can lis.
coursework on materials + daylight + understanding architecture. mallorca 2014.
CAN LIS MAGAZINE 1. udgave, 1. oplag, januar 2015 © Henning Larsen Architects Research og tekst Lise Mansfeldt Faurbjerg (Ed.), Klaus Mikkelsen, Karoline Igland, Thorbjørn Golles, Anne Iversen, Ole Egelund, Kyd Kitchaiya, Jody Lee Potvin-Jones Grafisk design og Layout Lise Mansfeldt Fotos og illustrationer Alle illustrationer af Henning Larsen Architects, med mindre andet er nævnt neden for Utzon Fonden (s. 2-3)
You have just opened the course curriculum for the Henning Larsen Architects Can Lis study trip 2014. The curriculum was originally a “naked” document that the participants “dressed”. “Clothing” was observations, notes, comments, photos and drawings, thus allowing the participants to create their own personal Can Lis magazine. This particular magazine is composed by contributions from all participants – a common statement of a week of Utzon architecture on Mallorca. Enjoy.
program.
DAY
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DAY
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September 29 AM: Arrival Mallorca. Rental pick-up. Check-in hotel. PM: Can Lis. Curiosity and first impressions. Excercise 1+2.
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September 30 Can Lis. Introduction to materials. Exercise 3+4+5+6+7.
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October 1 Mallorca North/West: Architecture + nature. Randa Monesteries, Soller, Cap Formentor etc.
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October 2 Mallorca by foot: Hiking the East. Cap Farrutx.
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October 3 Mallorca Palma: Architecture + history. Cathedral, Parc de lar mar, Es Baluard, Mir贸 Museum
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October 4 AM: Can Lis. Wrapping up + final discussions. PM: Traveling back to Copenhagen/Oslo.
magazine. TO MEET meeting can lis essay: rhythm can lis dna
11 12 15
TO UNDERSTAND essay: the innermost being of architecture material study registration and investigation of materials glossary background knowledge material rendering: landscape + vegetation lifecycle analysis reflectance measurement of a material linking utzon and mallorcan building culture
18 21 27 34 36 38 40 42 44
TO SEE razzle dazzle can lis analoque
49 52
TO EXPLORE utzon-designed neighbor house soller palma cathedral palau almudaina randa monasteries fundacio pilar i joan miro miro’s sert studio can ribas es baluard parc de lar mar cap farrutx cap formentor
66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88
TO CONTINUE practical information
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to meet.
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MEETING CAN LIS by jody lee potvin-jones
Approaching. Nestled on a narrow cliffside street, the house first appears as a long sequence of sandstone block walls, mostly without openings, parallel to the street and the cliff’s edge. The stone seems to naturally belong in the landscape, and its humble character is gently inviting. The mortar binds the sandstone blocks is a few shades darker than the stone, and quite thick, making the basic module visually prominent, almost like a grid. An immediate and dominating impression of privacy emanates from the house’s setting on the site and its relation to the street, the sandstone walls acting as a protective shell. Behind the walls, the clustered arrangement of the pavilions is perceptible. Pink and orange bougainvilleas spill out of one opening and over a wall. Near the middle of the street-side facade is a simple covered entry, protecting a modest wood door with a brass handle. A single built-in chair, covered in bold patterned tiles, sits opposite a column. Even from the street, the sound of waves crashing is a constant reminder of the house’s proximity to the sea.
Entering. The door opens. A crescent moon-shaped opening cut out of a mosaic wall offers a glimpse of the cliffs and the blue sea beyond. From the threshold, none of the house’s functions are visible, which seems like an invitation to explore and wander. Already a sense of great privacy and intimacy is perceptible. The experience of entering the house almost seems choreographed, based on a carefully planned sequence. To the right and up one step, a small colonnade supports a shady roofed portico surrounding a terrace; to the left and down one step, the branches of long-needled pines growing behind the walls provide shade for a small contemplative courtyard. Four closed wood doors are visible behind another series of square columns. Planters, one with two small trees, and one with succulents, covered in pine needles, furnish the space along with built-in seats and a small table, covered in more bold tiles. Across the courtyard, another pavilion and a path signal that there is more to discover behind the wall.
Touching. Porous. The sandstone gives an impression of solidity, but also one of impermanence, almost like it could dissolve or disintegrate if a strong enough storm rolled in. Traces of weathering and of time passing are visible – mostly in the form of cavities in the stone blocks and pieces of chipped mortar. The sunlight has an almost material character, transforming interior and exterior spaces as the day progresses. Fingers are naturally drawn to the different surfaces where they are warmed and lit by the sun. The nooks and passages surrounding the buildings are unified by layers of long, dry, rust-coloured pine needles - a cushioned natural carpet muffling the sound of steps, tempting for bare feet. On the floors and countertops, the Santanyi sandstone feels dense, sometimes even polished, in comparison to the gritty Marès sandstone found on the exterior walls.
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RHYTHM essay by klaus mikkelsen
The house sits behind the trees. Not until in front of the main entrance, one is sure about this being the correct address. Towards the door the house takes over. Across the stone paving – a small step up – seeking protection under the roof – approaching the door – stop – the door opens towards the trespasser and forces him to step backwards. Inside embraced by sidelights from a proud crescent penetrating the wall. At first blinded by the lights i the low antechamber. Slowly introduced to the first glimpses of the ocean through the crescent swath. An open space on the right surrounded by an intense wall to the left. Another little step and a door – his time it pulls you in – stop. Through the door towards the LIGHT – the VIEW– the OCEAN. The house reenacts the role of a choreographer and creates a rhythmic relation between guest and building. This RHYTHM alternately veils and unveils the fact that the house is situated on a rock shelf dramatically elevated above the ocean. The house manipulates the body of the guest in a sly choreography that embraces both the body and the senses. The architectural concepts leave behind a notion of temple architecture with its use of expansion and contraction of space. The conscious use of faint and strong light in order to shape and dramatize the experience has the effect of pointing the guest towards the host of the house. A charming little temple that slowly takes gentle control over its guests throught quite a grand architectural gesture. km
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CAN LIS the house and its soul
Can Lis was built in 1972. After Jørn Utzon left the Sydney Opera project in 1966, he decided to settle on Mallorca. The family first bought land up in the mountains, where Can Feliz is now located, but in the first instance, the local authorities would not permit Utzon to build on the attractive mountainside. So instead Jørn Utzon bought land near Porto Petro, situated on a steep cliff facing the sea. Can Lis could then become a reality. Restoration was carried out between October 2011 and February 2012. The philosophy behind the restoration, undertaken by architect Lise Juel, was born of a close study of the architectural basis of the house. The ingenuity of Can Lis lies in its reinterpretation of traditional Majorcan building methods and the use of local building materials. Can Lis was planned as an organic, unified whole, its layout framing the day-to-day events that marked Utzon family life. Jørn Utzon’s ideology centred on this very phenomenon – that architecture is not an external form: it is primarily the frame that encloses a collection of ritualized events. Precise studies in 1:1 of the site potential resulted in a set of interim drawings. Based on these drawings and with the help of the local building contractor Jaime Vidal, the house’s final design emerged during the course of the building process. Can Lis has been singled out by several leading architecture critics as one of the most important houses of the 20th century.
