A STUDY OF THE LIFE AND SELECTED WORKS OF

SANTIAGO CALLATRAVA.  

ARC 601(CONTEMPORARY PROCESSES IN ARCHITECTURE).

 BY

CHUKWUJINDU KOSISOCHUKWU .E.I.D NO:1901110001

Santiago Callatrava is a

renowned Architect and Sculptor.

He was born Santiago

Calatrava Valls, born 28 July

1951). He is a Spanish Architect,

Sculptor and Structural Engineer

whose principal office is in Zürich,

Switzerland. Classed now among

the elite designers of the world,

he has offices in Zürich, Paris,

Valencia, and New York City.

INTRODUCTION

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study is aimed at understanding the Architectural style and

character of his profession with a view to learn the processes involved in

contemporary Architecture and to inspire the younger Architects.

We commence by a brief look at his early life and education. Then we

shall consider his career,the works he has done and those that are yet to

be completed.then we shall go on to select three of his architectural

pieces which we shall study.taking note of the concepts on which he

designed them, and how they were achieved. Innovations in the field of

technology shall be highlighted and structural design shall be borne in

mind as we explore the works.

Finally we shall draw a conclusion from the study rendering relevant

references where necessary.

 

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION..1

Calatrava was born in Benimàmet, an old municipality now integrated

as an urban part of Valencia, Spain, where he pursued his

undergraduate architecture degree at the Polytechnic University of

Valencia[1] along with a post-graduate course in urbanism.

During his schooldays, he

also undertook independent

projects with a group of

fellow students, bringing out

two books on the vernacular

architecture of Valencia and

Ibiza.[1]

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION..2

Following graduation in 1975, he

enrolled in the

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

(ETH) in Zürich, Switzerland, for graduate

work in civil engineering.

In 1981, after completing his doctoral

thesis, "On the Foldability of

Space Frames", he started his

Architecture and Engineering practice.

CAREER AND STYLE…1

Calatrava's early career was largely

dedicated to bridges and train stations, whose

designs elevated the status of civil

engineering projects to new heights.

Calatrava's style has been

heralded as bridging the division

between structural engineering

and Architecture. In the projects,

he continues a tradition of Spanish

modernist engineering that

includes Félix Candela and

Antonio Gaudí.

His Architectural style is

considered very personal

and derives from numerous

studies of the human body

and the natural world.

CAREER AND STYLE…2

OUTSTANDING WORKS…

Montjuic Communications tower

Milwaukee art museum,Milwaukee,Wisconsin, U.S.A(2001).

Auditorio de Tenerife,spain.

TGV Train Station, Liege, Belgium.

Lyon-Saint Exupery Airport Railway station

However for the purpose of this study, we shall consider only three of his

Architectural pieces and try to analyse and understand the Architectural

Concepts at play.

The three works we shall study are;

Auditorio de Tenerife, Canary islands, Spain.(2003).

Milwaukee art museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A(2001).

Sondika Airport, Bilbao, Spain.(2000).

They have been selected on basis of recentness of work and peculiarity of form.

They shall be treated under the following headings;

• Brief history.

• Architectural concept.

• Structural features.

• Innovations.

• Interior Spaces.

 

1.0 Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee,

Wisconsin, U.S.A(2001).

1.0 MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A(2001).

The Milwaukee art museum(MAM) is located at 700 N. Art

Museum Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.

Originally designed by Eero Saarinen, the museum is

home to over 25,000 works of art.

1.1 BRIEF HISTORY

Its permanent holdings contain

an important collection of

Old Masters and 19th-century

and 20th-century artwork, as

well as some of the nation's

best collections of German

Expressionism, folk and Haitian

art, American decorative arts,

and post-1960 American art.

1.2 FLOOR PLAN

Main level floor plan.

1.3 BUILDING LAYOUT

The design of the museum draws ideas from an airplane

which is “poised to soar away in the breeze”1. While the

Burke Brise Soleil has a wingspan comparable to that of

a Boeing 747-400, its two ultrasonic wind sensors

automatically close the wings if the wind speed reaches

23 mph or greater. Unlike the airplane, the Museum

prefers to remain on the ground.

Calatrava,was inspired by the “dramatic, original

building by Eero Saarinen, the topography of the city”

and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie-style architecture.1

1.4 ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT

1.5 STRUCTURAL FEATURES; PAVILION

The cable-stayed bridge pylon and the Quadracci

Pavilion’s building spine are aligned on the same axis

and are inclined 48.36 degrees toward the Pavilion.

A cable-stayed pedestrian bridge

featuring a steeply-raked pylon

and ‘boomerang’ abutment

spans 230 feet across a major

thoroughfare, connecting

Milwaukee’s downtown with the

waterfront.

The 192-foot-long pylon

supports the 10 major spans of

the bridge through 9 locked-coil

cables and 18 back stay cables.

