Crazy by Gehry

The singular envelope of this building teaches us the twisted and the spectacular which the mind can be.
(Edición en Español)

Hi, is difficult that in a family so extensive in the time and the space (I talk about mine, of course) do not appear cases of neurodegenerative diseases, like the Alzheimer or the Parkinson, to give just two examples, this generate a special sensitivity to these diseases and becomes of vitally important help to other families to cope this hard trance. I, Rodolfo, I have no magic formula, but I believe in the research as a fundamental tool for the progress in the diagnosis and treatment.

Our lineage has always walked in this direction, helps the surname (I do not deny) but there are more people who are moved by empathy, that those that do for interest, this has generated a strong synergy, resulting in spectacular advances that were unthinkable (never better said) a few decades ago. There are many associations and centres that allocated resources and time in the search for solutions, and the best, are few that are disconnected from the rest, so today I present you here, with proudly, one of those pioneers centres, designed by the most peculiar architect of the world.

It's the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Centre, a new clinical centre highly specialized in the research, the detection and the treatment of neurological diseases, you know, Alzheimer, Huntington, Parkinson or the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (or ALS) with headquartered in Las Vegas since 2010. The installation cost some 100 million dollars (92 million euros), and has a diagnostic centre, rooms of neuro-imaging, medical clinics and laboratories devoted to clinical research, as well as other trifles which I will introduce more forward.

Before, I will talk about Larry Ruvo, a businessman who had lost his father (Lou Ruvo) because of Alzheimer's disease and who had the initiative to create this Centre. He called the most popular architect the world (perhaps), Frank Gehry, who has among other awards the Pritzker Architecture of 1989 or the Principe de Asturias of the arts 2014, very meritorious awards that speak for themselves of his professional career. He refused to hear the offer, had never done any work in the city of Las Vegas, and wasn't going to start doing it now. But nothing is forever, so they will came to an agreement: Larry would include the disease of Hurrington on the list of research and Gehry would put his best intention in the project.

The reasons for the request of Gehry were personal, like everything in the life, one of his best friends, Milto Wexler, his woman had suffered such illness, and the architect was affected by the fate of his friend and family. Milto Wexler was psychoanalyst and overturned part of his life in the pursuit of treatments for the Hurrington, until he was the forerunner of the hereditary diseases Foundation, now is his daughter, Nancy, who has taken the reins of the Foundation. At two years of starting the project in 2009, Larry Ruvo had already a renowned partner: the Cleveland Clinic, I call this synergy, without a doubt.

For this visit I told my engineer cousin, you know, the helicopter pilot. Fly over the building is something that exceeds any carousel or attraction in the city of Las Vegas, I assure you that it is incredible to see the  stainless steel cover vast and amorphous, a bunch of inscrutable metal from the sky and from the ground. We were on the verge of running out without fuel, less evil than my cousin is a professional of first and he is not carried away by the emotions.

The complex consists of two buildings, as if it were the two hemispheres of the brain, the rational, where are carried out the medical functions and of research and the emotional hemisphere, where are developed the public events. Between both a transition zone, a park from which you can observe the building and take pictures to upload to twitter or instagram. Aesthetically the rational hemisphere consists of a series of volumes of glass and white stucco, a series of very well organized parallelepipeds that give us some security and peace for the mind.

The second hemisphere, the emotional, is wrapped in a bizarre and enormous curtain wall of stainless steel, with folds and angles without apparent connection (Froid would say: like our dreams). This spectacular wall is anchored to the main facade of the building by 544 elements of steel that weigh between 900 and 4,500 kilograms each, and is subject between 60 and 100 bolts, 18,000 shingles of the same material are joined by 30,000 stainless steel screws for give it its final appearance. But that is not all, 199 windows of the building are different between yea, and 18,000 shingles also (even have 875 different tones), of course, it required a special method to identify and place each of these shingles, so, great evils, great remedies. Thanks to the technology BIM was established a barcode for each of stainless steel plates, of this form, they  analyze individually the parts before its final placement... exciting!

