Week 6_Pre-Spring Break

Well it's been six full weeks of Barcelona "bliss," the weather is getting nicer and life is getting easier here in Catalunya. This weekend Alec, Mike, and I went to Gaudi's famous apartment complex, Casa Mila. The structure, if you have never seen it before, is very organic and wavy. The undulations on the facade inform us of an architecture free from the strict forms we see today. Gaudi certainly was not afraid of breaking away from the norm. To me, his architecture speaks of liberation from the restraints of society. He is creating an art form within his architecture; he is giving the people of Barcelona something more than a building, he is giving them something to be proud of. The roof of Casa Mila is an experience in and of itself. The chimney like statues, representing Catalonian soldiers give the roof character and a sense of awe with the background of Barcelona flanking all sides of the building.

Next week is our spring break; I will be visiting Paris, London, and Rome...it should be an adventure...

Week 5_Southern Spain...Where did we go again??

So it's been a week since we have returned from southern Spain, and let me tell you 5 cities in 8 days a lot to handle. Our itinerary went a little like this...BCN to Madrid, Madrid to Cordoba, Cordoba to Granada, Granada to Sevilla, Sevilla to Merida, and finally Merida to Madrid to BCN! It was a ton of traveling, but I definitely learned a great deal of history on Spain and saw amazing architecture, from the Alhambra to contemporary bridges by the famous Calatrava.

In Madrid we got to see famous works of art by Picasso in the Prada Museum, the largest in Europe. We also got to do some sketching at Placa Mayor, an interesting space as it is very ordered in nature, however it is inset in a very "chaotic" old city form and this can be seen by simply entering from the city context into the placa itself. We also got to do some "power sketching" at Renia Sofia and the Ciaxa Forum. Renia Sofia is an excellent example of successful "exterior circulation" experienced through its glass circulation towers.

In Cordoba, we were treated like royalty the first night in the Baths of Cordoba. The next day we visited the great Mosque of Cordoba, and learned how to formulate the proportioning system of the hundreds of horseshoe arches supporting the structure.

Moving on to Granada, we visited the beautiful Alhambra. The level of articulation and detail is surreal, especially for the time that it was completed. The idea of hierarchy and passage through space and emotion is also evident in the design. This had to be one of my most favorite places that I have visited since being in Spain.

Sevilla, a beautiful city, brought the Alcazar and the Cathedral of Sevilla. Both were amazing sites and as if the Alhambra wasn't amazing enough, the Alcazar paralleled it with its beautiful sequence of gardens and breathtaking architecture. I have definitely taken a liking to "Islamic architecture," in its detailing and its proportional geometries.

Merida was a city taken out of Rome and placed in Spain, so it felt...We got to see the Roman Ruins in Merida (a typical Roman theater and amphitheater) along with the Museum of Roman Architecture" and the famous Roman aqueducts, where we did some more "power sketching."

All in all, the trip was awesome and I would do it again in a heartbeat. And as for the food...Madrid takes the cake, no pun intended, but tapas hoping was definitely a good idea...

Week 3_This isn't CUA

As the my third week comes to a close here in Barcelona, I begin to appreciate what I took for granted back at home and at CUA - free meals already cooked and prepared for me, being able to get to studio in 2 minutes as opposed to 20, a dryer, and of course the comfort of being able to converse with everyone around me. I guess its just a lesson I'll have to bring home with me - not to take things for granted and to be happy to enjoy a Pryz burger...

In the architectural scheme of things, I have begun to look at how the architecture of the city informs the culture. The small alleys and roads often become pedestrian pathways and combined with the many shops and restaurants they bring a certain life to the city that is not really found in the US. I like the idea of a pedestrian city and I think that is what I associate Barcelona as. The placas scattered around the city act as gathering spaces and points of reference. The large placas begin to introduce an element of interaction, whereas the smaller more enclosed placas create a sense of intimacy amd privacy. There is something nice about the hierarchy of space in Barcelona, there's an even balance of large Vs. small and private Vs. public.

As for my travels during this past week, we visited the Forum and the open exhibition space surrounding it. It was interesting how the outside exhibition space seemed so grand and open; it was very inviting to the water's edge, however it was sparse. I know there is a great dealof construction and expansion going on surrounding the Forum so I have hope that this will bring the area back up to par with the rest of the city.