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CAN LIS DNA by ole egelund and klaus mikkelsen
Take a piece of A3 paper. Use the paper – nothing more and nothing less – to create a spacial structure that expresses the dna of the house. Focus on how the structure plays with light.
“
To me Can Lis is all about the views. Walls appear thick – but actually they comply with the 40x40x20 cm block. They are just created to funnel our attention towards the outside.
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to understand.
essay
The Innermost Being of Architecture by Jørn Utzon
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We put everything in relation to ourselves. Our surroundings influence us through their relative size, light, shade, colour, etc. Our condition depends entirely on whether we are in a city or out in the country side, on whether the space in which we find ourselves is large or small. Our reactions to these circumstances are at first quite unconscious, and we only register them on memorable occasions, for instance in the sublime enjoyment of a detail or a happy alliance with the surroundings or by a pronounced feeling of distaste. But to elicit our unconscious reactions until they become conscious to us ought to be our starting point. By rehearsing our ability to grasp these differences and their effect on us, by being in contact with our surroundings, we find our way in to architecture’s innermost being. If we want further to enhance our grasp of architecture, we must understand that amidst all changes in circumstances, the architectonic expression is created in an alliance with the social structure. The true innermost being of architecture can be compared with that of natures seed, and something of the inevitability of nature’s principle of growth ought to be a fundamental concept in architecture. If we think of the seeds that turn into plants or trees, evertyhing within the same genus would develop in the same way if the growth potentials were not so different and if each growth possessed within itself the ability to develop without compromise. On account of differing conditions, similar seeds turn into widely differing organisms. Our surroundings, the time in which we live, are quite different from what they ever were before, but the innermost being of architecture, the seed, is the same. The study of already existing architecture must consist in letting ourselves be spontaneously influenced by it and appreciating the ways in which solutions and details were dependent on the time at which they were created. For the architect to work in sovereign control of his means, he must experiment, practise in the manner of a musician playing his scales, practise with mass, with rhythms formed by masses grouped together by colour combination, light and shade, etc.; he must sense with fervent intensity and generally rehearse his shape-creating expertise.
This requires close familiarity with materials: we have to be able to understand the structure of wood, the weight and the hardness of stone, the character of glass; we must become one with our materials and be able to fashion and use them in accordance with their constitution. If we understand the nature of the material, we have its potential close at hand and far more tangibly that if we base ourselves on mathematical formulae and art forms. To the architect, mathematics help him confirm that what he assumed was right. It demands a good healthy common-sense understanding of life. An understanding of walking, standing, sitting and lying comfortably, of enjoying the sun, the shade, the water on our bodies, the earth and all the less easily defined sense impressions. A desire for well-being must be fundamental to all architecture if we are to achieve harmony between the spaces we create and the activities to be undertaken in them. This is quite simple and reasonable. It requires an ability to create harmony from all the demands made by the undertaking, an ability to persuade them to grow together to form a new whole – as in nature; nature knows of no compromise, it accepts all difficulties, not as difficulties but merely as new factors with no sign of conflict evolve into a whole. To understand all inspiration present in every one of Man’s countless means of expression, to work on the basis of our hands, eyes, feet, stomachs, on the basis of our movements and not of statistical norms and rules created on the principle of what is most usual – this is the way forward to an architecture that is both varied and human. It is necessary to be in tune with the age and with the surroundings, to see inspiration in the task itself, if the requirements of that task are to be translated into an architectonic language creating a unity of all the different factors. At the same time the architct must have an ability to imagine and to create, an ability that is sometimes called fantasy, sometimes dreams. Jørn Utzon, 1948
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Marés sandstone Majorcan sandstone was traditionally used as a building material for houses, country homes and auxiliary farm buildings. The outer walls and columns in Can Lis use this type of stone in a cavity wall construction: an innovative reworking of traditional Majorcan building methods. Santanyi sandstone A Majorcan sandstone with a higher density than Marés, Santanyi is ideal for flooring, interior walls and kitchen worktops. Other materials The main roof construction is composed of modular tiled vaults called “bovedillas” supported by armoured concrete beams. The interior walls are Santanyi sandstone, as are the floor, the built-in shelves and the worktops in the kitchen. All woodwork is Madera Norte, a Majorcan pine.
