307. Kimbell Art Museum


Dear Tanu,

Two thoughts from Louis I. Kahn:
"You know what's so wonderful about those porches?
They're so unnecessary."(Regarding the open porches
in the Kimbell Art Museum)
"Structure is the giver of light"

Best regards.
R

306. Fundacio Joan Miro, facada principal


Querido Juan,

Cuando llegué a la Fundació y pisé el umbral de la entrada
principal pensé en lo que Michel Houellebecq en "La
posibilidad de una isla": Quién sigue pensado en el arte
cuando es posible la felicidad?
No pienses mas en el arte.

Abrazos.
R

305. Estadio Municipal de Braga


Querida Cristina,

Para este Estadio Souto de Moura penso en los anfiteatros
romanos al adosarlo a la falda de la colina existente. No
contento con eso siguio pensando en los puentes incas
peruanos para resolver la cubierta. Comprendo que te
guste tanto...

Mil besos.
R

304. Torino. Auditorium RAI e la Mole Antonelliana



Dear Giovanni,

"A man sets himself the task of designing the world.
As time goes by, he populates space with images
of provinces, kingdoms (...) residences, instruments,
stars, horses and people. Shortly before dying, he
discovers that this patient labyrinth of lines draws
the picture of his own face" (Carlo Mollino)

All the best.
R

303. Stockholm. Stadsbiblioteket



Dear Tanu,

"Today's architectural will, when it is as its best, proceeds
towards subordinating detail, an ordering of all
heterogeneous needs and demands and dimensions, to a
strong architectural grip around a central idea: it seeks order and character" (Gunnar Asplund)
Almost a manifesto for the magnificent Stockholm Public
Library that he designed in 1928.

Best regards.
R

302. Bruselas 58. Vista exterior del Pabellon Español


Dear Aldo,

Now that the pavilion is finished and packed with people
I feel more convinced that Corrales y Molezun have
contributed enormously on the rebirth of modern Spanish
architecture with this fabulous building.

Best regards.
R

301. Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona


Dear Melissa,

"The whiteness clarifies the intention in terms of the way
in which light comes, in various ways, into the building;
and I think for me color is something which comes from
all the things which are out of control, the change of
nature, the uses of the building, the people in the building...
Everything gives it color" (Richard Meier)
Interesting way of approaching to the concept of use of
color in buildings, don't you think?

Best
R

300. Australia Square and Tower, Sydney


Dear Mr. C,

Engineer Pier Luigi Nervi collaborated with
well-known austrian-australian architect
Harry Seidler on the Australia Square project
in Sydney in 1967. The Tower Building is
approximately 170 metres tall and it was
the first Australia's authentic skyscraper.

-----------------------------------------------

This is the picture that Anya sent me. She took
it from her apartment's balcony. She told me that
she was wearing her bright red dress then.

-----------------------------------------------

What a view! Poor Mr. C living almost at street level!
He can't enjoy the sight. But I suspect that if he were
here, he would be looking "other things" most likely...

Thanks
R

299. Betondorp. Amsterdam



Dear Sybille

This Amsterdam neighborhood, literally "Concrete Village"
was built between 1923 and 1925, all of concrete because
at the time the district was created, there was a shortage of
bricks and construction workers. Up to 10 different
architects worked here designing around 900 buildings.
The building to the right of the picture, located in
Duivendrechtselaan, were created by Jakoba H. Mulder,
known as the 'lady of the Forest " because in the thirties
she designed Bosch Plan, the current Amsterdamse Bos.

All the best.
R

298. Stuttgart Neue Staatsgalerie



Querido Juan,

"En resumidas cuentas, los espacios se han multiplicados,
fragmentado y diversificado. Los hay de todos los tamaños
y especies, para todos los usos y para todas las funciones.
Vivir es pasar de un espacio a otro haciendo lo posible
para no golpearse"
(George Perec: Especies de espacios)

Un abrazo
R

297. Listers harads tingshus, Solvesborg


Dear Jennifer,

"Logic is doubtless unshakable, but it cannot withstand
a man who wants to live." (Frank Kafka: The Trial)

Best
R

296. Madrid. Museo Nacional del Prado


Dear Raoul,

"Today, our world is conveyed
mostly by electronic screens,
witnesses to a world changing at
every instant, belying stability.
Waves express this representation
of form over time. Waves, apparently
camouflaged, blend with the
landscape, trying to avoid any sense
of consolidation" (Rafael Moneo)

Best
R

295. Coronil 25, Camas, Sevilla


Muri,

He leido que Artigas admira mucho
a los poetas. Dice que lo que ellos
son capaces de expresar con dos
palabras requiere de los arquitectos
un millon de ladrillos.
Gracias por tu compañia, por tus
ideas, por ser como eres.

Mil besos.
R

294. Hotel Guarani. Asuncion


Querido Alfonso,

Decia Oscar Niemeyer que la vida siempre le parecio
mas importante que la arquitectura. Este hotel, situado
en el centro de Asuncion, fue diseñado por Niemeyer,
aunque oficialmente y por motivos estrictamente politicos,
no le fuese reconocida la autoria. Por suerte, en Abril
del 2008 el edificio fue renovado y ahora vuelve a lucir
como nuevo.

Un abrazo.
R

293. Rotterdam. Tree-dwellings and Pencil


Dear Enric,

Arboles

Me observan en silencio
mientras escribo Y las copas
están llenas de pájaros, ratas,
culebras, gusanos
y mi cabeza
está llena de miedo
y planes
de llanuras por venir

(Roberto Bolaño)

R