CARLOS RAUL VILLANUEVA

"The architect of two goals: to preserve the values and create new values," - wrote Carlos Raul Villanueva. His career was a sharp rise architecture in Venezuela in the postwar years. Never before has the Venezuelan architecture, perhaps, not to create works of interest worldwide. Villanueva is one of those relatively few architects who create ultra tracks, find sources of inspiration not only in-depth study of local traditions, but also in the history of architecture.

Carlos Raúl Villanueva was born on May 30, 1900 in London, in a family of Peruvian diplomat and a French. His father was a highly educated man, a writer known for works on the history and culture of Latin America. Future architect educated in Paris, the Lycée Condorcet and the architectural department of the Ecole de Beaux Ar, which he graduated in 1928. The Faculty of his teacher was Gabrielle Herault.

Villanueva then moved to Caracas, where he opened her architectural studio, while working with the Ministry of Public Works. Diploma of the Paris School of Fine Arts opened on the tradition in Latin America the road to success and recognition. The young architect was secured orders, moved quickly and soon became famous and fashionable.

Around the end of the Second World War in Venezuela dominated eclecticism. Appeal to the "modern" forms at first also had the character stylization. The plan worked, and Villanueva, and in this way has made a confession. He knew the history of architecture and skilful use of knowledge in practice, moving into its built form of the past, mainly from the old Spanish and Latin American architecture. As an example is the arena for a bullfight (1931) in Maracay - round building large capacity, inside and outside the treated arkaturoy "Moorish" character. The immediate source of inspiration for the author here was a round courtyard of the castle.

Other work of this period - Museum de Los Cabos in Caracas (1935) - is a representative composition on the basis of a warrant of classics. In 1937 he built (with Luis Malaussenoy) Venezuelan Pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris, the award-winning Grand Prix. Soon Villanueva was awarded the French Legion of Honor. Brilliant career started unlikely had it to creative variations and doubts.

School "Great Colombia" (1939) in Caracas was the first attempt Villanueva test methods "new architecture" - a combination of asymmetric volumes, tape the windows, rounded corners and T etc. But here, he made only a stylist. Stay Villanueva author only such facilities, he would never have called a special interest as a bright and major architect. However, the creative biography Villanueva further develops in such a way that he is gradually overcoming the principles learned in his student years, and traditions, overestimating their own experience, earnest appeals to the new architecture.

The turning point in the work of Villanueva, and perhaps the entire architecture of Venezuela has been designing and construction of the University campus in Caracas (from 1944 until the end of the fifties). Villanueva throughout the works was the author of this large, encompassing many diverse facilities of the complex. In 1944-1947 he was a drafted the first version of the master plan and began the first phase of construction.

Once in 1945, was built the hospital, it became clear that creativity Villanueva is starting to change more seriously than it might have been expected on the layout of the University as a whole. In the vast complex articulated block hospital architect used the new solutions and new architectural masses for a form. Today, it seems to have old-fashioned, but against the background of what was then the world and the Venezuelan architecture in the works of the Villanueva, it was not so.

Construction of the University on the original draft did not satisfy the author. He decided to revise the master plan on completely different principles and suspended the construction of several buildings.

Photo — «Carlos Raul Villanueva»

One reason for the revision of the overall composition was the experience working with reinforced concrete in buildings and industrial department of the hospital (1947) and emerged from Villanueva interest in this material.

Constructive and plastic concrete opportunities Villanueva feel about creativity when working on the sports center of University City (1950). He designed the Olympic sports arena (football stadium), with stands at thirty thousand spectators, and the next, separated avtoestakadoy of high-speed motion - a baseball stadium with a similar capacity.

Particularly striking in composition and novel design was a football stadium. The author was lucky to find a constructive way, clean and logical as from a technical and imaginative side. Direct East Stand, the opposing flat oval stadium as a whole, consists of 24 lying on its side almost symmetric U shaped structures on the bottom chords are placed rows of seats for spectators, and the top are thin reinforced concrete diaphragm sun visor emission of about twenty-two meters. Acute tectonic idea embodied in this stadium with such a direct expressiveness and brilliance that is building quickly became world famous.

Olympic Stadium impressed by the grace and elegant simplicity. Such lightness, almost fragile in the future less characteristic works of Villanueva. Here and later the architect does not mask the structure. He seems to specifically disclose it stops on her account. In different in purpose and very dissimilar forms of buildings on it in all keys begins to vary the monolithic reinforced concrete frame as the main architectural theme. For him there is no "ugly" constructive forms, if they are worthwhile and original. It seems that the architect with a sincere admiration admires ribs and steps of their concrete skeletons and admiration that infects the viewer.

