MODERNISME THE RISE OF SPANISH ARCHITECTURE
LA HISTORIA: Spain has long been a country that has thrust itself upon the world trying to showcase its power and splendor. It is a country that at one point in time proceeded over almost the entire western world only to see it all fall away. Spain has grown accustomed to the rises and falls of its nation. In 1852 Spain would imprint itself on the world for good only it did not know it yet. Antoni Gaudi the most famous Spanish architect was born in 1852 outside of Barcelona. Gaudi had a strong internal belief that would manifest itself in his architecture that nature is the influence of our built environment and that god was his client. Gaudi had three passions in life: architecture, nature and religion. He would study organic and anarchic geometric forms of nature thoroughly, searching for a way to give expression to these forms in his architectural works. His work transcended mainstream Modernism, culminating in an organic style inspired by his love of nature. He rarely drew detailed plans of his works, instead preferring to create them as three-dimensional scale models and molding the details as he was conceiving them. His most famous work today, although he has seven works deemed world heritage sites by UNESCO, remains an unfinished masterpiece. La Sagrada Familia also known as the "Cathedral of the Poor" was the last and final work of Antoni Gaudi. Although he was only alive to see the completion of two phases of the project, his love of three-dimension scale models assisted future generations in the construction of his final concept. The project is on schedule to be completed on the 100th anniversary of his death. architectural work work transcended the times and his of nature and religion led toled thetoCatholic church Hisk work architectural transcended the times andintegration his integration of nature and religion the Catholic church g him "God's Architect." However, as mentioned earlierearlier SpainSpain was no to thetorise of of declaring him "God's Architect." However, as mentioned wasstranger no stranger theand risefall andaction fall action another 40 years after Gaudi'sIt death to be40a new life and this included architecture. would for takethere another yearsh after Gaudi's death for there to be a new hope for but it would a cost change. Spaine although theycome wouldatnot knowofitgreat at thephilosophical time but it would come at a cost of great philosophical change.
LA HISTORIA:
Nature and Religion impacting the architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi and of Spain would give way to a new and developed world and would begin with the birth of Spain's most current famous architect: Santiago Calatrava. Although alive in the same century Calatrava and Gaudi could not be more opposite. In a reflection of the times the smooth straight lines that Gaudi detested as an architect have made there way to Spain in a vibrant and exciting way announcing to the world that Spain is an modern architectural mecca. Born in Valencia Spain, Calatrava would go on to become one of the world's most influential and recongizable architects as his "movement" architecture with its stark white design and large imposing gestures push the architectural environment into a large scale three-dimensional sculpture. Calatrava strives for architectural work that appears or in some cases actually is in "constant motion." His works take traditional materials like concrete, glass and steel beyond their normal bounds. Originally starting out designing pedestrian and vehicular bridges his work has become so polarizing that cities and countries around the world are lined up for his latest masterpiece. With all the world attention Spain was once again on the verge of losing one of its rising "starchitects" until his affinity for his hometown and the Olympic games of Barcelona came calling and embracing one of their own. Calatrava would go on to design numerous buildings and structures throughout Barcelona for the summer games as well as continue to develop amazing structures throughout Valencia; however, something was missing that he could not pin point until he began to accept his fellow countryman's ideals about: Nature. Returning to the ideal's of Antoni Gaudi, Calatrava would design and develop an art museum that utilized the inspiration of a bird flapping its wings and integrating it with his modern architectural developments creating a museum that actually appears to take flight as the "wings" can open and close depending on the weather. This revolutionary concept catapulted him and his country forward even further into the world's looking glass and allowed Spain to begin to reclaim its status as a world player in the architectural field which was cemented by one commission in a sleepy fishing village in northern Spain.
LA HISTORIA: Although he is not a Spanish architect by birth, Frank Gehry lent his knowledge, craft and expertise to an architectural project in Bilbao that would revolutionize the museum culture around the world and would firmly implant Spain as an Architectural Mecca. The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao represents ground-breaking architecture of the 21st Century. One of the most admired works of contemporary architecture, the building has been hailed as a "signal moment in the architectural culture", because it represents "one of those rare moments when critics, academics, and the general public were all completely united about something." The museum itself has had an enormous impact on the city itself, bringing to life a city that was in decline and despair. Gehry was commissioned to design the project and was given only two parameters: daring and innovative. Spain wanted to continue to propel itself in front of the world no matter the cost as evident by the countries deep financial troubles today. Labeled as one of the great works of our time it is only fitting that some 100 years after the revolutionary architecture of Spanish born Antoni Gaudi, a new class of architects led by Calatrava and Gehry have reigned down on Spain with the technological advances of today but rooted in the ideals and beliefs of yesteryear. Today's architects have taken steel, glass and concrete and formed them with such precision and elegance that it has truly become a new take on an old ideal. Gaudi was about nature, religion and architecture and how one can combine the three to work in cohesion with each other to shape a built environment. Calatrava and Gehry are about daring and innovation pushing the envelope of modern technology and materials to create movement and awe. These three architects have created a blueprint for others on how to navigate the boundaries of our profession and to continue to push the envelope further.
