery of passengers to neighboring countries - France, Great Britain, Holland and Germany). Platforms of greater length and width should appear at the station, and train access to them should become more convenient. It was also important to provide a connection between the station and the highway network. In this regard, Calatrava had to take care of the construction of bridges and viaducts and additional parking space for 800 cars (the station has 1,500 spaces in total).
In addition to the fact that the “reborn” Liège-Guillemin meets all the requirements, it also amazes with its design. The shape of the station building resembles waves, and if we consider it together with the railway tracks, it resembles a whole waterfall (which looks especially impressive in the evening, when the white backlight is turned on).
A distinctive feature of the Liège-Guillemin station is that it has no walls. In fact, the station is protected from the outside world only by a huge undulating roof. Its transparency allows passengers not only to admire panoramic views of the city while waiting for the train, but also symbolizes the main idea of the station - openness and accessibility.
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Inspiration, study of the landscape, technical solutions, steel and concrete are the main components of the magnificent and functional structures created by the legendary architect, whose buildings cannot be forgotten once seen. This is Santiago Calatrava. His works were realized in Spain, Switzerland, America, Canada. The creations of this man are special, recognizable all over the world and scandalous. Calatrava revives any place, making it more beautiful and functional. has gained recognition thanks to its futuristic style, technical innovations and aesthetics in the buildings it develops and implements.
Santiago Calatrava: biography
Not far from Valencia, on July 28, 1951, the future builder of bridges, train stations, theaters and other structures that amaze with their unusual appearance was born. Although Santiago’s father’s profession was focused on commercial activities, he loved art and wanted to instill an artistic and creative perception of the world in his son. So, at an early age the boy visited the Prado Museum and began to show interest in drawing and sculpture. At the age of eight, Santiago Calatrava was already depicting landmarks on whatman paper at an art school in Valencia.
The turbulent years in Spain determined further education outside the borders of his native state. At the age of 13, his parents arranged for their son to travel to Paris under a student exchange program, where he became imbued with the grandeur of the architecture of this beautiful city. The next step in acquiring a profession was studying at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, from which Santiago Calatrava graduated in 1973. Two years later, the guy left for Switzerland, where he continued to study his favorite field in the field of construction, but as an engineer. Santiago studied at the Zurich University of Technology for four years. By 1981 he became a doctor and founder of an architecture and construction studio in Switzerland.
First works and recognition
One of the first projects that brought international recognition to Santiago was the railway station (Stadelhofen) in Zurich. Although Santiago showed glimpses of architectural imagination while still in graduate school. With his scientific colleagues, he designed and built a swimming pool. But this was not entirely simple; its implementation allowed passers-by to observe the swimmers from below.
In 1986, Santiago Calatrava’s projects were supplemented by a newly developed plan for the implementation of a reinforced concrete bridge for automobile use in his native Valencia. And a year later, the young specialist received an award from the International Union of Architects for this work.
In 1989, Calatrava entered the French construction market with his works. At the same time, he opened his studio in Paris and designed the Lyon railway station. Santiago Calatrava opened an architecture and construction office in Valencia in 1991.
Olympic Games
Countries that host international sporting competitions, as a rule, always try to welcome guests at their true worth and surprise visitors with architectural structures and organization of the holiday. Therefore, in all years, the best specialists were involved in the preparation of the Olympic Games. In 1992, summer sports were held in Barcelona and required a telecommunications tower to broadcast them. Of course, the architect Santiago Calatrava was chosen by the government as a specialist to build the facility in an iconic place in the country.
A 136-meter tower was erected in three years. Calatrava's idea was to create a design in the form of an athlete with a torch in his hand. Her extraordinaryness did not end there. The spire is a kind of clock hand, which falls as a shadow on the base of the television tower, thereby showing the time.
The 1992 Summer Olympics is not the only sporting event where the Spanish creator left the imprint of his creativity. In 2004, Santiago Calatrava was invited to renovate the Athens Sports Complex.
Movement is the basis of the architect's work
The architect’s completed projects show his passion for improving the transport system and moving people. But among the master’s works one cannot fail to note a residential skyscraper in Malmö. The clausuras of Santiago Calatrava, which became the basis for the creation of an extraordinary house, consisted of the idea of movement. In one of the lectures given at the Moscow Institute, Santiago said: “Architecture exists for people, and human bodies influence architecture in terms of proportions, rhythm and size.”
The building consists of nine pentagonal segments, each of which has five floors. Each segment is twisted relative to the previous one, and the last one is twisted 90 degrees relative to the first. The building took four years to construct. In 2005, the 190-meter tower was officially opened. To this day, it is one of the main attractions of Sweden and the second tallest building in Europe.
