Santiago Calatrava Valls

Project type: Writing

Designer(s): Chua Jia Ning, Sherica

Year: 2022

Project Description:

The intention is that through such an exercise, they will not only be more capable and articulate (textually and visually) in making connections between topics learned, but also that they will be able to encounter new ways of representing and discussing (textually and visually) not just the theories presented in class but also any ideas encountered outside of this course.

Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is an architect and engineer, who lives in New York, close to his studio (American Studio), also has another office in Zurich (where he had been working there for about 30 years), and has more branch office in Doha Qatar because they are involved in an important project there. (Wiki,2022)

He started in an art school, wanted to do art and drawing and painting and sculpture, decided to switch to Architecture, and completed. Continued to study civil engineering at Polytechnic in Zurich Switzerland. Particularly known for his bridges supported by single-leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stadiums, and museums, whose sculptural forms often resemble living organisms. (Wiki,2022)

Calatrava’s design philosophy believes that Architecture is something abstract from all the Arts. He considers Architecture part of Art, the most abstract of all of them because it simply nourishes itself from all the disciplines. He said, “ Everyone knows what is an arc.” But he wants to go deep and analyse what is an arc. To sketch is a mental exercise, like how you all do other things such as write or compose a song. A mental exercise that goes directly from your mind into your hand in a very spontaneous way. Might be one of the most efficient ways, to capture the idea and the vision you have in your mind. This also allows us to integrate changes and transformation.

Resemble living organisms, is what inspires Calatrava. He does sculptures to find his own language in Art, to allow himself to have the freedom to think and say whatever in his own manner. He started to explore ideas such as using the structure of the spine, which is how we stand and he started working with the basic idea to do a building, with the structure of a spine.

Innovation to him is challenging from the material and from the technical point of view, and innovative, which is also very hard for him to find people who accept the challenge of building what he wants to create.

He believes in design, not only does the structure needs to work, but also needs to work well. However, some structures that are in a way a little enigmatic. Enigma is a part of the art. Enigma is a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand. By following our intuition, and with time they will become more and more construction drawings. His explanation of what’s important in design really inspires me and at the same time, it relates back to my design philosophy too.

As I do agree with him strongly, the part where he said that structure that works, needs to work well, really brings me back to some experience I personally went through during designing a project. While designing a project I would adapt to new spaces and all the ideas would just start to flow out allowing me to design something which is straight out of my mind. It looks stunning on paper, but because of my previous lack of experience when it comes to creating it physically there will be issues with the project.

One of Santiago Calatrava’s projects which inspires me would be the Emergency Service Centre. It was built from 1988 - 1998, located at Moosbruggstrasse St. Gallen Switzerland. The new building is set within a green strip between the Klosterhof building and Moosbruggstrasse. The sensitive area is located at the end of a World Heritage Site that houses a monastery and cathedral. (Calatrava,2022)

The new building has respected this environment and has improved it, providing an impetus for the demolition of subsidiary structures that had cluttered the immediate area. Where he uses a symmetrical system of rotating, arched tubes that set the position of articulated slats on each side of the roof, thus controlling daylight. Due to the gaps between the slats, the space cannot be completely darkened. This is the first use of a movable roof covering based on slats and a mechanical hoist system. The element has gone through various stages of development during the slow evolution of this structure. (Calatrava,2022) This project of his really brings me back to what I would want to integrate into my design, by using nature to its best ability. Being able to create something which is more sustainable in my own designs, and strive to keep on developing the model and skillsets to succeed.

Another one of his projects which inspires me would be the Stadelhofen Station. It was built from 1983 - 1990, located in Stadelhoferstrasse 8 8001 Zürich Switzerland, and also receive awards for the Brunel Award for the Zurich-Stadelhofen Railway Station and the City of Zurich Award for Good Building.

Located in the heart of Zurich on Stadelhofen Square, the new station will be the first rapid-transit system to be built in Switzerland and was intended to become the key inner-city node. (Calatrava,2022)

The design proposed access to the platforms through a subterranean passage, which can be reached only from the old station building.(Calatrava,2022) What makes me really feel a connection to his work is that he designed this project to ease the passenger flow, this design was altered to provide stairs and escalators to each side of the old building. The station was thus transformed into a linear environment, where trains can be approached quickly from all directions.(Calatrava,2022) I personally believe that user experience is extremely to have within the design, as it allows our customers or viewers to understand our design direction and also enjoy the Art of it like we do.