Sevilla, Spain 11.19.07

Renfe Train Station

Giralda Cathedral, 2nd or 3rd largest in Europe (depending on which guide book you read).


Barrio Santa Cruz. "Kissing Lanes" as they are named because they are so narrow the building kiss each other. From our hotel balcony I could easily touch the balcony railing of the building opposite. Another lane was barely 3' across. Like Granada and Cordoba, the unusually compressed fabric helps in the hot summers, providing shade. Some areas had much more color which makes the lanes even more cozy, perhaps claustrophobic to some. This is opposed to the white washed stucco in Granada and Cordoba which reflects a lot more light on the street.

Plaza de Espanya

Moneo's airport

Cordoba, Spain 11.19.07

The Mezquita.

Cordoba's Jewish Quarter, and it's tight streets and hidden surprises.

Granada, Spain 11.18.07

Granada's Cathedral. Not the biggest in Europe (not in top 4 anyway), but the uplighting and the white makes it feel much larger than others on our trip.

Alhambra Palacios Nazaries. Amazing.

Alcazaba

Getting lost until sunset

Valencia, Spain 11.16.07

Valencia's Central Mercado. Spain has some great markets, and fewer supermarket chains. Gerry, I couldn't find the lady selling goat heads, so I got you one order of 'shopping cart full of mixed meats'. I know what you're thinking, and don't worry, that guy is wearing a hair net.

Nice housing project we stumbled upon. Brick and wood windows and louvers, simple but bold palatte.

Jardin Del Turia. Old river transformed into one of the nicest urban parks I've seen.


"Calatrava Extravaganza, on Steroids" as Gerry put it. Performance center building looks like something out of Star Wars. The entire complex was on an incredible scale. I'd have to compare it to the R. Meier's Getty Center and T. Ando's Awaji Umebutai, given the enourmous scope/budget and freedom of design.

Solar ovens cooking up some Paella. Smelled good. Vamos Greenpeace!

School field trip!


Door open, door close, door hinges, behind closed door.


wow

and Calatrava is building another one. Looks interesting.

Chipperfield's America's Cup building. Looks like the bridge of a battleship more than a sailboat. Look at those clean lines though, no rail posts, continuous soffit.

Madrid, Spain 11.13.07

Rafael Moneo's extension to Prado Museum.

Jean Nouvel's extension to the Reina Sofia Museum.

Teatro Valle-Inclan, local community theater.

Community Library addition and reuse of an existing old church, damaged from the war.


Richard Roger's Barajas Airport terminal.

Herzog + De Meuron's CaixaForum, still under construction.

Perforated and patterened Corten panels.

San Sebastian + Bilbao, Spain 11.09.07

San Sebastain is a wonderful and clean city. Asti's paranoia of pet droppings has been subdued in Basque country. Pintxos and txacoli are specialty food + drinks.

Moneo's Kursaal.

Eduardo Chillida sculptures, Chillida Leku. Wonderful outdoor sculpture museum. I fall under the group of people who are particularly intregued with his series of rough massive objects (stone, steel) with sharp, smooth boxes subtracted and interconnected to create these almost architectural voids. Perhaps coming from his architecture training.


Bilbao's airport, Calatrava. Lots and lots of custom steel.

Another one of his elegant bridges.

Guggenheim Museum and "Mama" spider sculpture.

Fuel guzzling art.