The beginning of the 21st century: entering a new continent
In 2001, the third Quadracci Pavilion was erected in Wisconsin, near the existing art museum complex. Vaulted ceilings and a movable sun canopy resembling the wingspan of a bird are the main design solutions of the building, created by such a genius as Santiago Calatrava. The photo of the dynamic structure is striking in its aesthetics and attracts crowds of tourists to Lake Michigan. The glass lobby of the pavilion has the shape of a parabola. Calatrava connected all the museum buildings into a single complex with a complex network of pedestrian bridges.
Another attraction, only in South America, was realized in 2001 based on the idea of a Spanish architect. It became the Woman's Bridge. The engineering invention consisted in the mobility of the central part of the bridge for the passage of large ships. According to the creator, local music inspired him to build this structure. And the architect embodied the rhythms he heard in the creation of a bridge in Buenos Aires.
"City of Arts and Sciences"
The engineering inventions of Santiago Calatrava could not ignore his native country. Not far from Valencia, on an area of 350,000 m2, there is a unique complex dedicated to cultural and scientific development. The first elements of the “city” were: a planetarium, a cinema and a laser theater. In 2000, a science museum was opened, as well as a landscaped park. Some time later, the largest aquarium in Europe in the shape of a water lily was opened. The work belonged to Felix Candela, an architect who was also involved with Calatrava in the construction of a landmark in Valencia. The last building of the “city” was the opera house. The architectural complex is designed to introduce people to various aspects of art, nature, science and technology.
At night, when the light comes from inside the buildings and the surroundings are dark, all these creations resemble animal skeletons.
Criticism
Santiago's projects are not only recognizable, but also expensive. Moreover, the final price of the work exceeds the initial estimate, and there are disputes regarding the implementation time. In recent years, Calatrava's buildings have been the center of scandal.
The City of Arts and Sciences cost €900 million, three times the original budget. When it was put into operation, the buildings of the complex lacked emergency exits and fire escapes, although the errors were later corrected by Santiago, but at the expense of public funds.
Engineer Santiago Calatrava, when creating the airport terminal in Bilbao, did not take into account the capacity of the structure. Therefore, passengers who passed customs control were forced to wait outside to receive their luggage. In 2000, the airport also underwent elimination of shortcomings.
The Subisuri Bridge, paved with glass slabs, turned out to be a dangerous place in rainy weather. The Constitution Bridge in Venice has also come under fire. The reasons were not only the timing and the cost of the project being three times higher, but also the functionality. It lacks ramps and is too steep, making mobility difficult for older people.
Train station in New York
The construction of an underground high-speed railway station in New York on the site of the Twin Towers is also carried out according to Calatrava's designs. The design of the structure above the zero mark resembles a bird freed from the hands of a child. Inside there are subways and stations, the walls of which are made of marble. Completion of work is planned by 2016 at a cost of 4 billion, although initially it was planned to allocate $1.9 billion for construction.
Conclusion
In response to criticism, one can say in defense of the architect that his current clients are repeat buyers. “The goal of my buildings is to make cities unique and enrich the human experience,” said Santiago Calatrava. Sightseeing is his calling. It would seem, what can be surprising about the development and implementation of vitally important architectural objects, such as bridges and stations? The works created by the Spanish creator become buildings, architectural monuments, and structures that deserve attention.
Critics criticize Calatrava for his insanely expensive projects, such as the World Trade Center transportation hub in New York. Perhaps they just don’t understand him?
At a recent symposium featuring renowned architects Michael Graves and Peter Eisenman, the conversation turned to their fellow architect Santiago Calatrava.
“Kala-fucking-grass! What a spender!” - we heard from Graves, the founding father of postmodernism. He then showed his favorite Calatrava parody: "I'll make you wings and this subway station will cost 4 billion dollars."
Such overtly poisonous statements about significant figures in world architecture are a rare occurrence. But when it comes to Calatrava, the “hunting season” can be considered open. This Spanish architect has built his reputation on the intersection of engineering and art, such as several of his harp-shaped bridges, such as the Puente de Alamillo in Seville.
Puente de Alamillo Bridge Today he is best known for his World Trade Center (WTC) hub project, which went far over schedule and on budget, with completion scheduled for late 2015. Last year, the New York Times ran a full-length campaign to discredit Calatrava, recalling all his troubles: the slippery bridge in Bilbao, the flooded Opera House in Valencia, too expensive bridges in Holland. They didn’t forget about the site, which was called Calatrava bleeds you dry (“Calatrava squeezes all the juice out of you”).
In a recent interview at his Park Avenue townhouse in New York, Calatrava reflected on why he feels so much pressure. “Because we must suffer,” he said. “There is so much vulgarity in the daily routine that when one tries to do something extraordinary for society, one has to suffer.” And he suffers. On paper, his projects look like scenarios a la “you can’t imagine anything worse”: burlesque architecture, the Versailles School of Infrastructure. But then the moment comes, and you step with your own feet into one of Calatrava’s works.
There is so much vulgarity in the daily routine that when someone tries to do something extraordinary for society, he has to suffer.
