A Bike Ride Through @22

The area of 22@ in Barcelona is a wonderful compliment to both the old gothic city, and the slightly newer example district. Modern buildings dominate the skyline and create a truly dynamic contrast to the rest of the city. As in most modern buildings, the qualities of transparency and translucency pose both an aesthetic and a functional problem that the architects have all solved in different and unique ways. One unique solution we saw was in media-TIC. Large triangular forms create a buffer for solar gain as they can inflate or deflate throughout the day. However in other areas of the façade these forms disappear and only glass remains. Unfortunately we were not able to go inside the building so I am curious to know how much transparency occurs through these triangular forms. I am also curious to know what occurs in program behind the areas in the façade in which there is only glass. I would like to know why it is those specific places where a clearer view is achieved. One spot is right above the entry, which makes sense as a way to denote the entrance, however another spot is on the top floors which may provide a clear view to the beach, but I am just speculating. Another completely different approach to facades is that of Illa de la Llum, the apartment complex on the beach. The difference in program, I believe, is the reason for such contrast in facades. Here, because of the individual units, there appear to be moveable screens which can act to block out the sun. Because of this, the façade never appears the same as screens are moved back and forth. I would love to see inside one of these units and see what the views look like even when the screen is in place. I personally don’t love the façade from a distance, the colors seem dark and bland compared to the vibrant beach that it faces, however when closer up it starts to appear much more beautiful. I also would think that this is the much more functional of the two projects, however I cannot be certain having not been inside either.

                                                   A Dismal Drawing, For a Dismal Day

In my visit to the San Antoni Library, I believe the weather set the tone for both the day and the building. The library utilizes large black towers, accompanied with horizontal connecting pathways to create its form. While we were told the color choice was made because of the reflections of the surroundings it could create, I see the two towers simply as scars piercing the once beautiful cityscape. In my drawing, I employed the use of watercolors in an attempt to show the contrast between these black towers and the surrounding city. I am new to water coloring, but I enjoy the challenge. I would defiantly say this is not one of my better perspectives, in fact I would say it is quite terrible, however I believe the essence of my feelings towards the building project remain clear. The materiality is clear, clean straight black lines. However the form becomes much more complicated. When talking simply about the two towers and crossways connecting the project I suppose there is a great deal of simplicity, however the project has a great deal more to it. There is an entire park attached, in fact it is the location that I drew this drawing from. There is a small playground for children inside, which is surrounded by glass walls that seal off some sort or recreation center for older folks. I feel that this space is something that could have been captured in my drawing, however I have failed in this regard as well. So all in all I would have to say though I am not a huge fan of the building project, my drawing surely did not represent it well either.

It is clear to me in my time in Barcelona, that parks and green space are just as important to the people as is the urban environment. It seems that everywhere I look I see examples of green space throughout the city, not just in the vast and beautiful parks, but glimpses can be seen everywhere. Whether it is tram tracks laid out on beds of grass, or slits in concrete where grass can grow through, the greenery can be seen throughout. However more notably are the vast green spaces provided by Ciutadella Park and the botanical gardens at Montjuic.

            Both parks are very similar in several ways. They are both vast parks built upon ruins, Montjuic on a defensive encampment, and Ciutadella Park on a medieval building. They both attempt to create spaces in which denizens of the city can escape the bustling lifestyle of Barcelona, and find a quiet place to relax.

            The execution of both parks however, varies greatly. Ciutadella Park is closer to the heart of the city, surrounded by streets and buildings. It holds a strong axis leading towards the beach, but the park itself is large enough that there is plenty of space created in spaces surrounding the central axis. There is plenty of vegetation and areas for dogs and people alike to run free. The botanical gardens in Montjuic, however, have a very different feeling. The botanical gardens are situated up away from the heart of the city, and therefore can be much more expansive. It seems almost French in the way that nature is sculpted to fit the needs of the people as pathways wind and zig zag across the space. In my opinion the botanical gardens are the much more beautiful place, in that they offer more serenity and variety of vegetation.

 Southern Spain vs. Barcelona

     In my adventures throughout southern Spain, it became quite clear to me that Spain is as diverse a country as any.  And the differences between the city of Barcelona and the cities of the south of Spain are many. While Barcelona gives the feeling of a bustling metropolis, the town of Seville reminds one of a small town frozen in time. The tiny meandering streets are all dwarfed by the grand cathedral, which lies close to the center of the town.  Here, bullfighting is the sport of choice, and gypsies stroll the streets selling their goods. Toledo could not be more similar to Seville. This too is a town frozen in time. A large castle-like wall surrounds the city, with a grand cathedral in the center, with nothing but small shops and homes standing throughout the rest of the city. Knife and sword making is still one of the local pastimes, and the views from the top of this mountainous town are spectacular. Progressing north, the town or Cordoba seems to be a small Muslim city surrounding a grand mosque. Similarly, Granada seems to be simply a town built around the great mountainous fortress that is the Alhambra. The Alhambra was a highlight of the trip. It consists of a mountaintop fortress, sprawling with buildings from several centuries of construction, also affording wonderful views of the surrounding snow capped mountains. Madrid, the capital of Spain and the first stop on our trip, was the city most similar to Barcelona. Though the two cities hate each other, and duke it out on the soccer field each year for superiority, the cities themselves are both very similar. They seem to be the two most modern cities in Spain, both boasting tall office building, and taxi lined streets. They are the two largest cities in the country, and it is evident not just in their size, but in the number of people that walk the bustling streets everyday.