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The stately, unabashedly
modern Barcelona pavilion on Santa Lucia no. 1 street, in Ciutat
Vella is a ´must´ to
be visited. Some people say the barcelona pavilion should have been
called the German pavilion because it was built by Mies Van der Rohe.
Having studied design and architecture, all I can say is that the
plans of the barcelona pavilion are very original and fascinating.
What was it all
about. As far as anyone has ever known, a building is usually made
for a purpose, but the barcelona pavilion was just built temporarily
for the 1929 International Exposition in barcelona . We would think
that if something was being built for a short period of time, that
the materials would be cheap and easily disposable. But it is believed
that Van der Rohe wanted to impress us, even though it would not
last and used strong construction supplies such as steel, glass and
marble. The steel gives this building its air of modernism, a very
cubic dimensioned like structure. But as I have already said, the
barcelona pavilion was not supposed to be there for any length of
time, just a dwelling to be admired and so it was demolished in 1930.
How to appreciate the new plans of the Barcelona pavilion
In 1986, the magnificent structure of the barcelona pavilion was
redone. This time it was done on the basis of Greek architecture, making
it look like a Greek temple, elevated onto a sturdy base, one made
of travertine. Almost all the outside walls are made of glass where
light and shadows create optical illusions of strangely arranged symmetrical
forms. The plans of the barcelona pavilion show a simple layout with
elongated gallery rooms with transparent and opaque glass as room dividers.
Keep an eye on
the building to the right of the main barcelona pavilion with its
oblong reflecting pool. It is so unlike any other because it is not
a statue or a monument or a museum. It is unique onto itself with
its one story structure. Admission is free and you are free to roam
the
barcelona pavilion; a sparkling hideout is what I call it.
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