Santiago Calatrava Valls (Spouse: Robertina Marangoni; he has four children) Santiago Calatrava is a world-renowned Spanish architect, structural engineer, and sculptor, famous for his futuristic designs that mimic living organisms and the skeletal structures of birds and animals. His work is often characterized by the use of white concrete, glass, and steel, creating soaring, skeletal forms that appear to be in motion.
Calatrava studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Valencia before moving to Zurich, Switzerland, to earn a doctorate in civil engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). This dual background allows him to act as both the creative visionary and the technical engineer for his projects, often pushing the physical limits of materials to create bridges and buildings that seem to defy gravity.
He first gained international fame for his innovative bridge designs, such as the Alamillo Bridge in Seville, which utilized a single pylon to support the entire span. He later expanded into large-scale public buildings, most notably the City of Arts and Sciences in his hometown of Valencia, and the Milwaukee Art Museum, which features a moveable “sunshade” that opens and closes like the wings of a giant bird.
In the United States, he is perhaps best known for the Oculus, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York City. The structure, designed to resemble a bird being released from a child’s hand, serves as a poignant symbol of rebirth near the site of the September 11 attacks. Despite frequent controversies regarding budget overruns and maintenance challenges, Calatrava remains one of the most influential “starchitects” of the 21st century, blending the precision of engineering with the fluid beauty of fine art.
Active in others filds : Structural Engineering, Sculpture, Painting, Furniture Design.
