Check out Calatrava.com
This weekend I was working on a Flash project, and I ended up looking for inspiration online. While I found a few helpful resources, I was mostly taken in by this website, www.calatrava.com. It is the official website for Santiago Calatrava, one of the world’s leading architects. I remembered studying some of his work in my design class at Sacramento State University. I was impressed at the time, but I am even more impressed after seeing more of his projects.
Take a look at this landmark opera house with the dramatic tidal wave shaped roof design:
Tenerife Opera House by Calatrava
Building: Tenerife Opera House
Location: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Completed: 2003
Both the exterior and interior of this building are absolutely amazing. You can find several pictures on his website, or using your favorite search engine.
Calatrava has a distinctive style. Almost all of his bridges share common features, and the buildings all embrace contemporary design. I love the turning torso building in Malmo, Sweden and the sundial bridge in Turtle Bay. I was amazed to find out that bridge was completed in 2004 practically in my own backyard of Redding, CA. Ok, it is a few hours away, but I will definitely check that out in person sooner rather than later.
After being immersed in the high-profile, physical work of Calatrava, the flash work for his website seems more trivial. Still, I am really impressed with the form and function of the website. You don’t find a lot of websites completely designed with flash that load so quickly and combine simplicity with visual appeal. There are a couple of navigation quirks that I noticed, but ultimately I was inspired by www.calatrava.com. I hope you enjoy!