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MATERIAL STUDY by thorbjørn golles
The Marés sandstone is the recurring material motif in Can Lis. The stone is being used as the structural – load-carrying – space-creating element in the facade and the internal walls. As one’s first impressed experience of the house and its comtemplative rooms draws one towards the view, one’s hands finds the warm surfaces of the limestone. Hands and gaze explore the stone together. Closer to the stone one beholds and focus on the stone, one lets the hands run along the surface, one feels the outline and the uneven joint – and then the next stone. Rough, sharp, soft, smooth, cold, warm. The stone has numerous manifestations. Quickly one realizes that even though it is the same material – the limestone – each stone has its own character and texture created by carving and weather. Together with sunlight and daylight the stone create beautiful room. The next pages display a small recapitulation of the study of different individual stones – chosen randomly – from the patio. The stones have been examined through the following parameters:
• • • •
Limestone in its natural deposit
Photo documentation Pixelation: Shows an abstraction of the colors Photo study: Contrast between light/dark Hand sketch: Interpretation of the experienced stone characteristics
Different textures of the stone
Framing the view
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STONE no. 1
Photo
Pixelation
Photo manipulation: Light/darkness
Hand sketch
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STONE no. 2
Photo
Pixelation
Photo manipulation: Light/darkness
Hand sketch
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STONE no. 3
Photo
Pixelation
Photo manipulation: Light/darkness
Hand sketch
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STONE no. 4
Photo
Pixelation
Photo manipulation: Light/darkness
Hand sketch
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REGISTRATION AND INVESTIGATION OF MATERIALS by lise mansfeldt
The following pages comprise a systematic registration of selected materials present in Can Lis. The registration is equally focused on architectural and technical properties – many of which coincide, cooperate or simply coexist. Materials were selected for their dominance in the house. Both quantitatively as well as aesthetically. The study is not only a study of one single house, but can be applied to most traditional house and buildings on Mallorca. Can Lis, however, displays a significantly “pure” version of the Mallorcan buidling material palet, chosen carefully by Jørn Utzon to emanate the Mallorcan soul – but in a both simpler and more extravagant version.
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EXERCISE 3 registration of materials
WHAT
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WHERE
marĂŠs limestone
Outer/inner walls + columns
santanyi limestone
Flooring + kitchen stove
wood
Window frames + doors + shutters
concrete painted white
Load-carrying beams
brass
Window locks + door knobs
color
texture
reflectance
"Chalky" color pallette ranges from whiteish to reddish. Plenty of color play – partly due to the red mortar and the shadows in the very rough surfaces.
Very rough surface – partly due to the carving, partly due to the porous stone corroding over time.
The "default" reflectance (even surface) is high: Mineral-based + light stone gives a reflectance of up to 0.80. However, the rough surface and impurities decrease the reflectance – probably to 0.30.
Many of the same color characteristics as the Marés stone, but slightly smaller color span focused on the beige range – maybe even little gray shades.
More even surface and less porous than the Marés stone. Little cavities and impurities were exposed when carved. Carving patterns still visible.
Due to more whitish colors and a more even surface the reflectance is probably around 0.35.
Warm-gray pine color with visible year rings. Depending on the age it ranges from warm reddish to cool-silver gray.
Soft and almost moist surface. However most surfaces has been given an additional texture by carvations or the mere structure of the lamellae for the shutters.
Dark color, but an even surface would give the wood a reflectance of 0.15.
White due to paint. The even white shade hints to the fact of the recent renovation.
Beams are cast with an interesting profile on the flange. The cast has left the beams rough-surfaced, suggesting that the concrete mix has been quite rough.
Due to the white color and the even surface the reflectance is probably above 0.80. However, the overall effect of this high reflectance is minimal due to the small quantities of concrete.
White due to paint. The even white shade hints to the fact of the recent renovation.
Beams are cast with an interesting profile on the flange. The cast has left the beams rough-surfaced, suggesting that the concrete mix has been quite rough.
Due to the white color and the even surface the reflectance is probably above 0.80. However, the overall effect of this high reflectance is minimal due to the small quantities of concrete.
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EXERCISE 3 – CONTINUED registration of materials
marés limestone
santanyi limestone
acoustics
heat absorption
Remarkably good acoustic absorbtant – for instance in the living room where there are no soft surfaces except the cushions in the couch. It must be due to the porous structure of the stone.
Good heat absorptant. Stones seem cool in the heat of the day – and keeps the heat into the night, thus "prolonging the night" aka. enable sitting outside into the early morning.
Remarkably good acoustics inspite of the hard, even surface. Mest be due to geometrical features of the room + other more porous and roughsurfaced materials.
The density of the Santanyi stone seems higher than that of the Marés stone, meaning that the heat absorption is probably even better for the Santanyi stone.
Good acoustics. Mallorcan pine is dense for pine, but still porous enough for a good acoustical absorption.
Wood is insulating as to heat transportation and this very feature makes it feels warm (heat from your hand is "returned" to you) even though it is not a good heat absorptant per se.
Probably the same acoustical properties as the santanyi stone. However, the limited use reduces the acoustical impact.
The density of concrete is probably very much the same as the one of the Santanyi stone. Good heat absorption – a thermal buffer.
As a generic material brass does not hold special acoustic properties. It might – if designed correctly as a rough surface – support the acoustics, but it will never regulate them. Even (strækmetal) will need some acoustical insulation behind it.
Very quick heat absorption and transmission. Under shady conditions it will feel cold, while under sunny conditions it will feel warm on the hand.
wood
concrete painted white
brass
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toxicity
emissions
embedded CO2
EoL scenario
Mineral-based material. No coatings. No toxicity.
Mineral-based material. No coatings. No emissions.
Energy for carving and transportation is significant for stone materials.
The mortar is local and probably mineralbased. Stones can be cleaned and reused. However, the load-carrying ability should be investigated due to its porosity.
Mineral-based material. No coatings. No toxicity.
Mineral-based material. No coatings. No emissions.
Energy for carving and transportation is significant for stone materials.
The mortar is local probably mineralbased. Stones can be cleaned and reused.
The wood is oiled. Probably a natural oil (for instance lin seed), but it should still be investigated for toxicity.
Wood (harpics) and its oil coating might comprise VOC (volatile organic compounds) that affects the smell in the room – probably not harmful if natural.
Positive CO2 cycle. This type of pine that seems more dense than other more rapid renewables, so it might have a less good profile.
Doors are solid and good sizes, which makes them easy to reuse as they are. Window frames and shutters are smaller and more damaged due to weather exposure.
The concrete itself doesn't hold any toxic particles (mineralbased), but it is painted with white paint. This is probably mineral-based (silikat), so no toxicity.
The same goes for emissions as for toxicity. I probably doesn't hold any emissive compounds, but depending on paint type this should be investigated.
Concrete has a heavy CO2-footprint. This is lowered by virtue of local production and (tilslag?). If the paint is silikat, the footprint in production is bigger – but longer lifetime.
The mortar is local probably mineralbased. beams can be cleaned and reused – or if loadcarrying properties are not clear it can be crushed and recycled.
Brass is a metal and does not have any emission during the operation phase.