The complex includes the Museum of the mind (a centre of interactive learning that focuses on the mind and the brain), a public Cafe and a catering kitchen for those operated of the Wolfgang Puck organization, conference rooms, office spaces; and an auditorium for events, seminars, conferences and forums. Inside the Auditorium, with 13,000 cubic meters of internal volume and a capacity of 400 seated people or 700 people in foot, you can start to tremble, admiring the sinuous cover, which becomes a wall completely drilled by irregular shape windows. All in a pristine white.

The material that covers a large part of the building is the stucco, a stucco of pristine white. This material has its birth in Venice, with the famous Venetian stucco, it is a mixture of natural elements: slaked lime, powdered marble, plaster and pigments of different colours; it blend until it form a paste that lining the walls. Are used both indoors and outdoors, according to its composition, and allows different finishes: rough, smooth, polished, even you can model giving it different shapes. It is flame retardant, antibacterial (you remember the lime?), and breathable (with what we avoid humidity by condensation).

Its thickness ranges between 2 and 4 mm, always giving it a minimum in two hands, unless the manufacturer indicate another form of use. It is essential that the walls on which we are going to paint with stucco are completely flat, the final visual quality depends of this. I love the idea of using this material in my future building, above all because it is durable, and boasts a wide range of colors and finishes. Bye bye.

The Tulip Korean of Dior

Seam in the outside, seam in the inside, not could have been erected a best Mansion in Seoul for the luxury brand by excellence.
(Edición en español)

Hi, how affects the maximum expression of the luxury to the architecture? Or, expressed in another way, can we understand the architecture without the luxury? If you ask to your tireless "search engine" of materials and construction systems, Rodolfo (I, of course), sure that he would tell you something witty and disturbing, as, for example, "asks Dior!"

Recently I was invited (of course) to the opening of the Maison of Dior in Seoul, specifically in the luxurious Cheongdam Dong District. This district has been transformed in the commitment of the French brand by the market of South Korea. A building that weaves the Haute Couture with the architecture and who dares with new challenges, such as, for example, the merger of three different materials in the creation of a fantastic facade that lights up the street from the end more opposed (if you think it is true, I was pleasantly surprised).

The outcomes accompany the company in the first half of this year, and with this new incursion anyone doubts their growth in the Asian market. So, with the wind in favor, Dior decided to embark on this new adventure that involves the completion of the last (for now) brand boutique. The design of the building was conducted by the famed Christian de Portzamparc, in whose career has a Pritzker Prize from 1994 (not-so-distant).

The architect, of the old school, was not only based on his professional experience, also he got involved with the art of sewing, scrutinizing with interest for find the idea I wanted to express. Thus, the construction is clearly separated in two volumes, which reflect two ideas clear and antagonistic: the lightness and the absoluteness. The first represented by the shades of white of the façade and its different provisions in layers of metal and glass, together with the asymmetry (parts of the building that not saved spatial relationship between them) of its exterior. The second, represented by a sullen and rectangular volume, of which comes the first, merging ideas in a subtle and elegant, as the House of fashion would.

The construction is distributed in six floors, with an art gallery, a lounge VIP (where make presentations), and, as a pleasant surprise, two plants unique to the Dior Homme collection, obviously, I took note of what I need to buy. When you enter in the building, you can see the hand of the other great architect of the design in this great work, Peter Marino, whose experience includes houses as Chanel, Loewe and Louis Vuitton among others. He was who decided to greet us with a sculpture of Lee Bul. Also had to do with the arrangement and choice of interior decoration, where the decorations shine with their own light: woods, lacquers, leather, unique fabrics...

If I did not say it, the opening of the building was on 20 June, and, if I have not said you, I have two places which, undoubtedly, will impress you. The first is the spiral staircase that reach different levels intended for the prêt-à-porter, with the most varied collection of Dior (shoes, perfumes, jewelry, bags...) for the Femme, all elegantly distributed with the due harmonization of tones in different walls and furniture. As all important stairs combines aesthetics and functionality, thus, gives a feeling of weightlessness comparable to the (fantastic) facade, this time by two equally opposing concepts: transparency on a railing and the reflection in the other, however, the effect of enlargement of the space is to sit and admire it.

