Michael Geller is in Spain:
I do not think I have ever seen any modern building complex that is quite as fantastic as the futuristic complex of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. It comprises five astonishing buildings…four by Santiago Calatrava and one by Felix Candela.
I’m amazed too, having never seen or remember hearing of this complex. Lots more pics here. It’s also worth checking out Valencia on Google Earth, to see the greenway that flows through the city on a once-flooded riverbed, and, as Geller notes, the way the agricultural lands come into the heart of the city.
…. if one measures ‘greeness’ by the amount of park space and plantings, Vancouver has a long way to go to catch up to Valencia. A former river that was re-routed following a devastating flood is now a major ‘green spine’ running through the city. There are also extensive plantings along the road, and the city has somehow managed to protect agricultural lands and wetlands adjacent to the city centre.
I stopped wondering why we don’t have such magnificent institutional buildings in Canada when I learned of the debt load of Spain and Portugal.
they also have magnificient institutional buildings in other countries without massive debt problems. I.e. Germany.
I walked around the Centre for Arts and Sciences a couple of years ago and was completely blown away by the architecture…
Lots of oohs and aahs but perhaps someone could explain what the photo (above) is showing and its significance. Thx.