Brass is heavy in energy production (high temperatures required). But lifetime is extremely long, which partly makes up for some of the poor energy properties.
Brass is a metal and can be reused and recycles in numerous product cycles. There will be an "angel's share" for each product cycle due to corrosion.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zink. Both of these metals are known to course ecological disturbances due to runoffs from water exposure.
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EXERCISE 3 – CONTINUED registration of materials
RELATION TO... ... neighboring materials marés limestone
santanyi limestone
The wide color range of the Marés stone is the common denominator that makes the rest of the materials come together.
The irregularity of the surface along with the white-rosy colors is a great counterweight to the strong colors of the ocean and the vegetation. The structure literally frames the views – both from the inside and the outside.
The Santanyi stone with the more limited color range create a more calm alternative to the (spraglede) Marés stone. It works equally well with wood and ceramics. Santanyi is the more "gray" brother of the Marés stone.
The Santanyi stone and its color and texture can be refound in the surrounding cliffs and rocks. It is the more polished bedrock that the house sits on. The needles from the pines is a beautiful additional layer to the exterior floors.
The wood is the darker surfaces in the house, but the reddish Mallorcan pine integrates beautifully with the red ranges of the stone; especially the red mortar plays with the wood.
The wooden doors falls more into the expression of the house than to the landscape. However, where the wood has been exposed to withering it is starting to look like the surrounding vegetation.
The white paint on the geometrical beams and ceilings is a pristine and pure layer to the natural and irregular textures in the stone. It elevates the ceiling, thus giving the whole structure a lightness.
The white paint on the concrete reflects the blue color of the ocean and sky, giving the house shades of blue.
The brown-greenish brass door handles is a contrast to the rest of the material swatch – both in color and in texture. Especially the green brass creates some material depth with the house.
The brass colors can easily be refound in the surrounding vegetation – but it is especially the pine needles on the exterior floors that gives the brass this reference.
wood
concrete painted white
brass
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... landscape/views
Variability with regards to... ... sun, shadow, overcast sky
... moisture
The Marés stone becomes almost lucid when exposed to the direct Mediterranean sun. The irregular sufaces gives a lot of play with shadow, thus conveying a very 3-dimensional surface. During dusk and dawn the stone gets very red.
The Marés stone keeps its wide color range – including the white colors – during showers.
The Santanyi stone changes significantly from diffuse to direct light and shadow.
The Santanyi stone gets much darker when wet. The moisture is kept in the dense-porous stone for a long time, giving the house a humid feel even long time after rainshowers (or actual showers for bathrooms).
Most doors are situated in patios and thus in shade most of the time. When in sun it gets much ligther – also over time (weathering). Exposed window frames are very light – reminiscent of high quality wood.
Again the doors are protected from the weather, reducing the exposure to water. But when wet it becomes almost red-brown combined with silvergray traces. Although not in direct contact with ocean water, the wood takes up the salt.
As the Marés stone the white beams and ceiling get almost lucid when exposed to the sun. When in shade or during overcast conditions the white still reflects a significant part of the diffuse light.
The white beams virtually don't change during and after rain showers.
Depending on the level of corrosion the golden brass reflects sun light directly, creating rays of light. When corroded the changes in weather does not bring any differences to the material.
The brass virtually doesn't change during and after rain showers.
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GLOSSARY
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WHAT
What material have you observed? If you wish, you can put in a picture of the material in question.
WHERE
Where in the house/in the room have you observed the material?
geographical origin
Where was the material originally mined/forested/harvested – and where was it manufactured?
service life [yrs]
What is the service life for the material? What is the service life for potential coating etc. linked to the material?
color
How would you describe the color of the material?
texture
What is the haptic properties of the material? How does it feel? What is the roughness of the surface?
heat absorption
How well does the material absorp heat? How well does it keep heat? Does the material feel cold or hot compared to the air temperature?
reflectance
How well does the material reflect light? Color and roughness of the surface are major parameters to assess the reflectance. Is it a diffuse reflection? Or does it have a certain direction?
acoustics
How well does the material absorp acoustics? Does the material contribute to or prevent reverberation?
toxicity
Does the material emit any particles or gasses that might conflict with health and well-being of occupants?
emissions
Does the material emit any particles or gasses that might conflict with environmental issues?
embodied energy
Embodied energy is the sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or ‘embodied’ in the product itself.
EoL scenario
The End-of-Life scenario describes the potential of the material after its primary service life. Can it be reused or recycled?
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BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) The technical way of evaluating the performance of materials is to carry out a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The LCA is used for creating an overview of the environmental impact of a material. Per definition the environmental impact of a material is reviewed over a fixed lifetime of 50 years. The life cycle assessment evaluates the environmental impact within six (seven) different categories.
GWP global warming potential
ODP ozone depletion potential
POCP potential of ozone photochemical oxidants
AP acidification potential of land and water
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The global-warming potential is a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. The ozone depletion potential of a given substance is the loss of ozone due to a given substance. Ozone is capable of absorbing short wave UV-rays and thus protecting Earth from global heating and mankind from UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Photochemical ozone formation happens when gasses like nitrogenoxide or hydrocarbon is exposed to UV radiation. The ozone is harmful to human respiratory systems.
Acidification is regarded as a regional effect and caused by releases of protons in the terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems. In certain areas, acidification leads to increased mobility of heavy metals and aluminium.
EP Eutrophication potential
Eutrophication is the ecosystem response to the addition of artificial or natural substances, mainly phosphates, through detergents, fertilizers, or sewage, to an aquatic system.
PEREN renewable primary energy use
The PEREN describes the renewable primary energy use during all adressed phases of the life cycle analysis.
PENONREN non-renewable primary energy use
The PEREN describes fossil-based primary energy use during all adressed phases of the life cycle analysis.
System boundaries A lifecycle assessment can be carried out on different levels of detail. Below is a table with the system boundaries for dominating LCA-systems.
