Architect – Santiago Calatrava

Santiago Calatrava is a Spanish architect, structural design and analyst engineer, sculptor, and painter. He was born in 1951. Educated at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Wikipedia states his occupation as engineer; this is perhaps what explains how his projects seem so gravity-defying, pushing the boundaries. A book about Le Corbusier made him realize that he could be an artist and an architect as well. I think a architect is creative and perhaps we’re using the wording artist as the only word capable of representing creativity, but well, cheers to Le Corbusier. Meanwhile, Calatrava’s structures are like fantastic sculptures.


Turning Torso
Malmo, Sweden
2005




City of Arts and Sciences
Valencia, Spain
2005
A few years ago I had the opportunity to walk around this complex. I remember it feeling quite surreal. Alas, as you can read in the link the building has some issues as parts of the roof have fallen off. Perhaps he pushes the boundaries a bit too far. Or the builders used sub standard concrete – sort of the like the Rideau Centre LRT station.




Tree Bridges – A1 Motorway Milan Bologna High Speed Rail
Reggio, Emilia, Italy
2007




Chords Bridge
Jerusalem
2008




Ponte Della Costituzione Footbridge from Piazzale Romer over the Grand Canal
Venice, Italy
2008




Liege Guillemins Railway Station
Liege, Belgium
2009




Samuel Becket Bridge
Dublin, Ireland
2009




Technion Obelisk Monument on the Technion Campus
Haifa, Israel
2009




Placio de Exposiciones Y Congresos
Oviedo, Spain
2011




Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
Dallas, Texas
2012




Peace Bridge
Calgary, Alberta
2012




Medio Padana Station on the Milan Bologna High Speed Railway
Reggio Emilia, Italy
2013




Florida Polytechnic University
Laleland, Florida
2014




Museu do Amnha
Rio de Janeiro
2015




Milwaukee Art Museum
Wisonsin
2015




World Trade Centre Transportation Hub
New York City
2016
In his words.