The Masterful Forms of Santiago Calatrava
A compact exhibition of the architect’s oeuvre from 1979 to today
Santiago Calatrava is a world-renowned architect, structural engineer, sculptor, and artist. From the Athens 2004 Olympic Sports Complex to the World Trade Center Transportation Hub in Manhattan, he exhibits a remarkable twin prowess for aesthetics and engineering, a simultaneous sensitivity to both the appearance and the anatomy of a structure.
His influences are wide-ranging: Auguste Rodin’s approach to sculpture and architecture, principles of classicism and Greek Cycladic art, NASA space design, and a deep admiration for nature, which he regards as both mother and teacher. Thus, Calatrava’s creations are at once aerodynamic and organic in their associations, with natural forms and human movement informing many of his projects. He takes a particular interest in the meeting point of equilibrium and dynamism.
This compact monograph gathers detailed entries, photography, and the original watercolor sketches that set Calatrava aside as a unique creative master. It includes many of his original collaborative input, and projects such as the Mediopadana Station in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, as well as recent works like the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, St. Nicholas Greek Church at Ground Zero in New York and Constellation, a large scultpure at River Point Park in Chicago.