Full LCA – Stages
Full LCA – Categories
Part of the DGNB system
Part of an EPD
Raw material supply Production
Transport to manufacturer Manufacturing Transport to building site
Construction
Installation into building Use Maintenance Repair
Operation
Replacement Refurbishment Operational energy use Operational water use Deconstruction/demolition Transport to EoL
End-of-Life
Waste processing Disposal
Next product system
Reuse, Recovery or Recycling potential
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MATERIAL RENDERING: LANDSCAPE + VEGETATION by lise mansfeldt
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LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS drawing the environmental impact of mallorcan pine wood by lise mansfeldt
Pick one material from exercise 3 and create an infographic that explains the story of the life cycle for your chosen material. You might let yourselves be inspired by and use the words from the glossary to structure your process.
16 | reuse, recovery or recycling potential Reuse is not likely in this specific case. Can Lis is an acknowledged piece of architectural heritage, and the building and its intended function will continue for many, many years. In other words, the wood will not survive the stone, but keep being replaced in smaller parts when needed (if building on the current renovation strategy). More likely is is that the wood will be burnt after its service life for energy production purposes – either locally or regionally (district heating). Depending on the development process of Mallorcan infrastructure energy production from biomass is an option, but based on current conditions burning seems more realistic.
15 | disposal As mentioned in the previous steps disposal is less likely than burning. But if disposed of – untreated is conditional – it will reenter its natural cycle and break down and end up as soil. 14 | waste processing A rule-of-thumb is that construction sites generate just as much waste as actual building. In the case of Can Lis and its pinewood there is a wide variety in the size of different members, meaning that waste from the big window frames members can be used for the smaller shutter members. This should decrease the waste significantly. However, waste can be used for energy generation through burning or – if untreated – can simply be deposited in order to reenter its natural cycle.
13 | transport to EoL The End-of-Life scenario for the wood will probably be burning for energy consumption. No matter the set-up it will probably be handled on the island, meaning that the maximum transportation distance to the End-of-Life place is 100 km. Likely less. 12 | deconstruction/demolition Again: According to the mechanical joints it is easy to deconstruct the wooden parts.
spillover 2 | glass panes the wood for the window frames is actually secondary to the glass panes: The purpose of the window is to allow daylight to come in and inhabitants to look out. Glass is very energy-demanding during production and depending on construction the lifetime of the window (the full component) is relatively short. However, in the case of Can Lis Utzon used a singlepane. With limited joints and no insulating gases the service life of the glass panes are probably much longer (so far 40+ years and still looking good).
11 | operational water use No water is used for the operation of the wooden elements (only for window wash, but that is strictly speaking not linked to the wooden frames). 10 | operational energy use No energy use for operation. Only manpower to open/ cloor doors and shutters. 9 | refurbishment See above.
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1 | raw material supply the pine is local and can be forrested withing few kilometers of the site. 2 | transport to manufacturer the wood is used for shutters, doors and window frames. all elements are customized to the house and either made on-site or in the workshop of the contracter. Jose Monserrat Ripoll has his workshop in Felanitx, a town just 18 km from the construction site. A maximum of 20 km distance between tree and manufacturer is not unrealistic. spillover 1 | brass For doors and shutters details of brass has been chosen for closing mechanisms and door handles. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, and it is energy-heavy and has to be mined. There are not natural occurences of copper/zinc on Mallorca, and thus is has to be transported overseas. Copper and zinc are both well-known leachers, meaning that harmful ions interact with the natural habitat (vegetation, water etc.).
3 | transport to building site see step 2. 4 | installation into building Even though Mallorcan pine is quite dense and thus heavy, it is only used for smaller items. All of the items can be handled manually and without used for craneways for installation. For durability purposes the wood should be treated with a coating, preferably oil with no harmful additives. Chemical coatings should be avoided. 5 | use No energy-use or use of chemicals during the usage phase. 6 | maintenance The climatic conditions on top of the cliff facing South are harsh and take their toll on the structure’s surfaces. In spite of the dense texture of the pine wood (reminiscent of high quality wood) the wood breaks down due so salts, winds, heavy rain and direct sun. Wood has to be maintained by reapplying the coating (preferably oil). 7 | repair All joints on the window frames, doors and shutters are mechanical. This has enables the renovation crew to only substitute very poor parts of the wood with new wood. It is quite visible where new meets old, but that is conceived as a strong expression. Many other clients wouldn’t have accepted this even though it is by far the most environmentally and financially fit solution.
8 | replacement All wooden elements are easy to replace – see above. However, due to extraordinary acceptance of new aesthetics only minor parts have been replaced.
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REFLECTANCE MEASUREMENT OF A MATERIAL by anne iversen
Reflectance of a mat surface can be done by using a lux-meter (appoximately):
• The illuminance is first measured at the surface (Ef)
• The reflected illuminance (Er) measured by the •
photocell facing the surface at a distance of 1030 cm is then measured The reflectance is then given by: r = Er/Ef
Materials needed • 1 photopic illuminance meter
Describe the light in which the measurements were performed: Not entirely overcast, but we found a place with primarily diffuse daylight
Reference photopic illuminance meter and input-sensor (type and serial number): Minolta illuminance meter T1 Searial no. 2099811
Recordings: Material/surface description (e.g. pictures)
Ef [lux]
Er [lux]
r = Er/Ef
1 Marés stone (new)
1203
758
0.63
2 Marés stone (weathered)
1788
1037
0.58
3 Santanyi stone (light)
2445
1589
0.65
4 Santanyi stone (weathered)
2520
1386
0.55
5 Mallorcan pine wood
505
151
0.30
6 White concrete
689
482
0.70
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What cautions are important to take while doing measurements? The illumance meter should have constant light exposure for both measurement of Er and Ef, eg. the measurer should not move
Elaborate on what happens if the lux-meter photocell is not perpendicular to the surface when measurements are performed? If the illuminance meter is not perpendicular you might measure the reflectance for the immediate surroundings in stead of the material in question only.
Elaborate on what additional information you will get if you are using a spectrometer instead of a lux-meter: If using a spectrometer you will get the whole spectre of light, both visible and UV- as well as infrared light, eg. light and heat. The illuminance meter only measures the visible light, thus making this the most interesting measurement for daylight studies. Infrared light (=heat) is interesting to investigate when you want to know about solar heat gains and the corresponding heating/cooling demand of the building.