1.5 STRUCTURAL FEATURES; PAVILION

The mildly-reinforced concrete pavilion supports the back stay beam and

east pier of the pedestrian bridge, as well as the A-frames and building

spine that in turn support the moveable Burke Brise-Soleil.[3]

1.5 STRUCTURAL FEATURES; PAVILION

The 100-space underground parking

structure features radius-bent,

reinforced steel bars and uniform,

hand-bent stirrups.

The project responds to the

culture of the lake: the sailboats,

the weather, the sense of motion

and change.”

1.6 INNOVATIONSThe structure contains a movable, wing-like brise soleil which opens up for a

wingspan of 217 feet during the day, folding over the tall, arched structure at night or during

inclement weather.

The Burke Brise Soleil is a moveable, wing-like sunscreen that rests on top of the Museum’s vaulted,

glass-enclosed Windhover Hall. The “wings” open Monday–Sunday at 10 a.m. with the Museum,

close/reopen at noon, and close again with the Museum at 5 p.m.; except on Thursdays when the

Museum closes at 8 p.m. This schedule is, however, subject to change without advance notice due to

weather, special events,

1.7 INTERIORS..

“The inside is just as beautiful as the outside. White marble floors and white

walls allow for the self-similar dramatic arches, views and artwork to stand

out.”2

1.7 INTERIORS..

The hall’s chancel is shaped like the prow of a ship, with floor-to-

ceiling windows looking over Lake Michigan.

According to Santiago Calatrava, “in the crowning element of the brise soleil,

the building’s form is at once formal (completing the composition), functional

(controlling the level of light), symbolic (opening to welcome visitors), and

iconic (creating a memorable image for the Museum and the city).”

The MAM recently gained

international recognition

with the construction of

the white concrete

Quadracci Pavilion,

designed by Santiago

Calatrava (his first

completed project in the

United States), which

opened on May 4, 2001.

1.8 SUMMARY..

2.0 SONDIKA AIRPORT BILBAO,SPAIN

2.0 SONDIKA AIRPORT BILBAO,SPAIN

2.1 BRIEF HISTORY..

Sondika Bilbao Airport, designed by Santiago Calatrava, opened to traffic

on November 19, 2000.

Bilbao Airport is a public

airport located 9 km (5.6 mi)

north[1] of Bilbao, in the

municipality of Loiu, in the

Basque Country. It is the most

important airport of the

Basque Country and northern

Spain, with 4,172,903

passengers on 2008 .

It is famous for its new main

terminal opened in 2000 and

designed by Santiago Calatrava.

2.1 SITE PLAN..

2.2 FLOOR PLAN..

2.3 SECTIONS..

The terminal has a sleek design, with two symmetrical

"wings" and a sharp tip at its center which is specially

visible when approaching the terminal from the sides.

This original design has granted the building the

nickname of "La Paloma" ("The Dove").

2.4 ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT

2.5 STRUCTURAL FEATURES..

The passengers reach the aircrafts by way of the Departure Hall, a

soaring structure awash with daylight, and the four-storey Departure Gallery

beyond that connects to the concourse,an aluminium wing reminiscent of an

aircraft skin, that contain twelve passenger terminal gates.

2.5 STRUCTURAL FEATURES..

The Departure Hall, with its ribbed concrete wings, is clear of visual clutter.

Struts and wires cast changing patterns of striated shadows on the walls and

granite floor.

2.5 STRUCTURAL FEATURES..

Concrete hinge pillars are used in line with steel frames that are

connected with the use of joints for structural stability.

2.6 INNOVATIONS

Among the innovations are the

expansion of the airfield by 500m,

enabling the airport to increase its

payload operations, and the

construction of a new control tower,

significantly improving the airport's

control facilities. As well as its

utilitarian value, the new control

tower adds an aesthetic

counterpoint to the terminal

building. Throughout the

development, considerable care

and attention has been paid to the

surrounding area and environment.

2.6 INNOVATIONS

The layout was designed to limit the

impact of auxiliary buildings on the vista

of the main building. An elegant four-

storey parking structure, with a skylit

walkway leading to the Terminal

Building, is tucked into a grassy

embankment.The entrance to the passenger

hall in the new terminal

building is 140m long and the

hall has a height of 20m. The

distance from the entrance to

the apron is 26m.

2.7 INTERIORS..1

oReceotion hall

2.7 INTERIORS..2

Ample light is admitted with the use of fanciful skylighting.

2.8 SUMMARY..

There has been some criticism

of Santiago Calatrava's design

by Aena, the Spanish airport

authority, because it seems

difficult to make further

enlargements in the terminal's

capacity because the design is

too closed.

