Santiago Calatrava: A Visionary With An Eye For Detail

The worlds of architecture and engineering have their similarities and differences but with very little imagination one can see how the two could easily blend to create a career for someone who shows the correct balance of creativity and thoroughness. This is a path that many others have followed but this essay looks particularly at the work of Santiago Calatrava, one of the most celebrated architects of our time.

His early Years

He was born in 1951 in Valencia, Spain. This can be seen as a blessing or a curse to someone who intends to enter the field of architecture. This is a region that is steeped in history and beautiful buildings. One could say this would be a wonderful thing because it could give you ideas on how to structure your own work later on. The downside is that it could become the defining characteristic of ones aesthetic. He managed to avoid this. When he studied in his hometown’s university, he carved his own niche in terms of style which is a large part of why his work would later be so in demand.

Starting a career

Santiago’s first major building was the Montjuic Communication Tower in Spain back in 1991. He had completed several bridges prior to this but the rest of the nineties saw him becoming more popular due to his work on that specific project. He favored bold futuristic designs early on which appealed to others who were less impressed with the traditional designs so frequently created by his peers in the field of architecture. His services were also called upon in the creation of the New York World Trade Center rebuilding project. This building will represent a great triumph and recovery for the people of that city.

Artistic Side Projects

For someone who is that interested in the creative aspect of life it is not surprising that Calatrava has also experienced some success as an artist. He has mastered not only painting but sculpting and through those two media he expresses the other aspects of his creativity. This may also help in the creation of models that are not yet ready to be built.

As a very influential member of the architectural community, Calatrava has been awarded some of the highest accolades available. He continues to work and his services continue to be requested worldwide.