Santiago Calatrava

Calatrava is known for his flowing, curved buildings. He uses steel, concrete, and new computer modeling to create compositions that appear at once natural and structurally impossible. form follows function His designs suggest stylized natural objectswaves, wings, or sunbleached skeletons, with rows of white concrete ribs curved into distorted parabolic arches. The true purpose of these dramatic contours are typically more aesthetic than structural.

Milwaukee Art Museum

The Milwaukee Art Museum is an architectural landmark, comprised of three buildings designed by three legendary architects: Eero Saarinen, David Kahler, and Santiago Calatrava

He worked to infuse the building with a certain sensitivity to the culture of the lakethe boats, the sails and the always-changing landscape.

The Quadracci Pavilion is technically an extension of Eero Saarinens War Memorial on the lakefront of Michigan Lake in Milwaukee .Calatrava proposed to add to the lakefront. It forms a link between the city of Milwaukee and Michigan Lake and extends Wisconsin Avenue almost into the lake.

Burke brise soleil wings that open and close are really the centerpiece of the building. It was inspired by the wings of a bird or by the sails of a boat

Signature elements of the Calatrava design include the Reiman Bridge, a 250 foot long suspended pedestrian bridge that links downtown Milwaukee directly to the lakefront and the Museum. The bridge features a distinctive 200 foot angled mast with cables that reflects Calatrava's unique experience in bridge design .

He bridge is part of a composition. Its leaning mast conveys a sense of direction, of movement, which is taken up by the roof, the cables, and the canopies that extend on each side. These strong lines translates their dynamism into actual motion

The play of light through the glass roof panels never bores and it is inside the Pavilion that you really start to appreciate Calatravas phenomenal attention to detail.

he interior of the building is deceptively simple with shapes, details and finishes repeating themselves over and over right into the parking garage underneath. But the shapes are organic and powerful and change continuously depending on your perspective. Standing at the end of the entrance hall, you almost feel like you are floating above the lake.