My other place is favorite for three reasons. The first by the location, the top floor which includes terrace outside, the second by the function, is a plant intended to Cafeteria with a superb and luminous design which include the large floor-to-ceiling windows, and, most importantly, the third reason, has its own name: Pierre Hermé, a renowned French pastry chef who comes from a line of chefs and he has written numerous books and has distributed its boutiques by the world. Hermé has prepared a letter special for Dior coffe (so called) with unique products, such as the Ispahan (association of rose, litchi and raspberry), and other surprises that I will not reveal (at least today).

As gift for the visitors to this new flagship, Dior has launched an exclusive collection that only will be sold there, accessories and handbags with the phrase of Limited Edition that, surely, become in the obsession for the many adorers of the brand.

But now you are going to allow me that I return to the facade. In 2011 Portzamparc begins to glimpse what will be the outside surface, it is clear that he wants to cover it in such a way that it represents a dress. He dissects this huge fabric in eleven parts, in the form of folds or pieces of cloth that exits the metal box (enormous). These huge areas (of up to 20 meters height) had to be made with a very special material, an intense work of experimentation was necessary to achieve this. Conclusion: the fusion of resins, plaster and fabric, in unique molds and with a colossal size.

With this discovery they moved to Seoul, where it prepared the molds and gave life to the panels that perfectly simulate the weightlessness, the touch and the fluidity of a fabric. They required large transports and the blockade of the main arteries of the city to move these pieces from the factory to its resting place. Once there began another equally singular work, using two cranes led the elements to its final location, them respecting the necessary franchises for proper dilation of various materials. The dilation is the property that most affects the design of a building, so it is not a trivial matter, limits us the size, the distribution and the efficiency. The useful life of the building depends of the rigorous implementation of these parameters (resounding).

For me, this is a clear example of the combination of the different qualities of materials: adhesion of the resins, workability of the gypsum and the tensile strength of the fabric. Bye bye.

The Translucent Concrete

The Pompidou Centre opened its second European headquarters in Malaga, with distinguished visitors and a material that will give much to talk.

Hi, the power of metamorphosis of some materials is given by their interaction with others of different fracture, combining the best qualities of each one of them. The Art knows much about this combination of synergies (union of parts different to achieve a better/greater effect), so has shown it for centuries, since the theatre was created by combining a prescribed script, some changing rooms, artists of various kinds and qualities and, of course, the public.

A month ago (specifically on March 28) opened the Pompidou Centre in Malaga, as you know, I was specifically invited, and you would has read in the international media. Of course, they also had the courtesy of inviting the President of the Government (Mariano Rajoy), the Minister of culture French (Fleur Perellín), the Baroness Thyssen and Malaga's Antonio Banderas, among other figures and authorities. There I found a material with incredible possibilities and which, of course, I've put on my white list: translucent concrete.

The Pompidou Centre in Malaga

The citizens of this region of Spain are in luck, especially those who are united by the love of culture, clear. It's the first headquarters of Pompidou that open outside from France, and could not have chosen another option better than the Earth of another great artist: Pablo Picasso (you thought in Antonio Banderas eh?), there you can enjoy works of Frida Kahlo, Alberto Giacometti, Francis Bacon and Picasso himself and others, I counted 80 but you do not trust me, I was very distracted with the concurrence.

Walking between "celebrities" and "authorities", and between talk and comment, your always loyal Rodolfo, was analyzing the construction of the new Museum. "The cube" is the recipient where the provisional headquarters of the Pompidou will be established for five years, extendable for another five if the parties so decide. This unique building is located in the port of Malaga and since its conception had cultural vocation, the building was completed in 2013 and adapted in 2014 and has become an icon of the opening of the Malaga dock to the city.

