Writer: Nicole Mezydlo
Upon returning from our group traveling workshop, we resumed - or rather, began - our regularly scheduled semester classes. This meant reuniting with all of the familiar faces from last semester; Miguel Usandizaga and Raul Martinez leading history and Jeff Kansler leading our structures course. Our studio began with our group of 33 being divided into two sections lead by two new ETSAV faculty members.
Both studios are allowing us to use our creativity on Barcelona’s distinctive Eixample, the urban plan of Barcelona’s city block extension. One section is lead by Jaime Batlle, who proposes the design of a market in the Eixample. Andres Martinez leads the other studio in designing a block of hybrid programs. Each studio is making use of digital discussion means in addition to the traditional desk crits in order to provide collaborative studio experience. The professors arrived with enthusiasm and both studios began a swift two week project to delve very quickly into the ideas of what it takes to effectively design within Barcelona’s iconic Eixample.
Upon returning from our group traveling workshop, we resumed - or rather, began - our regularly scheduled semester classes. This meant reuniting with all of the familiar faces from last semester; Miguel Usandizaga and Raul Martinez leading history and Jeff Kansler leading our structures course. Our studio began with our group of 33 being divided into two sections lead by two new ETSAV faculty members.
Both studios are allowing us to use our creativity on Barcelona’s distinctive Eixample, the urban plan of Barcelona’s city block extension. One section is lead by Jaime Batlle, who proposes the design of a market in the Eixample. Andres Martinez leads the other studio in designing a block of hybrid programs. Each studio is making use of digital discussion means in addition to the traditional desk crits in order to provide collaborative studio experience. The professors arrived with enthusiasm and both studios began a swift two week project to delve very quickly into the ideas of what it takes to effectively design within Barcelona’s iconic Eixample.
Aside from studio we have taken a class field trip with Raul to see Domenech i Montaner’s masterpiece of Catalan Modernista (AKA: Art Nouveau) architecture, the Palau de la Musica Catalana. This building is known for the “magic” both the performers and audience feels from the amount of natural sunlight present in the auditorium space. It was truly spectacular to see a contemporary of Gaudi approaching design completely differently, which an emphasis on ornamentation - plaster, tile, sculpture all united into one composition.