Fasr Company journalist Carrie Jacobs recalls: “In early 2012, I found myself at a large party in honor of the opening of Calatrava’s new work, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, built over the Trinity River in Dallas. For Dallas, this was a significant event: the bridge itself became the venue for the gala concert. I walked around, sipped a margarita, not paying attention to the speeches from the stage (including the speech of the architect), and looked at the building, its white steel arch, stretched with cables that diverged in two directions and, against the backdrop of the inky night sky, hypnotized the look . From this point the eye could see what would soon be inaccessible to him when the bridge opened to traffic and cars buzzed along the Woodall Rogers Expressway. At this point, I intuitively felt what Calatrava, an incorrigible supporter of architecture as an art form, had done with this project. This bridge was a phenomenon of extraordinary beauty for the city.”
Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge There was also a scandal. According to the Dallas Morning News, the official budget of $117 million was $65 million less than the actual budget. But it is worth clarifying that most of the overexpenditure went to the purchase of land. While Calatrava's own fee - 6.3 million - was perceived as excessive, it was paid from private subsidies. The biggest expense went into the construction of numerous ramps - something that even a more modest and practical bridge could not do without.
In New York, his name is routinely associated with the World Trade Center hub, a project that was estimated at $2 billion in 2004 and now costs more than $4 billion. The numbers suggest extravagance, and for this he is ridiculed as the personification of everything. what could go wrong when working with a large government contract. However, the new West Concourse of the World Trade Center - the first open to the public - is striking in its aesthetic virtuosity.
It's hard to be an esthete
The Park Avenue townhouse where Calatrava lives is adjacent to the twin house where he works. This is the home of an esthete: the floors are dressed in marble - just like his Transport Hub. There are works of art everywhere: vases, abstract sculptures, landscapes, canvases covered with bulls, which seem to have been painted by some very clever savage. Door handles are ceramic, in the shape of human bodies. Everything in the house—perhaps with the exception of the beautiful golden retriever—was conceived and built by an architect. Calatrava lives, works and breathes in the universe of his own work.
In an interview with the same Carrie Jacobs, Calatrava emphasized that the WTC transport hub is not his first railway station project:
“We are currently finishing a station in Italy, a very large one. High speed trains. And we are also finishing the second station in Belgium. It takes 8-9-10 years to work on them... that’s normal.” He explained that railway stations are invariably connected by numerous connections to the already existing transport network: “You need to figure it all out and connect everything. It's slow work."
You'd probably expect the architect to blame the developer or unforeseen circumstances, but a recent Times investigation into the hub's problems largely echoed Calatrava's sentiments. Such construction delays are widespread.
Regarding unnecessary costs, Calatrava clarified: “I am aware of how much the project cost. But all projects have unnecessary costs. The Freedom Tower was overbuilt. Significant overspending. The same thing happened with the Memorial. The same thing happened with the Museum. This happened, of course, with the transport hub. The overexpenditures, as far as I know, are comparable. So we are facing a global problem. This is not a specific Transport Hub problem.”
World Trade Center Transport Hub Project Again, a predictable excuse. Blame the system. Only it turns out that he is right: the World Trade Center should have cost no more than 1.3 billion dollars, but its final price was 3.8 billion - almost three times more than stated. “The most expensive skyscraper in the world” - read this article about the Freedom Tower if your English is okay. The memorial and its adjacent Museum were supposed to cost $340 million, but ended up costing $700 million. In other words, it’s not just Calatrava who “squeezes the juice out of you.” However, for some reason no one thinks of speaking about other architects - Snoett, Gary Handel or Daniel Libeskind - in the same manner in which they speak about Calatrava.
The real problem is not the budgets, but what Calatrava's figure actually is. This is an architect whose reputation rests on form, not purpose. We live in an era where LEED Platinum certification, that mark of building strength and the product of endless detailed calculations, is a mark of quality. Many architects use computer design programs that favor pragmatic solutions over aesthetic ones. In our era, beauty is a subject of great doubt. Architects renowned for their formalism and not accustomed to thinking pragmatically - Frank Gehry comes to mind - are akin to fading stars.
In our era, beauty is a subject of great doubt.
Calastrava is an incorrigible esthete. When asked about the hub's design, with its spiked frame and epic white hallway that lets in daylight through a long cut in the ceiling, he shows off his copper sculpture of Mother and Child. These are two abstract figures clinging to each other. He made them 15 years ago and says that his thoughts evolved from this sculpture to the design of the World Trade Center transportation hub. The process of evolution can be studied in large hardcover sketchbooks: Mother and Son gradually turns into a steel stegosaurus. These sketchbooks are very personal, outdated and, in terms of the values of an optimized view of the world, deeply self-indulgent.
Calatrava's strongest argument against unfounded accusations of incompetence and indifference is the fact that some of his clients are repeat customers. He built two train stations in Belgium: "In Belgium, everyone knows when something is happening, because it's like half of New York." He worked twice for the same company in Switzerland. And now in Dallas he's working on the second Trinity River Bridge.
By: Alexey Lukashkin
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