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LINKING UTZON AND MALLORCAN BUILDING CULTURE refinding traditional elements in can lis by lise mansfeldt
marés The Marés stone can be found all over Mallorca – in all types of construction. Typically the load-carrying structure is built using the Marés stone, thus also in Can Lis. The stone is typically found as large blocks of individual size and left raw. Utzon chose a more stringent format for the stone (all stones 40x40x20 cm), but left the stone raw in the traditional manner.
left remains of defense tower | parc natural mondragó middle traditional arid wall | randa lower monastery right chimney stack of neighboring building | miró foundation
left inner courtyard columns + floor | can lis middle arid wall with top of concrete | can lis right chimney stack in the living room | can lis
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marges The arid walls is a typical construction in the rural parts of Mallorca. It consists of carefully carved stones that are put together in a wall construction using only geometry and meticulousness. No mortar or other wet media. The discipline has existed for centuries, and today the marger is trained at Escola de margers de Mallorca in Soller.
chimney stacks The characteristic triangular chimneys can also be found throughout the island in different variations depending on the region. Utzon interpreted the design and integrated it into the load-carrying walls to avoid the impression of an add-on. The original chimney stacks are often found painted light, but Utzon let his chimney stack keep their MarĂŠs appearance.
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to see.
TEXT Om at opleve arkitektur
Steen Eiler Ramussen (1898-1990) was a Danish architect, planner, writer and debater. From 1938 he was a professor at the Royal School of Architecture in Copenhagen, and in 1957 he published the book Om at opleve Arkitektur: An apprehensive, but yet accessible introduction to experiencing architecture. Rasmussen focuses on archtypical architectural means and how they can be found in both classical as well as modern architecture. The two excerpt comprise the sections of Architecture experienced as color surfaces along with Daylight and Architecture.
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EXERCISE 6 razzle dazzle by kyd kitchaiya
Choose a room. Take a picture of the room from an angle you like. Import the photo to PhotoShop. “Retrofit” the surfaces in the room with new materials. Your choice for a new material should be motivated. You choose what you motivation is: Light, acoustics, heat absorption, aesthetics – you name it. Q1. What does the altered material palette do to your perception of the room? Can the space perception be maintained or does it change the spacial feel of the room? Now “retrofit” the surfaces of the room with fictional pattern inspired by 1910’s dazzle-painting. Q2. What does the dazzle-painting do to your perception of the room? Can the space perception be maintained or does it change the spacial feel of the room?
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CAN LIS ANALOGUE photo essay by ole egelund jensen
Camera: Minolta MX7 (135 film) Lomo Lubitel 166B (120 film) Negatives: Scanned with a high-resolution film scanner, Epson V500 Photo.
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to explore.
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UTZON-DESIGNED NEIGHBOR HOUSE
Next to Can Lis is a sister house that – when approaching Can Lis for the first time – could easily be taking for Jørn Utzon’s hommage for his wife, Lis. However, this building is not Can Lis, but the product of the neighbors fascination with Can Lis and the Utzon family’s willingness to redo Can Lis in a sister version.
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SOLLER Joan Rubio I Bellver’s GaudĂ-inspired church
The impressive church of Sant Bartomeu dominates the town square and was first built in the 13th century. A baroque structure was added in the late 17th century and the modernist facade was created in 1904 by the architect Joan Rubid (an ex pupil of Gaudi). The church also has a 1912 arched tower suspended above the rose window, with spires like huge needles pointing into the air. The same architect designed the equally impressive Banco Central Hispano next door.
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PALMA cathedral and medieval town
As the Mallorca Cathedral stands today it reaches a height of 44 metres and covers an area of just under 7000 square metres, which is about the same size as the football pitch at Wembley. It consists of three façades each offering a unique entrance portal. The most spectacular and technically perfect façade is the southern that looks out on to the bay of Palma. Here we can clearly appreciate the Gothic style of the Mallorca cathedral, with domination of horizontal over vertical lines, and decorative features such as the gargoyles, railings and spires. Its structural audacity manifests itself through the rhythmical series of abutments and flying buttresses, forming a cadence of lights and shadows visible from the seaside. On this side also lies the jewel in the crown of the Palma de Mallorca cathedral - the Mirador portal. This is the huge arched entrance half way along the façade, which surely contributes the most important Gothic group of sculptures in Mallorca (Majorca). Between 1380 and 1422, Northern European and Mallorcan artists worked on this Gothic masterpiece, with the Mallorcan architect and sculptor Guillem Sagrera being the leading local contributor. Within the arches are two clearly differentiated horizontal sculptures: the first depicting the Eternal father with adoring angels and the other, directly below, the last supper. On the pillar between the two doors is a delightful Virgin Mary with child and in the niche of each arch are the sculptures of five saints; James, John and Peter on the left, and Andrew and Paul on the right. Together, they make this portal one of the most important examples of Mallorcan medieval art on the island. On the west side of the Mallorca Cathedral, which looks on to the Almudaina Palace, is the Main façade. The only feature on this side to survive the earthquake of 1851 was the portal, so the rest of the architecture is the fruit of the neoGothic reforms carried out in 1852 by Peyronnet. It appears he didn’t know how to imitate its structural logic, which has resulted in a rather eclectic composition. Today one of the most famous chapels is the one made by Antonio Gaudi. For three years he studied and sketched until finally in 1904 he presented his drawings and work could begin. Then, for another ten years he laboured without interruption, completing some incredible work, until suddenly from one day to the next he decided not to finish. Why this happened is still not quite clear today but it may have been due to criticism he received at the hands of the Mallorcans (Majorcans). Some claimed he was acting more like a revolutionary than a restorer and that he should place himself at the service of God rather than trying to outdo him.
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PALAU ALMUDAINA palma
Originally built as an Arab fortress, the palace became the official Majorcan residence of the Spanish Royal Family at the beginning of the 14th Century through King Jaume II. Although the royal court already had its official residence at Perpignan, Jaime II wanted to restore the citadel for his summer palace - so enter Pere Salvà who also built the Bellver Castle. Standing opposite the Cathedral and overlooking the harbour, it is an imposing sight. Surrounded by a fabulous green space in the form of the S’Hort des Rei you can walk along shady paths or sit a while and listen to the gushing fountains. Unfortunately many of the rooms are empty however as part of his design plan The King also encompassed a Royal Chapel, known as the Chapel of Saint Anne. Although it is quite small it is exceptionally beautiful and so well worth a visit. Its Romanesque portal is one of the rare examples of this style of architecture on the island and a painting by the Majorcan painter Rafael Mojer, from 1465, hangs inside. Other highlights are Flemish tapestries from the 16th and 17th centuries illustrating Spanish history, 17th and 18th century Spanish tapestries and banners depicting the battle of Lepanto (1571) in which Spanish and Venetian fleets jointly defeated the Turkish fleet. During the annual summer holidays of the Spanish Royal Familiy on Mallorca the Almudaina palace is the official office of King Juan Carlos I, being used for ceremonies and state functions.
