2070. Wahliss-Passage, Wien

 

Dear Jean,

"Radical architecture is only radical today when it 

is also built. That is the difference between now and 

then." (Wolf D. Prix)

Regards,

R

2037. Tampereen Kaupunginkirjasto

 

Dear Sanna, 

"My ideas move around like clouds over the 

archipelago of the architectural ideas of 

modernism" (Reima Pietilä)

Respectfully,

R

1758. Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, Mérida, Extremadura, España

Querida Cristina,

"A mí me gusta pensar que el término 

arquitectura vale tanto para la prosa 

como para la poesía" (Rafael Moneo)

Besos,
R

1382. The Bank of Asia (Robot Building) Bangkok, Thailand

Dear Theerapan,

"It is a protest movement against the puritanical Modern
Movement, and the bland International style in architecture. It advocates a new freedom in design, which means that, henceforth, anything goes" (Sumet Junsai)

Truly,
R

1292. Merida. Museo Nacional de Arte Romano. Nave Central

Dear Tanu,

"Throughout the history of architecture, there have been episodes in which subtle changes in the use of materials result in a a new, unexpected architectural form. Merida may be an instance of this procedure" (Rafael Moneo)

Regards,
R

969. The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

Dear Bob,

"Etienne-Louis Boullee and Arata Isozaki
share a combination of leanings to
Neo-Classicism and eccentricity."

(William Wilson, LA Times Art Critic) 

Sincerely,

R

942. Highway 86. Expo 86, Vancouver, Canada

Dear Alison and Michelle,

"It matters little if a building offers the most sophisticated
technology and services, if the humanizing ingredient is
missing. Communication is the product of perception, and
perception is the basis of change" (James Wines)

Respectfully.
R 
  

822. Merida, Museo Nacional de Arte Romano

Dear Gianfranco,

"Architecture is not just the superstructure we introduce
when we talk about buildings. Architecture is the air we
breathe when buildings are already in their radical solitude"
(Rafael Moneo)

Respectfully,
R

737. Greater Yalts. Druzhba boarding-house

Dear David,

I am sure you will enjoy this outstanding
Soviet brutalist sanatorium built in Yalta,
in the coast of the Black Sea. To get
into this massive building, visitors first
need to cross a bridge encased in a glass
tube. Also, partially showed in the picture,
there is a sea-water swimming pool
suspended between the three gigantic
pillars that support the building and house
elevators and staircases.

Warm regards.
R

560. Richard Rogers. London as it could be.

Dear Ruth,

"Historically, societies unable to solve their environmental
crises have either migrated or become extinct. The vital
difference today is that the scale of our crisis is no longer
regional but global: it involves all of humanity and the entire
planet." (Richard Rogers)

Respectfully.
R

498. Baha'i House of Worship, New Delhi, India

Dear Aston & Eileen,

The Bahá'í temple in New Delhi was completed in 1986
and designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba.
Although inspired by the lotus flower, its design is also
very much influenced by Utzon's Sydney Opera House.

Hope you are doing well.
R

423. Lloyd's of London

Dear Jean Francois,

"Form follows profit is the aesthetic principle of our
times" (Richard Rogers)
Nevertheless it is a very good building!

Best.
R

261. Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, Merida, España

Querida Patricia,

El Museo Nacional de Arte Romano
de Merida, obra de Rafael Moneo esta
organizado en su cuerpo principal a
traves de una serie de muros de fabrica
de ladrillo paralelos entre si. La apertura
de grandes arcos contiguos iguales en estos
muros ademas de conformar el espacio de la
nave principal, sugieren las dimensiones que
en su dia tuviera la Merida romana al estar
dimensionados en base a las proporciones del
Arco de Trajano. El sistema de muros paralelos
se manifiesta en la fachada sur como un sistema
de contrafuertes que hacen referencia formal al
Acueducto de los Milagros.

Besos.
R

226. Berlin (West) Internationale Bauaustellung

Querido Juan,

Según Enric Miralles, la obra de Peter Eisenman es útil 
para pensar. Según él desde un pensamiento acerca de
ella podremos desplazarnos a los lugares donde es
posible preguntarse por el sentido de la arquitectura.
Siento no haber podido verte esta vez en Sevilla. La
próxima vez será y quizás entonces podamos
preguntarnos juntos por el sentido de la arquitectura.

Un abrazo muy fuerte.
R

126. Vila de Conde, Edificio de Alvaro Siza Vieira

Dear Joel,

Alvaro Siza's Banco Borges & Irmao in Vila do Conde
(Portugal) is notable for its vertical identity and its dramatic rotational character, with all the interior floors visually related as in Le Corbusier's Carthage villa.

Hope you are doing well.
R

81. Vista da fachada de Agencia Bancaria em Vila do Conde

Querido Jose,

Te mando una de las postales mas bonitas que tengo:
el Banco Borges & Irmao en Vila do Conde, Portugal.
Terminado en su primera fase en 1982, Alvaro Siza 

ganó el premio MvdR a la mejor obra construida en la
Comunidad Europea ese año por esta obra. Las formas,
los materiales, las articulaciones espaciales son 

puramente "Siza" como veras.

Abrazos a Paula y a los niños.
R