EL DESTINO: BILBAO
BARCELONA
SPAIN VALENCIA
SCHEDULE: Day 1 - 4 - Barcelona, Spain Day 5 - 8 - Valencia, Spain Day 9 - 10 - Bilbao, Spain Day 11 - 14 - Barcelona, Spain
I will explore the country of Spain over the course of two-weeks traveling from Valencia to Barcelona and Bilbao. I will use the four-thousand dollar stipend to supplement my personal funds on this journey to rejuvenation. Above is a sample schedule subject to change based on travel plans; however, what will not change is the amazing journey that will be turned into a quest for change. In Barcelona I will study the works of Antoni Gaudi and Calatrava, in Bilbao I will study Gehry and in Valencia additional works of Calatrava.
EL PROPOSITO:
Is the "American Dream" really a dream - our cities, our architecture, our way of life and how we have been told to live The myrealities x-ref proposal to travel this architectural haventoofSpain idealsinand iconic works andthat bring backistonot havepurpose dictatedofthe we nowishave but attowhat cost? I will travel hopes to document which the United States and my colleagues this passion and pursuit of the return of great architecture. It is my firm of possible in most of the USA. I want to understand what makes these iconic works so important in the daily lives belief that our country and unimaginative when it and comes to embracing philosophical ideas Spain's inhabitants andhas thebecome impactsstagnant (social, economical, psychological physical) that onethe single architectural work of the past and intertwining them with the cutting edge technology present today. It is important as the future of can create in a community and on a city as a whole. The goal is to put together an understanding of how one singular architecture California andbirth America thatrise we to asaarchitects strive to envelope as Gaudi, Calatrava and to what building can increate its own and give living organism in push each the inhabitant of the community. A return Gehry have done and return our sense of place to our daily lives. we were called to do and that is - live. What these architects have done in the Spanish cities of which their iconic works have been built is establish a cultural, philosophical, imaginative and social identity that is so lacking in our constant strip-mall, food-chain, big box retailer architecture of our cities. In Spain thanks to these three great masters of their craft the country becomes a living organism rooted in nature, as Gaudi would have wanted, and yet vastly different when only separated by a few miles. It is with great optimism that I hope to embark on this journey and find in me and my colleagues in my profession a renewed sense of invigorating spirit that will have impacts on our people, our city, our state and our country to reclaim that unique character and identity of our major cities that has been stolen and robbed from us with our fly-by night architecture and are new American ideals of what "progress" really is.
I want our cities and neighborhoods to differentiate each other based on the ideals and beliefs of an area and not just random repetitive design by Architects who have lost their way on what Gaudi, Calatrava and Gehry understood. Human beings nature are social beings and long for a sense of place / purpose that is currently lacking ourbuilt An architect is abysculpture, a painter, an inventor, a medium to mesh nature and man-made, a visionary forinthe detached way of American life. We were meant to interact, to converse, to live life full of joy and passion. environment, and has a responsibility to all those who inhabit this world. If granted approval for this x-ref I hope for random repetitive design by Architects who have lost their way on what Gaudi, Calatrava and Gehry understood. thisarchitect rejuvenation inside my soul - aan return to nature being the inspiration our building designs -for a return to An is a sculpture, a painter, inventor, a medium to mesh naturebehind and man-made, a visionary the built the ideals that made Antoni Gaudi "God's Architect." environment, and has a responsibility to all those who inhabit this world. If granted approval for this x-ref I hope for
this rejuvenation inside my soul - a return to nature being the inspiration behind our building designs - a return to the ideals that made Antoni Gaudi "God's Architect."
SACRAMENTO / TULSA / BOISE / MILWAUKEE / DES MOINES / SAN FRANCISCO / DENVER / LINCOLN / PITTSBURGH / ORLANDO / FT. WORTH / TAMPA / SAN DIEGO / MINNEAPOLIS / RALEIGH / KNOXVILLE / COLUMBUS / ST. LOUIS / DALLAS / MADISON / LOUISVILLE / BOSTON / NEW YORK CITY / CHICAGO / LOS ANGELES.....WHICH CITY IS THIS????
DOCUMENTACION: The documentation of Spain as a global influence on Architecture over the past 120 years will be captured utilizing the dominant technologies of today along with the of dying arts of yesterday. Much like Spanish Architecture and its ever evolving cycle from nature to human movement, I will try to manifest this change with the following mediums: Sketch pad and paper Sculptures Photographs Video Interviews / Graphic Recordings with Spanish Citizens - what makes their cities alive and organic Interactive up to date blog - my hope is to inspire those who follow while it is happening live to me I will use every tool in my arsenal to capture the idealogical change that has manifested itself in the rise of Spanish Architecture. The capturing of the spirit of these three Spanish cities and architectural works will not be easy but as a frustrated American architect I will use everything that these three visionaries used to try to bring back the essence of Spain to my colleagues and clients so that change can and will happen. I want to push the envelope, I want to return my inspiration to nature and the living organisms of this world, I want to reinvent the wheel, I want to capture organic, fluid life happening in its most vibrant environments, I want to leave my mark on this world and not just a blip in the fabric of time, I want to follow in the footsteps of the true architectural masters of Gaudi, Calatrava and Gaudi and how they took a country and gave it to the people that inhabit it and by selecting my proposal I will be one step closer and hopefully so will my colleagues.