Villanueva argues that the artistic skills of the architect is revealed through the ability to use design to find creative freedom within the constraints posed by them, because they bear the objectivity. He believes that architecture in its material terms consists of three components: space, size and design.

"I think - wrote Villanueva - that the main specific quality of architecture is space, spiritually meaningful, suitable for humans. From space, which is the key to the whole project, is developing an external volume. The volume defines the third main element of architecture: design. Size and design must be purchased life through color, texture, and with the help of technical equipment. "

The next step for Villanueva in the development of new designs and construction techniques, as well as the establishment of large urban complexes has been its involvement in housing, undertaken in the early 1950′s in Caracas. Villanueva acted as the author of residential complexes: "El Paraiso" (1952-1954), "23 January" (1955). Later he was a consultant to create areas of Cherry Grande, Belyaviata etc.

Suggested Villanueva types of apartments, houses, planning districts raised the interest of architects in many countries. Residential areas of Caracas, built in the 1950′s, distinguished by large scale urban development and witty use of features of industrial construction.

In the construction of large residential complexes Villanueva turned to methods of pre-logging standard elements and their installation, to search for such means of composition and artistic expression that have been here organically.

In mixed neighborhoods Villanueva building, but the crucial role he devotes vast stretches of residential corps of 15-16 floors. In their planning, he tried various methods, selecting for subsequent construction of those who were better in the first experiments.

In the composition of residential complexes Villanueva particularly active uses two favorite techniques: space and color. Dramatically different in height, standing on the relief of the building form the expressive spatial composition, in which the huge facade plane parallel set of shells are taken against the background of each other.

Photo — «Carlos Raul Villanueva»

Villanueva one of the first active use of color throughout the large residential area, using it as a means to diversify the standard elements. He did this remarkably original.

The space block is composed mainly of two-dimensional, as it were, equally oriented, with great height and length of the hull. The author does not mask, but rather, identifies the leading composite value of large flat surfaces that do not have any projections, balconies, loggias. Freely combining variant color standard panels, Villanueva creates a complex system of composite bonds flat rectangular shapes are perceived in the neighborhood and on the background of each other. Skillful and unexpected use of color creates a kind of composition of a separate model home complex in general. Creates an expressive painting, devoid of monotony, dangerous for the complexes with a large number of repeating units and fragments. Color composition is calculated as the perception of distance and near.

In this regard a crucial feature of this architect′s creativity: in-depth study of modern trends in art helped Villanueva away from eclecticism and stylization approach to modern architecture. In his works can trace the direct influence of painting and sculpture. In particular, and emphasized materiality brutality of his buildings is the trend of painting, ranging from Cezanne and Cubism.

In housing Villanueva attracted large complex task, because the most important social mission of the architect he had seen in town planning. "Cities in which we live, - he writes - are inhuman demons that escape our control, absorbing our intellect, our soul, our freedom, our health. So today the first task of the architect - to tame the city and again to make man the master of the great cultural creativity. "

After working on residential areas Villanueva returned to the ensemble of the university and designs buildings main auditorium (Aula Magna), the central library, administration, as well as the administrative body, concert hall and m e.

Of the buildings of the university center has become best known Aula Magna - the main auditorium (1952), component in terms of range and overlap of twelve radiating frames. Outside edges of the frames are raised above the roof, and on all the walls deduced rectangular grid of a massive reinforced concrete frame. Architectural volumes Villanueva adamantly strong, it forms visible weighty, "brutal. " Yellow, with traces of shuttering the concrete surface reinforces this impression. Aula Magna what it looks like a giant armored turtle: it is as strong visually as a pyramid or the Colosseum.

Interior Aula Magna solved a single volume, with bunk beds and an open amphitheater stage. Above the hall to block the floating suspended in the air canopies convex curved shapes. They divide the cupola space, emphasizing its lightness, and simultaneously serve as a sound absorbing screens.

The interior along with Villanueva became a sculptor Alexander Calder, famous for his compositions of the metal. Interior Aula Magna - one of the more extensive and specific examples of creativity Villanueva synthesis of arts.

In the ensemble of the University of Caracas synthesis of painting and sculpture was made, perhaps, the most consistent and seamless in comparison with other works of architecture of the mid-XX century.

Next time building Villanueva - Venezuelan Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Its composition may seem quite surprising, but it is logical to continue the development of techniques peculiar to this author. Three equal deaf cube whose faces are painted separately in local contrasting colors, are connected in the middle of the entry hall. From the outside, perhaps even difficult to imagine that this building with the interior space. But the large form and color attracted to the pavilion, allocate it among the small amount of motley and discordant complex exhibition. In this simple construction can be seen the main sources feeding the creativity Villanueva: modern, coming from the functionalist architecture, the new flow of Plastic Arts, a national aesthetic tradition.

