Santiago Calatrava

Santiago Calatrava (1951-) is one of the greatest archistars on the international scene. To a first degree in architecture obtained in his native Valencia he has joined a second in engineering obtained in Zurich, the city in which he has chosen to stay and live and found her studio. And it is precisely the daring engineering solutions that characterize his work, together with the strong influences brought by his activity as a painter and sculptor: according to Calatrava, in fact, architecture must be a sum of all the arts. This is how jewel-like buildings are born, with a strong visual impact, in which even the structural and support elements have a strong plastic value, with shapes often inspired by nature, and define large and bright spaces. Shapes often emphasized by the dazzling white of the exteriors, such as the Turning Torso skyscraper in Malmo and the World Trade Center Transportation Hub station in New York. His bridges are very famous, where he can best express his clear spectacular vocation, such as the Constitution Bridge in Venice or the Puente de la Mujer in Buenos Aires. His creations as a product designer are very rare, the result of special collaborations with brands such as Artemide and De Sede.