The simple shape of a transparent cube, built with steel and glass, announces us what will be our passage through the facilities, a simple enjoyment where paramount are the works of art exhibited, for the inauguration Daniel Buren was commissioned for the recreation of the Cube... simply fantastic (do not miss the photos). The 6,800 square meters, distributed in two floors, contain the permanent showroom (distributed by Brigitte Leal, Director of the Museum of modern art in Paris) and an auditorium in plant less one and a room for temporary exhibitions, a space workshop, stores, welcome to the desired audience, the cafeteria and the administrative offices on the ground zero.

The main problem of this type of construction (in the basement) is the light, obviously, the lack of sunlight exponentially increases spending on electricity consumption, but, on the other hand, excessive heat also increases spending in refrigeration, in addition, an excess of light is also detrimental to the reproduction of the colours of the exposed pictures. The solution is, for me, and without neglecting the works of art, the best of the Museum: panel’s i- light ®. A success it place as a coating of inner courtyards, just below the cube.

This panels are pre-cast concrete that allow the passage of the light, are composed of cement (obvious) and special resins (in our case white) that reveal the images behind the panel without changing the colour. Using this material it’s sieved the light, gets a uniform surround and, most importantly, gets a reduction of temperature transmission. These panels were devised by the company FYM Italcementi for the Italian Pavilion at the universal exhibition in Expo Shanghai 2010.

To coat the surface of almost 254 square meters of the courtyards were used 96 pieces, a half of 175 kg and the other half of 250 (thanks to the cranes!) and nine special parts for the corners and the union with the glass. Although this material had already been used never been done with this surface and with a height of 284 and 203 centimetres by 120 of width. The total cost of the parts was around the 100,000 euros and the placement of the structure support and mounting parts (which were performed in five and four days respectively) cost only 40,500 euros.

Litracon

The translucent concrete

An anecdote with some sympathy occurred when, a few meters from the Lord Banderas, I was trying to discern that fragrance of their own harvest he used... attempt foiled in advance, of course, because it was me who used the "Diavolo". But let's look at the ours, there are other companies that perform elements with translucent concrete, if we saw that Itacelmenti makes them with resins, Litracon used optical fibers (15%), mixed with cement, allowing the light to pass through these. Markets its product in pieces parallelepipeds (brick).

Lucem

The Austrian Lucem has gone a little further than Litracon and has joined the translucent concrete with wood and methacrylate, thus forming a material with acoustic properties. They have a technical department and help you in choosing the product and their formats, even if you wish, they advise on the installation. They offer varied formats and are very well suited to your needs, both inside and outside of your building.

Luccon

Finally the Luccon company also offers concrete translucent in different formats according to the needs of the customer, although this concrete has excellent mechanical properties, it is clear that its light transmission feature makes it aesthetically very appealing. Luccon highlights this quality through the incorporation of direct lighting for their decorative elements, the predominant colors are black, grey and white.

The translucent concrete cannot miss in the next building that you build, remember that the knowledge obligate, and, thanks to me, you know this material. Bye bye.

The Invisible Building

A building that merges with its environment? That's nothing! It continues until the end of the article and you will see the past and the future.

Hi, the invisibility has always been an obsession in the humanity, it is a feature that has a lot to do with two issues of the psyche of the individual: his desire to go unnoticed and their interest in doing the impossible. You can imagine that I, Rodolfo, illustrious son of an ancient dynasty, do not understand of invisibility, and, in fact, I do not like (sincerity above all) so I am sceptic with this article (mine), clear that my reasons I have, and if not, time to time.

In my life as close that I had of the term was when I read "The Invisible Man" from Herbert George Wells, (H.G. Wells for the history), and I must say that I liked the book, clear that nothing to do with another of his famous hits: "The machine of the time"... brilliant! Now, we can understand (not without effort) that anyone who wants to stop being referred to, but why make a building which you cannot enjoy visually? (I warned you: I am sceptical).

The Cira Centre

The Cira Centre is strategically located in the Philadelphia's 30th Street station, and was a commercial success, because it was the first skyscraper of offices that was built in the city in more than one decade, because before being used already had hired 90 per cent of its surface with large companies and, no less important , because it adds two elements vital to this type of buildings: an excellent communication (you know, just above a station) and a visual impact of first (does not go unnoticed). The project manager could not be other than the venerable César Pelli, which has been reference of the architecture for several decades (see the Petronas towers).

