I’ve been able to see some of the interesting architecture of Barcelona so far. For the 1992 Olympics, the area along the beach went through an extensive development. One piece was a fish sculpture by American architect Frank Gehry – he is known for his “blob” buildings, with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain being his most famous.
The sculpture looks great from a distance. However when one gets underneath it, it’s quite disappointing. It is a shading structure over the plaza of a shopping center. The frame that holds the fish is a very rational space frame – a system of trusses in three dimensions. The fish, on the other hand, is an undulating brass(?) lattice through which light filters. The structure and fish are at complete odds with each other.
Compare the fish to Antoni Gaudi’s La Pedrera (Stone Quarry). Built in the early part of the 20th century, it is an apartment building sculpted out of stone (hence the name). While I have not been to many places, the attic of the building is probably the most incredible space that I have seen. The best way I can describe it is being in the belly of a dinosaur – he uses numerous catenary arches (almost parabolic) made from thin bricks to create an undulating form that is understood from within the space. This form in turn creates a spectacular roof top terrace that is even harder to describe. Once I figure out how to put pictures on the weblog, I’ll post some. Gaudi has many projects in Barcelona and I’ll try to write more about him later after visiting some those places.
One could also compare the Gehry’s fish to the Mercat de Santa Caterina by Enric Miralles and Bernedeta Tagliabue (at whose firm my friend Aaron is doing his internship). Completed in 2005, here the undulating form of the roof is supported by a complicated system of concrete columns, curving steel trusses, steel cables and glue-laminated arches. Again the form is felt from the underside as well as being visible from the top. The roof of the market is clad with hexagonal ceramic tiles in a pixilated pattern of an image of a fruit table – it can be seen from the various six- or so storey surrounding buildings.
I’m planning to go to Bilbao to see Gehry’s museum – I hope it fairs better than his fish.
the City 