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RANDA Monasteries from the 13th century
In the centre of the island of Mallorca, between the municipalities of Algaida and Llucmajor, is the mountain of Randa, where the Hermitage for Sant Honorat, the Sanctuary for Our Lady of Grace and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Cura are to be found. To access the mountain, people must approach via the small village of Randa, at the foot of the the mountain of the same name, and follow the road that leads to the top of the Puig de Cura. In the first place we find the Sanctuary for Our Lady of Grace, that has its origin in the cave of s’Aresta, where in the mid XV century, two Franciscan friars started to live and converted it in a hermitage. Facing East, it is in a vale at the feet of the Ermita de Sant Honorat and has been closely related throughout history to Llucmajor, the town the old path to the sanctuary leads from. Further on, we come across the Hermitage for Sant Honorat. Arnau Desbrull, a noble knight who had chosen this hermit life, asked the Bishop of Mallorca in 1394, after living for 30 years on the mountain, for permission to build the Chapel to Sant Honorat. Once he received the authorisation, Arnau Desbrull chose the part of the mountain that would face South to build the chapel that was finished in 1397. In 1661, due to the ruinous state of the primitive hermitage, the present church was built. Finally, we find the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Cura, situated on the Puig de Cura, 548 metres high. The Puig de Cura is the highest point of the Randa mountain and an excellent vantage point over the island of Mallorca. Here is were Ramon Llull lived for a while in 1273 and where in the XV century a Lulian school was founded to spread his doctrine, that resulted in the Estudi General in Palma, and later in the same building the Aula de Gramàtica, where 150 pupils who lived together in the Sanctuary studied. After a long period of decadence, the Sanctuary of Cura was restored and in 1913 was handed over to the Franciscans’ care. At present four friars of the Order live there, and with the help of some workers and volunteers, they administer the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary of Cura has accommodation in cells , built since 1947, particularly for groups, families and people who wish to spend some time on the Puig de Cura.
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FUNDACIÓ PILAR I JOAN MIRÓ museum
The Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró a Mallorca is unique to the world. It is one of the few museums where visitors can contemplate the artist’s creative surroundings, through direct contact with the studios in which Joan Miró worked from 1956 until his death in 1983. Through these studios, we gain an insight into the atmosphere that formed the backdrop to his work and we can reconstruct Miró’s creative process by contemplating his paintings, objects and the tools he used. In 1979, Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1893 – Palma, 1983) and his wife, Pilar Juncosa, donated the Son Boter studios and another studio designed by J. L. Sert to the city of Palma. These buildings were the starting point for the creation of this foundation. Years later, in 1992, a new building by architect Rafael Moneo was added to act as the main seat of the foundation. All three buildings are surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, with sculptures by Miró that blend skilfully into the natural setting. Miró wished the foundation to act as a stimulus and reference for future generations of artists and to promote research by specialists in his work, pushing back the boundaries of normal museums by achieving a dynamic living centre
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MIRO’S SERT STUDIO palma
Juan Miró decided to move from Barcelona to Palma in 1954 and asked his friend the architect Josep Lluís Sert to design his studio. Miró and Sert had met in 1932, and from then on had a fruitful and lasting personal and professional connection, which was reinforced by their common interests, particularly their urge to integrate art and architecture and their interest in teamwork. In 1937, Sert designed the Pavilion of the Spanish Republic for the Paris World’s Fair, a building that was charged with political meaning, for which Miró painted a large-format oil mural, The Reaper. Catalan Peasant in Revolt. The end of the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship forced Sert into exile in the United States, where he would later be appointed Dean of the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Sert and Miró exchanged some of their ideas about the project’s conception in their correspondence. Miró’s brother-in-law Enric Juncosa supervised the project in Palma. Sert designed a building that adapts to the terraced slope in the land. Miró provided his input on practical issues, for instance, suggesting that Sert consider the local climate and its effect on the conditions inside the studio. He asked to have a clear separation between a work space and a storage area where he could put his pieces away for a while and gain some distance from them. He reminded Sert that in designing the work surface he had to bear in mind the size of his large format paintings, such as the Cincinnati mural. In the fall of 1956, construction of the studio designed by Sert was completed and Miró was thrilled by the final result. Using numerous sketches and plans, Sert had designed for Miró a studio on a human scale, merging tradition with innovation. The concrete structure strikes a contrast with other materials traditionally used in the Mediterranean, such as stone or clay. The L-shaped floor plan is laid out on two levels and covered by a vaulted roof. The undulating roof vaults add sinuous movement to the building’s even geometry. All the façades have a highly visual, even chromatic treatment, particularly the one facing south, which juxtaposes white concrete with the color of clay and the blue, yellow and red of the woodwork. Ultimately, Sert was exploring a new language that ventured beyond the rigidity and limitations of strictly orthodox functionalism, leaning towards a more visual, sculptural architecture, in keeping with his notion that “architecture itself can become a piece of sculpture” (2). In order to create a space that would induce creativity, Miró began populating his studio with a highly heterogeneous ensemble of natural and artificial elements that coexisted in perfect harmony with the utensils for his work. Even now, the studio shows Miró’s creative environment, and the canvases, oils, watercolors, pencils, brushes, and sponges continue to relate to his “collection” of highly diverse objects: postcards, newspaper cuttings, objects found in nature such as stones, butterflies, shells, Mediterranean folk culture artifacts such as the clay whistle figurines known as siurells, palm leaves, nativity figures, or objects from faraway cultures such as Hopi kachinas dolls or Oceanic masks. At times Miró would use one of these objects, such as the turkey, as a point of departure for a piece, and actually immortalized some of them in his sculptures. The studio also recreates the creative process followed by the artist, who usually worked on several pieces at the same time. In addition, these works illustrate his ongoing passion for experimenting with new materials and techniques, incorporating them into his artistic activity, even during his later years.