The building counted with the collaboration of other architecture firm: Bower Lewis Thrower Architecs, which, in addition, projected the parking, the pedestrian bridge and the mezzanine of the SEPTA (Pennsylvania Southeast transport authority). But sure that you rub your hands waiting for the numbers, here are: the building reaches 133 meters in height that are distributed in 29 plants with 68,000 square meters of surface. Its cost was 116 million dollars (107 million euros), has 14 elevators of high speed, two forklifts and the possibility of obtaining a 360 degree view (fantastic). The particularity that makes different to this construction of others of similar fracture is, of course, which is designed to evaporate with the external environment. So it is covered with a silvery glass curtain wall.

The work is chiselled with different angles so that you'll never see two same facades. The optical effect will not let indifferent, this is achieved due to the use of (obvious) reflective glass, the use of supports of steel with only 7.5 inches of width and an illumination strategy. This strategy was coordinated with the Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design company using a system of 1,800 Leds (always leds) to illuminate the facade, hidden in shadow boxes, as a wallpaper behind the wall, where it are not visible from the outside and can create infinite compositions of colour and movement.

It also has an annex parking of nine floors below of ground with access to the dressing room of the building. The construction company told (Turner Construction) having a system of air gap of 100%, which is a very good news, the buildings with an envelope without openings require a foreign supply of clean and healthy air. The curtain wall is lined by high performance glass, which guarantees the solar protection, which reduces the need for cooling (a necessary savings).

Future of “the invisible building”

Here the narrative of the building "hard to see", now I'm going to talk briefly about the future, what is to come. And is that in South Korea have already begun to build a "new invisible building", using the more advanced techniques such as adding cameras displayed the environment in time real to distribute it in the reflective facade of the building. The designer is the team of the international GDS Architecture, with based in Pasadena. The building will have a whopping 450 meters of height (more or less) and will have the title of the sixth tower tallest in the world. Of course it will have the fully glazed surface, will be called "Tower Infinity" and will be the nightmare of the more specialized glass cleaner. The project also contemplates the realization of several buildings (surrounding the first) completely glazed, from the sky you will see a group of polyhedral crystals pulled in Korea (without words).

Light

But the light does not come from the glass, or the sky, the light comes from Cambridge. On July 28, 2014 was published in the journal "Nature Communications" a scientific advancement of the Cambridge-Scientifics. Achieving the invisibility by creating Metamaterials with nanotechnology (of course). Using the light of the laser as a catalyst, they are implemented linked nanoparticles so they can refract light or (better) to disguise an object as if it were another. Personally this last possibility seems exciting: would you like your building to change of aspect to your own liking? Yes!

As you can see, I don't like the invisibility but I refuse not to the future. Bye bye.

The Copper Triangle

Three buildings of typology and different applications share a material: the copper.

Hi, to think that the experiences do not change our way of life is something that, pardon me, doesn't make much sense, my cousin Frenchwoman would say "au contraire", the experiences always lead us to a different world. The dimension of the change that we experience is a refreshing and dialectical discussion, it is also the preferred theme when we are faced (my cousin and me), she is the main protagonist in this article, she and the copper, clear.

I don't know as Sigmund Freud think, one of those doctors who has played a crucial role in the current methods of the Psychiatry (there are who calls him the father of the psychoanalysis), but I do not think that knowing it could change my point of view. With the permission of my cousin, you know, French and model of success (almost a cliché), I transcribe here an e-mail that he sent me recently, also she love my articles and she could not help looking with new eyes the constructions that she visited in her professional career. But I leave, that she described how he came to appreciate a very particular metal: the copper.

Dear Rodolfo: I discovered the triangle of the copper

As you read it, Rodolfo, I discovered the copper triangle and yes, I know that you say that it is impossible to find such triangle unless, of course, that we forge the metal, but let me explain. I followed the advice that you gave me the last time we saw us, do you remember? The of "when you have a break between sessions of photos, enjoy of the architecture of the place". As well, ending January I was in Tokyo (capital of Japan) and I went to Fujitsubo a beauty salon.