Photo — «Carlos Raul Villanueva»

National issues of architecture and historical continuity of concern Villanueva, like many other architects of Latin America. Rejecting the eclectic stylization, he went through, similar to the search for the architects of Brazil, Finland, Japan, Mexico, in part, tried to create the architecture acutely modern, but spiritually, artistically sound to the national culture.

Villanueva in his work has always sought to take into account the lessons of history and regional expertise. Historical continuity of the architect is widely understood. He said: "I believe in architecture that emanates from a temporary, local, human reality, they are taking their own criteria while searching for their own forms, keep coming back to reality in order to verify and refine the concept. Architecture is developed only as a constant controversy.

Villanueva died in Caracas on August 16, 1975.

Louis Kahn

Channel name became widely known in the late 1950′s. His work indicated the desire for significance of figurative content, approval of humanistic values. The concept of the architect, opening the way to the creation of outside associations with existing ones, regardless of imitation, and the organic compound in one person thinker and an artist, theorist and a large architectural practice are impressed by the Western youth. Popularity Kahn contributed his talent teacher who knows how to make contact with any audience.

Louis Isidore Kahn was born on the island of Saaremaa Island (Saaremaa), Estonia February 20, 1901. Six-year old child with his parents Louis moved to the United States and since 1906 lived in Philadelphia. With its exceptional aptitude for drawing and music, he joined the faculty of architecture at Pennsylvania State University, graduating in 1923. Music, though she does not become a profession Kahn, accompanied by his whole life in his theoretical pronouncements Kahn often resorted to comparisons of architectural creativity with composers. Teacher Kahn at the University of Crete was Paul, a representative of the Paris Ecole de Beaux AR ", who Kahn continued to work after graduation.

The beginning of his artistic biography was not promising. Understanding the "avant-garde" architecture of Europe during the trip, which he made in 1928-1929, has undermined his faith in the omnipotence of the doctrines of classicism. Particularly impressed by his work made by Le Corbusier. And Kahn joined the functionalist.

Here′s how he remembered that time:

"My first school of architecture has followed the rules of the Paris Ecole de Beaux al. But after finishing it, and then returning from Europe, I found myself among our economic crisis. Works did not exist. Is characteristic for those years remark that it is difficult to get money to build a bookcase.

I started working under the influence of European schools, and only twenty years later was able to find their own style, having elaborated it when I was asked to do a project of the Art Museum at Yale University.

I well understand the meaning of the word "order". This order in architecture is present everywhere, including in the ancient architecture. Understanding this order came to me on a new meaning. I want to show the example on what I understand, is based architecture. Before me was a task - to create an outdoor swimming pool, where the division into male and female parts are strictly observed. My first thought was to put in the center of checkpoint and do a lot of partitions. And over this I worked months and months before realized the difference between architecture and the architecture of the game. And then I invented a room pillar, in the open side of which came a wall separates the space. Supports, the columns are, however, and serviced accommodation.

Work on a small object - a swimming pool - has led me to the theory that serviced accommodation, serviced space should be divided. This division became the basis of all my plans.

Photo — «Carlos Raul Villanueva»

"

However, during the economic crisis Kanu could not find this use of their forces. Decade Kang worked as an assistant and co-author mediocre architects, rarely self-executing is not very large orders. Prior to 1950 ies, none of them made did not rise above the average professional level.

The turning point in the life of Kahn comes, when he was already an elderly man - forty-seven years - becoming a lecturer at Yale University. Communicate with students, the desire to give them satisfactory answers induce his mind, forcing reject the established view. It seeks to understand the foundations of the original architecture, to penetrate into its essence, to develop a comprehensive theoretical concept of architecture.

Development of Qana as a teacher and theorist gave a powerful impetus to his work. It allowed him to break away from routine, on the combinations of known elements and achieve a new quality in their buildings. This new perceived most clearly in the background epigonous architecture of the late 1950′s, squandering the legacy of functionalism.

In the Canal at the turn of 1960 ies to the architecture of the newly returned such money that she had lost as a visible expression of the massiveness, the weight of structures, use of contrasts of texture and color, of course inherent in building materials, symmetry, balance in the organization of the volume and space.