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Carrer Brotad, 27 ES-07007 Palma
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CAN RIBAS Neighborhood revitalization and industrial heritage
Neighborhood revitalization and preserving the elements of industrial heritage are the aims of this urban project being undertaken in the La Soledat area of Palma, Majorca. Proposal is being developed in several stages after winning the open competition in 2005 and consisting in urban general development, public spaces and main square, industrial heritage restoration and future social housing. Dedicated to the production of wool blankets, the Can Ribas factory was built in 1851 in the La Soledat neighborhood to the east of Palma. Located in an area outside the city walls, the military administration required the factory be built on a provisional basis, which manifests itself in the bays’ system of walls with pilasters and in the simplicity and rationality of the complex’s construction. In the 1970’s, after successive expansions and transformations, the factory’s obsolescence led textile production to be abandoned. There were also other highly significant changes around the La Soledat neighborhood which also created another barrier that further increased the neighborhood’s physical isolation. With its organization as an enclosed area, the Can Ribas factory had become a barrier dividing the La Soledat neighborhood in two. The plan to restructure La Soledat seeks to open the industrial area to neighborhood. In 2003 the Special Plan for Interior Reform (PERI) drafted by Joan Busquets only the main bay, earmarked for housing a facility, and the chimney from the Can Ribas industrial complex were protected, and the bays affected by the plan for the new street were slated for demolition. In developing the project, however, the most valuable heritage elements have been recovered and will be integrated into the urban surroundings. The incorporation of the middle bay, the steam pavilion and the wall of another bay enables recognition of the value of the industrial area shaped by different pavilions that were home to different stages of textile production. A system of openpublic spaces is thus structured by a concrete foundation, which serves to create a visual and physical connection between the new Brotad Street and the historic elements of the Can Ribas factory generating a richer, more complex public space
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ES BALUARD contemporary art museum
Es Baluard Museu d’Art Modern i Contemporani de Palma is located within the perimeter of the Sant Pere bastion, part of the Renaissance wall that surrounded the city of Palma until the beginning of the 20th Century. This fresh water reservoir was completed in the 1640s. It has a classical rectangular ground plan of 353 square metres, a lowered barrel-vault roof and openings for ventilation. Following its restoration we can see the different building techniques applied to its walls, one of which is the very ancient fish bone method. Since its inauguration, the museum has had multiple uses: it is offered to international contemporary artists, interdisciplinary activities or multi-use space that can be hired due to its volume and amazing acoustic quality. The new building is part of the old Renaissance bastion. The 21st Century and the 16th Century buildings coexist harmonically. The museum building is defined by simple, clean lines and shows great respect for the historical heritage that surrounds it, fitting in perfectly with the profile of the Renaissance bastion. The dialogue between the contemporary architecture of the new building and the ancient walls is present and constant, and you are aware of it as you walk through the different areas of the museum. The aim of the designers was to integrate a modern building into the historical heritage of the walls, but at the same time clearly differentiating it. For this reason it has been built with materials such as concrete and glass, making it easy to distinguish between the two types of construction. The building was designed by Lluís García-Ruiz, Jaume García-Ruiz, Vicente Tomás and Angel Sánchez Cantalejo and covers a total area of 5,027 square metres, of which 2,500 are devoted to exhibition space. It is divided into three floors that relate to the exterior and the ancient walls and are interconnected by ramps, skylights and large interior balconies, with the idea of creating an interior street. The exterior areas are conceived as exhibition spaces and places to walk and follow the perimeter of the walls. The 17th century reservoir is also an exhibition area and is used for different events in the museum’s programme.
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PARC DE LA MAR Public park in front of the medieval cathedral
Until the 1960s the sea reached up to the city walls, providing the perfect reflection for the cathedral. When the building of a new road changed all that, an artificial lake was constructed to reproduce the effect. The park around the lake is now a popular weekend and summer spot, with several cafes, a mural donated by Joan Miro and an art gallery in the vaults of the old city walls. Sit beneath the palm trees gazing up at the cathedral and try to imagine the travellers of days gone by arriving at this same spot from the sea by boat. The park also hosts a number of events, concerts and festivals throughout the year
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CAP FARRUTX national park in the northeast
The Artana range of mountains across to the east are gaining increasing popularity amongst visiting walkers and of all the things you can do in the area the “Peak of Farrutx” is a must. We commence near to the small urbanisation of Betlem facing the bay of Alcudia. A very accessible ravine takes us up to the Binialgorfa sanctuary and from here on in, we’re up high most of the day. The rocky sculpture of Farrutx is unmistakable and a delight to walk along.
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CAP FORMENTOR striking drive + sunset
Cap de Formentor is a spectacular place, located on the northernmost point of the Balaeric Island Majorca in Spain. Its highest point, Fumart, is 384m above sea level. It has many associated bays, including Cala Fiquera, Cala Murta and Cala Pi de la Posada. The 13.5 km road which runs from Port de Pollenรงa to Cap de Formentor was built by the Italian engineer Antonio Parietti. His masterpiece on Majorca, however, was the snake to Sa Calobra. Instead of being overwhelmed by what stood in his way on the cliffs, Parretti observed the Tramuntana winds and understood: where the slope was too steep, he made a curve. When he had to remove part of the cliffs, he placed the waste in other places where it was needed. The result was the two roads, which are nestled together in the mountains like abandoned silk ribbons. In 1863 the Formentor Lighthouse was opened, the remote and rugged location on the Cap de Formentor making the construction difficult. The only access being from the sea, or via a long mule track.[1] When the poet Miquel i Llobera, who owned the Cap de Formentor peninsula, died, it was divided into lots and sold. In 1928 Adan Diehl, a native Argentinian and art lover, decided to build the Hotel Formentor and to endow the purchase of art.
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PRACTICAL
HLA STUDY TRIP CAN LIS 2014
HOTEL Hotel Playa Mondrag贸 www.playamondrago.com CAR RENT 2 x Budget cars Full insurance LENGTH OF STAY 6 days/5 nights October 2014 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 8 persons