The first day was a great walk- we walked all the way from 10:00am until 5:00pm, it felt just like my summer Spain experience, although I didn't need to run through the streets this time. We started at Mies's Barcelona Pavilion. We have learned about this building since the first day of being an IIT student, it almost felt like home being there. Mies's later career focused on the structure and connection where his earlier works were based on planes. This building, built in 1929, was one of those earlier buildings and contrasts the building I work in every day back in Chicago. He uses marble, water, and glass to create unique interactions with amazing reflections. Although I was just here a little over 3 months ago, I never noticed how this building reflected until yesterday. Every material creates a new surface to create a new image. The water reflects the glass which reflects the marble which reflects the statue in the water. I never quite noticed how much Mies played with this- and being able to see this building through that perspective- an indirect perspective, was amazing.
Next we went through the Olympic Pavilion. It is such a different experience to be in this Olympic area than it was to be in the one in Munich. Barcelona's Olympic Pavilion was empty, vacant, worn down, and unihabited except for the few tourists passing by. It was very bland, nothing exciting except a usual arena, swimming pool, and a "doo-dad" antena to act as a symbol for the area.
We broke for lunch and met back in the old town in the afternoon. Here, we went to the CCCB building- one of my absolute favorite buildings in all of Europe. The building use to consist of an old plaza with four exteriors all lining up wrapping around the interior courtyard. When they decided to make the buildings into one museum, they tore down one of the four sides and replaced it with a large glass building, with the top angled down, in which the space acted only as the circulation through the museum. The glass structure didn't only act as the new building, but the glass (again with the reflections) reflected the other courtyard exteriors to finish off the fourth "missing" exterior, so you can stand facing the new glass wall and still feel what it felt like to be in the courtyard 10 years ago. As for the angle on the top, at first glance, it appears to be a "modern" jesture, but if you sit on the only bench provided in the courtyard and look at the angle, it is situated at the perfect angle to see all the way back down the hill and to the ocean. It is an amazing experience to be so far away from the ocean while in this enclosed courtyard but look and see the open city all the way to the water.
The last place we saw the first day were the old Roman Baths. I was never able to see these the last time I was in Barcelona, and they are absolutely amazing. They are some of the most preserved roman ruins in all of Europe. You were able to see the foundations, building entrances, wine cellars, and even the mosaic floors of a house.
The second day was Shoreline day, the day my group was in charge of planning. Luckily, I had already been in Barcelona and knew my way around fairly well, so was able to fit a lot into a little day. We started at the Natural Gas building built just 3 years ago. It is an all glass building with massive cantelievers, which you will find a building in Barcelona just isn't architecture unless there's a massive canteliever. The gesture was immense, but honestly unneeded. It was powerful and showed the power the gas company has over the city, but the fact that the canteliver does nothing for the building but add complications and a "look what I can do" attitude made me not appreciate the building as much as the architect intended.
We took a little walk along the shore and ended up at the Gehry fish. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of Gehry, but the view of this fish from the shore makes this one of my favorite structures Gehry designed. He is always designing around a fish, and this time he was able to actually design a fish. He was asked by Bruce Graham, architect at SOM and designer of the building just behind the fish, to design the sculpture. It is made of copper and shimmers in the sun just like the scales of a fish. However, when you stand underneath the fish, the structure ruins everything. It is bulky, out of place, and adds nothing to the sculpture, it distracts from it instead of enhancing it. (If it looks good in the picture- it's only because I took an amazing shot!)
Before breaking for a swim in the sea we saw the two contrasting towers designed as Olympic housing. One building, by Graham of SOM has the structure on the exterior, much like the Hanncock which he also designed. It makes the building appear light yet supported. However, there was discreption within the group that the real structure may be a concrete core inside, if so, this building is totally ruined for me. Standing right next to this is the Mapfre tower with identical dimensions but opposite concept. All of the structure is in the interior and the building is designed to look massive with large windows to see out. Together, these buildings are the tallest in all of Barcelona- however if they stood in Chicago, you wouldn't even be able to notice them. The entire area infront of the buildings was also redesigned for the Olympics. They added all of the beach front, a harbour and several levels of restaurants to allow interaction with the site from the passer-by.
After the swim, we went over to Jean Nouvel's park. This has to be one of my favorite parks I've ever been in. It is so welcoming and filled with willow trees to allow shade and comfort. It was a very soft and inviting feel to be in the park- it made you not want to leave.
Next we saw the Me Hotel- anothing amazing building in Barcelona. It is based off of shifting in which one of the three parts is completely cantelievered over the sidewalk (again with the cantelievers). The facade is made of corrugated aluminum behind glass which makes the building just glisten in the sunlight- attracting all those tourists to spend their money in that building.
We then saw another park much different than the first. This was more of a sculptural park than anything. The architect placed planters all over the park with a section of his pregnant wife's body as the outline of the planter (weird...). He then placed several ornate sculptures throughout a pond. It definitely wasn't as welcoming as Nouvel's park, but definitely something to see.
We ended the day at the Expo Forum. Hurzog and Demuron designed the main building as what I think is a piece of cheese. It is a perfect equalateral triangle in plan with the entire building cantelivered off of different interior points made of glass in which you are able to enter through. The facade is made of blue spray on concrete, just one of the thing that just ruins the building. To me, this program is just too large for the concept to work. Maybe it would be better on a smaller scale, but you are never able to see the entire building unless you are in a helicopter, and it ruins the experience of the building as a whole.
The last place is my favorite spot in all of Barcelona- the massive solar panel. We still don't konw what exactly this is powering, but it is the largest solar panel I have ever seen. The architect designed the entry so that as you approach it, it appears that the visitors under the solar panel could take one step forwards and fall straight down into the sea. It's all a play on perspective and topography, but it creates a horrific yet sensable feeling. Once you walk to the end of the panel, the view out to the ocean is serine- you can sit on the steps and watch the water forever.
So- for the past two days, we have been seeing and doing a lot in Barcelona. Tomorrow is our last school day, Gaudi day, and then I have the weekend here until I head back to Paris. So if anyone out there knows of any good things to see, eat, go to here in Barcelona, please let me know! I miss everyone and I hope you're all doing great! (Again- I promise to post pictures as soon as I return to Paris!)
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