In Western Europe, "physicality", "materiality" reviving the architecture of Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, the wife Smithson. Can not imitate them, he sought his own way, trying to grope the general laws of architecture beyond its not just fashion, but style. Lessons of the academic school, the study of the monuments of ancient Egypt and ancient together with the experience of rationalist architecture served as material for the theoretical constructs of Qana.

The basis of world-Louis Kahn is no coherent philosophical system. However, in contrast to the pessimistic misanthropy many theorists of architecture of the modern West, Kahn believed in the eternal creative power of man, his ineradicable need to assert themselves in the works. He believed in the objectivity of the laws of nature - art represents him as a disclosure, the implementation of existing laws.

The overall pattern of the structural construction of the object Kahn called the "form" and said that it represents itself as the implementation of the laws of nature as something given prior to the project as a form determined by the relationship of elements. Functions structures Kahn sought to reduce to a certain common types, eternally existing "institutions" of society (not by chance that he often returned to the idea of basic unity of all time "learning institution"). This approach identified the breadth of views on the phenomenon, which allows to see the new in the familiar, but he limited the range of possible application of the concept - its latitude to excessive for many specific tasks.

Of particular importance Kahn gave the world organization. Light for him - the most important structural means forming a space, a necessary condition for the perception of its properties.

Classical architecture aroused Cana as a sign of deep respect for the human ability to know the laws of the world and bring them to certain specific conditions. But it was alien to the idea to imitate the form, created in the past.

In the modern bourgeois world, restless and fragmented, Kahn managed to keep faith in the existence of comprehensive laws of creation. However, renouncing opportunistic and random, he broke with the specific social reality, any task he was driving to the abstractions of "human institutions".

The first significant implementation of the concept of Qana were the building of the Art Museum at Yale University in New Haven (1951-1953) and American Federation of health workers in Philadelphia (1954-1956). Here Kahn′s apparent desire to balanced composition, their tangible weight.

Photo — «Carlos Raul Villanueva»

Kahn somewhat exaggerated massiveness and a large plastic structures, effectively used the contrasts of materials. He did not avoid the symmetry, but as a powerful method used and the emotional impact of a partial breach.

Kanu brought widespread fame building medical laboratories of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1957-1961). A clear division of the volume, based on the logical dismemberment spaces, has created an exceptional plastic strain of unusual composition. This work, in which Louis Kahn has achieved unquestionable originality, marks the beginning of the period of artistic maturity, in the ensuing sixty years.

In subsequent years, Kahn feverish work as it strives to catch up. It also creates a number of projects of major projects, including the government center complex in Dhaka - the capital of East Pakistan, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Congress Palace in Venice, College of Art in Philadelphia, Biology Salk Institute in San Diego (USA).

Here′s what he said Kahn of the latest draft:

"Other decisions are the building John Salk Institute, the inventor of the polio vaccine in San Diego. Serviced accommodation is grouped in the technical floors, alternating with the main floors, serviced accommodation. Height technical floors enough to make on them could walk. Their space is determined by the form design. Much attention here was paid to achieve consonance between the old and new buildings.

Salk Institute is on the upper edge of the canyon. Below - the ocean. Laboratory separated from the hull, where the assembly hall. The program, given Salk, was laconic. He said: "I would like to invite to his laboratory Picasso - otherwise, scientists are technicians in biology. Science must serve the art, as it is something that exists, while the art of creating something that never existed before him. "

In the office I tried to create an atmosphere of intimacy and coziness, which symbolize the carpets and smoky pipes. In the laboratories of all rational and sterile.

The material served as a monolithic concrete. Joints in wooden formwork panels were such that the concrete is squeezed out - instead of thick seam. This idea comes from the idea that the seam - the beginning of the ornament. But the exterior finish of volumes, where the rooms, made of teak wood. This should highlight the special spirit of these premises.

The concept of the master receives a seemingly more versatile expression. New projects addressed a broad and holistic. However, much of them gives the impression of artificiality. Monumentality, developing into self-contained quality, suppresses.

To maintain harmony and logic of the concept in the inharmonious and illogical bourgeois world, Kahn turns it into a kind of closed system. And this isolation is bearing fruit, pushing the creative abstractions. Leaves naturalness "early" of the channel works, which indeed may have seemed the embodiment of awareness of the patterns of nature and human activity.

Louis Kahn died on March 17, 1974 New York City.

"The composer writes the music to hear the sounds - wrote to the architect. - The architecture creates a rhythm to music born of correspondences between the light and space. Symbols of music and architecture so very close.

I believe that architecture - a reasonable way of organizing space. It should be established so that the design and space manifest in her. Selecting design should take into account the organization of the world. Structure of service facilities should complement the structure served. One - rough, brutal, and the other - tracery, full of light. "