Basques using the airport widely complain about its lack of an arrivals area, since once

passengers clear customs, they step directly outside. However, there is a dramatic

viewing gallery raised above the baggage reclaim area, where those waiting to greet

passengers can wait and watch as they collect their baggage and leave the terminal.

There is often waving and excitement as relatives or friends scan to see each other

from the gallery, and the architect cites this in defence of his design of the arrivals

area.

3.0 AUDITORIO De TENERIFE, TENERIFE, CANARY

ISLANDS,SPAIN.

3.0 AUDITORIO De TENERIFE, TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS,SPAIN.

3.1 BRIEF HISTORY..

The Auditorio de Tenerife "Adán Martín", was designed by Architect Santiago Calatrava Valls. It is

located on the Avenue of the Constitution in the Canarian capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands,

Spain), and next to the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Its Construction began in 1997 and was completed in 2003. The auditorium has been graced by the

presence of two prominent people;Felipe de Borbón, Prince of Asturias at its innaugration, and was later

visited by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. The building is framed within the tenets of late-modern

architecture of the late 20th century.

3.2 MODEL..3

The main hall/symphony hall(1,616 seating capacity)

The Chamber Hall.(422 seating capacity)

Auxilliary spaces; dressing rooms,make-up etc.

3.2 MODEL..1

Exterior terrace 1

Exterior terrace 2

3.2 MODEL..2

3.3 ARCHITECT’ SKETCHES

3.3 ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT

oThe building is framed within the tenets of late-modern architecture of the

late 20th century.

oThe auditorium differs from traditional designs, attempting to

surround the listener with sound sources.

oThe building takes after the

resemblance of a sailing ship

which complements the sea side

position. It has been said to copy

the guggenheim museum in form

and even color.

3.4 STRUCTURAL FEATURES…THE WING

The overhanging wing was prefabricated in Seville and shipped to the island in

17 pieces, the largest weighing 60 tons (54,000 kilograms). They were similar to

components more commonly used in bridges. The wing was lifted into place by a

specially made crane from Valencia, which has a capacity of 2,400 tons (two

million kilograms).

The wing was designed to be supported on

only five points. Once in place, it was filled

with white concrete made locally from a

combination of river sand brought from the

Spanish peninsula and the coarser Tenerife

sand. In all, 2000 tons (1.8 million

kilograms) of concrete went into the

building. Besides the dramatic wing, another Calatrava "signature" element is a

mosaic of trencadis, or broken white ceramics, which cover the structure's

entire skin. The 194,000 square feet (18,000 square meters) of trencadis

were brought in from Valencia, Spain.

3.5 INNOVATIONS

oThe symphony hall has a "variable" acoustic system. Surface

materials are solid pressed wood covered with fiberglass. This

assembly has "windows" that open and close, exposing either the

fiberglass material or the wood, depending on the acoustical

requirements of the event. The back walls of the chamber music hall

are covered with horizontal wood slats, with fiberglass behind them.

oThe two performance halls are equipped with air-conditioning outlets

below the seats. Cool air comes up from spaces below, eliminating the

need for HVAC installations that would disturb the clean lines of the

halls. The two halls are separated by a shared, open lobby that

creates an acoustical separation so events can be held simultaneously

in both.

3.6 INTERIORS..1

The chamber hall.

3.6 INTERIORS..2

The chamber hall…2

3.6 INTERIORS..3

The Symphony Hall

3.7 SUMMARY

After the building's official opening in September, 2003, events already

scheduled are as diverse as Handel's opera Julius Caesar and the International

Water Association Conference. In time, the building itself may become an

event, bringing architectural sightseers to Tenerife.

The building is normally lit in bright white at night, but more colorful lighting

is used on special occasions. For example, on New Year 2007-2008 the

auditorium was lit in white and yellow, and a clock was projected onto one wing

of the building to mark the hours. On World Diabetes Day, the

auditorium is illuminated in blue, and

special lighting is also employed during

the annual Cadena Dial Awards. The

auditorium also participates in "

Earth Hour," a campaign against

climate change in which large buildings

"go dark" for an hour to draw awareness

to the cause.

4.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

oCallatrava regularly traverses the lines between art and architecture; his buildings

are frequently called sculptural, while his sculptures and paintings are like sketches

of buildings. some of his buildings take concepts from organic elements such as

water, animals like birds, and even the human body.

Callatrava is known for his flowing, curved buildings. Which are exemplaries of fluid

fractals.He uses steel, concrete, and new computer modeling to create compositions

that appear at once natural and structurally impossible.

oIf “form follows function” was a rallying cry of modern architecture, Callatrava

postmodern structures turn this maxim on its head. His designs suggest stylized

natural objects—waves, wings, or sun-bleached skeletons, with rows of white

concrete ribs curved into distorted parabolic arches. The true purpose of these

dramatic contours are typically more aesthetic than structural.

4.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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