It's a rectangular building that occupies only 108,31 square meters and has two main features: three large skylights in the roof, right at the top of the three pyramids with offset axis and an envelope (you the flames so) of concrete covered with a layer of copper. The copper, according to users of the salon, I was told that it change over time, because the rust of the outer layer will change its colour. The architects are the team formed by Yoshihiro Hirotani and Yusaku Archivision Ishida and believe me when I tell you that they are quite proud of his work, whose impact is very strong if we compare it with the small area in which acted.

Later, in February, we were in Chile (also for work) and I accompanied my friend to visit her father in the complex Andrónico Luksic Abaroa. This complex was inaugurated the last year and houses the Department of engineering of the mining of the Pontifical University Catholic of Chile. It occupies an area of 3,500 square meters with underground facilities and also has 1,200 square metres of green areas (or gardens). The architect responsible for (Enrique Browne) was based in the form of a mining crack for the design of the complex.

As you like the numbers, I will tell you that the building cost 4.6 billion pesos (about seven million euros), has an auditorium, offices, a Faculty Club with casino rooms (funny isn't it?), gym and living rooms. A museum protrudes towards the surface where it is exposed the history of the school of engineering, a space dedicated to the founder (Andronico Luksic) and a large rock in the Centre (10 tons), which was the first stone that came out of the mine, chosen by the Lord Andronikos personally. The Museum impressed me much with its cylindrical shape lined of copper foils.

But my trip did not end in Chile, ended in the city of Zory where the team of architects OVO Grabczewscy Architekci have designed (and built) another building whose base is the copper. In this occasion I discovered the construction when I went to do a story on the outside (you'll see it, soon, not you impatient) in the month of March. Called the building the "Museum of the fire" because the place, Zory, means fire since it was built where a forest that had burned down.

The construction have an area of 642 square meters and consists of three walls coated with copper panels. The irregular arrangement of these panels and the asymmetrical outline of them makes that the light reflected in them dance in a very unique way, almost as if you look flames, obviously, this is the main idea of the designers. It should be noted that, for than copper not be oxidized with the passage of the time, using a very special varnish, so that the 'fire' effect is always present in the building.

It was there, in Poland, where I discovered the copper triangle that form the three buildings with their three studies in architecture, in three places in the world, with three distinct geometric shapes, three different functional uses and whose common denominator is the fantastic copper, we must not disregard the use of three different languages and that I discovered in three consecutive months... kisses!

What my cousin obvious in his story are the fantastic qualities of copper as a building material. The copper is a metal that can be found in nature, this and the high ductility and malleability (property of the material that makes it can be cutting in thin layers and unless it breaks) is used by the humanity since (at least) the year 7000 b.c., in addition, is recycled in its entirety. It has many possible uses as you can imagine: ornaments in the form of figures, kitchen utensils, work tools, conducting electrical, mechanical elements (thanks to its thermal conductivity), water pipes, etc.

If you look to you around, it will be likely that you see some element of this material, and if you don't see it, is that you're not in the right place. Bye bye.

The Pool that removed the hiccup

The spectacular building of Singapore boasts with the cantilever that you can be visited more length in the world

Hi, the life is full of indecipherable and indiscernible riddles, so that the truths give security, that is the conclusion to which I, Rodolfo, I reached after countless interviews in various media, where never knew what questions I would make journalists, in revenge, they never have obtained the same response to similar questions.

One of the Islands where I thought make my future construction is Easter Island (Rapa Nui), I had a shiver of joy just from thinking about eating the Umu Rapa Nui several times a year! I have even come to imagine that the building that will built there would have form of Moai (sculpture of dimension incredible and unique in the world that on the island there are some 900) and this will have some iconic sense, even put a Pukao (stone of reddish color that is supposed to represent a "headdress" on the top of some Moai). Speaking of Pukaos, I've found one that even has a swimming pool without end, in one of the world's most incredible buildings: Marina Bay Sands.

The Hotel

When you see the hotel for the first time, you tell me if the comparison with a Pukao is correct or not, I do not know, of course, if the designer took account of this parallelism (I presume that not), and it's a Pukao on three Moai, a dream for the most advanced of the Rapa Nui. The silhouette spectacular of the Marina Bay Sands dominates the skyline with its spectacular design changing forever, since it was built, the meaning of the word Costa.

When you are place under the complex the first thing you ask is how it can support one building against another, and who thought install a huge cantilever uniting three (or six) buildings. The singular architect is none other than Mr Moshe Safdie, whose head had the idea that materialized in just four years (2007-2010), a record considering the difficulties that they faced.

When you asked for a room in the hotel, you will discover that the smallest (Deluxe Room) have 39 square meter, access to the SkyPark® and the pool's infinity and exclusive entrance to the Fitness Club on the floor 55. Of course I was in a major: Charmaine Suite (the best) 629 square meter, four bedrooms, hydro-massage, two lounges, gym (with massage room, steam bath and sauna), piano, 24 hour of butler, free breakfast (than less) and several more surprises.

When you want to enjoy the views of the SkyPark® only you will have to pay $27,00 (€25,00) but you must request it in advance because they tend to rent for events or parties. The infinity edge pool is for hotel guests (have to pay one of 2,560 rooms available) from 6 in the morning (my preferred time) until 11 o'clock. They have restaurants, shops of leading brands, cultural events and (a forced) visit to the spectacular Museum of art and Science (with its unique flower shape).

The Cantilever

When you search the company that made the complex structural calculations for the execution of the building, its foundations and the cantilever, your friend Rodolfo will guide you: was responsible for the Group Arup, where are very proud of the work done. The longest cantilever with public of the world have almost 200 meters high on the three 55-story towers. The structure covers 340 meters of long and 38 meters of wide and excels in one of its ends almost 65 metres (amazing).

When you claimed facts about this wonder, I'll tell you that the cantilever was made piece by piece from steel trusses that are anchored to the three buildings with reinforced concrete structures, always analyzing the various movements that were to have the three buildings. It took into account the wind, the weight of the entire structure of the swimming pool and the movements of the users of the cantilever.

When you think that it is not possible, I will make clear that the entire structure of the cantilever is supported by three buildings through five plates of union, this ensures that different movements will be absorbed by the plates. For your peace of mind, I say you that the metal beams that connect the structure are post-tensioned (armor which induces a voltage that is opposite to the normal direction of loads acting against it, ensuring a balance of tensions, this tension is induced after the placement of the armor).

Buildings

When you analyse all the data and you discover that the three buildings are subdivided into six, hanging on every vertical element a construction that slides from it, and that depends on the main structural and aesthetically, you cannot do anything else that love this work of art. The main buildings have vertical walls of reinforced concrete which sustain the entire structure and that support the adjacent buildings (anchored by steel trusses).

When I say you that the foundations of the construction are about deep sea clays and that, by the unique structural form and the angles of the feet of inclined buildings, raised serious problems when they were executing, even they practice the introduction of prestressed armor (like the post-tensioned but with the particularity that the tension is induced before starting work) in vertical and inclined walls to reduce the movements and resulting tensions.

When you are enjoying your favourite artist (or a double) in any area of the complex and you calculate the length of stay that you have, surely you never want to leave.  If you have not noticed an unusual rate in this article is that I have done well my description and you've been absorbed, and if you've noticed it, is that you've been very attentive. Bye bye.

The Arches of Laminated Wood

Back of a cover with arches of laminated wood, it hides one of the best and most modern wineries of today.

Hi, I don´t like the velocity, but I'm a fan convinced of the rapidity, if you do not understand, don't worry, you will understand during the course of time between the beginning and the end of this text, for some reason I write articles with shortage of lines, so that you do not fall asleep on the road! (although in the background I know that you would never do it, to my, your friend Rodolfo).

The beauty of the mobile phones of today would not be possible without the famous inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, he patent the phone in 1876, this is an example of quickness and speed, because he arrived a few hours earlier than her compatriot Elisha Gray. The rapidity of Graham could with the speed of Gray, both were in a hurry but only one achieved the prize of going down in history as the person than patented the telephone. In the construction spends something like, run not always is synonymous with reach, and choose the adequate materials will give us quickly and effectively, as in the construction that I am presenting today, with a material that provides a physical and aesthetic qualities unparalleled: the laminated wood.

See from Peñafiel Castle: The Protos winery

Countless members of my family have visited during generations (since it was built in the 10th century) the famous Penafiel Castle. I know stories that you will not believe, but now is not the time nor the place to address these issues, if I mention the castle is because from there you will have the best possible view of the architectural wonder, I've based this article (also) historical in this construction. It would be unforgivable (although justifiable) that you visit "our Penafiel" and you do not enjoy of the Wine Museum. From its characteristic shape of ship, looking from the ramparts you can see, towards the North, a striking triangular structure composed of five half cylinders elongated and recumbents.

The simplicity of the proposal of the architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (remember you?) fits perfectly with the style of the area... but... What say I? It doesn't fit with the area! Indeed... I don't think that it fits with none part of the municipality of Penafiel, neither the Castle, on the contrary: they are out of all context, so that they are unique, and are inevitably, intertwined by something that does not understand of years or entities. It is like when the grandfather spends hours with the grandson and they discover that are equal.

This building has been put in the hands of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (which have had the invaluable help of Alonso Balaguer y Arquitectos Asociados) by the responsible for Protos, already know, the good wine (denomination of origin Rivera del Duero). The premises were clear: 10,000 square meters to build 19,450 square meters of winery in which to produce 1,000 tons of grape, store 3.500.000 bottles of wine and some 5,000 barrels. Of course the building complies with these functions and much more, and all for the modest sum of 25 million euros.

Arches of Wood

The most of the construction is hidden in the subsoil, the ideal site for treatment and the rest of the wine, the building is also connected in the subsoil with the old cellars of Protos (more than two kilometres of galleries), this burial is not casual: the temperature is low (about 15 ° Celsius), which favors the ripening and conservation of the wine. Above this are the areas of processing, fermentation and the storage tanks, the plant of bottling, the area of packaging, technical areas and, of course, access areas for vehicles. The areas of marketing, reception of guests, and, the most novel, a small Auditorium and a garden terraced with views to the castle which will delight users of offices located on the ground level.

The structure is formed by arches of laminated wood, which are supported in steel parts with form a "Reverse V" and that underpinned by concrete pillars, help convey the efforts to the foundation of the building. These arches are separated each other 9 meters and the distance between its points of support is 18 meters (how easy is the geometry!). These beautiful semicircumferences holding the boards (also laminated) of the cover by elements of steel (in the form of "V") that communicate the loads to the arches. The arches always work by compression and together with the triangles, are the ways more effective to transmit the efforts, hence its wide use in architecture and engineering.  Finally emphasize the air chamber which, along with the pieces of terracotta on the outside of the cover, provide one protection against solar radiation which does not have price.

Laminated Wood

The beauty and the usefulness of the wood is not in doubt, an organic material that grows and is able to withstand the most adverse conditions, even centuries after that it was split of the life, is a marvel of the physical and the chemical. But until the wood has limits and that's where the human ingenuity comes: the dissection of the wood in small thicknesses in form of sheets and their union by different types of adhesives establishes the laminated wood. The forms that can be taken through this material only are defined by the imagination of the designer, reaching up to thirty meters of light. If we glued the laminates with the same directions of the fibres will result in a correct transmission of efforts, this being the best way of working of the structural elements.

The disappeared Holtza S.A. was the company that made the arches that today bring us here. For our peace of mind we should require (or suggest strongly) that the laminated wood elements have a seal of quality that endorse them as the quality seal AITIM of Spain, the certificate of the Institute Otto Grafof Germany, the certificate Acerbois Glulam of France or the famous AITC certificate of the United States of America. 

The prefabricated elements give us greater rapidity in the assembly of structures but do not provide us with velocity of execution: so is my favorite the first before that the second. Bye bye.