PA : National Theatre of Catalonia - Draft

The National Theatre of Catalonia, built in 1996, is an appealing and intriguing structure that resides in Barcelona, Spain. What makes this building so interesting is that it looks like an enclosed Greek Temple With a front wall made completely of glass. Ricardo Bofill, a native Barcelonan and the designer of other works such as Walden 7, designed his projects to demonstrate his ability to act in harmony with varying cultures and combining it with global knowledge. The National Theatre was designed to trace back through theatre’s roots and embody the forms that were predominant in the Ancient Greek cities and theatrical structures.

It was learned form history that using older forms of architecture and “following the rules” left most architecture looking the same and the structural integrity not up to what it was needed to be following the 19th century. The National Theatre could be classified as a structure that took inspiration from older forms of design but the inspiration was channeled in such a way to make this structure unique. The combination of Doric style columns and glass were used in an effective and evolved way which makes this building successful.

The National Theatre was designed with 26 commons, 13 on each side, that support the double-slop metallic roof. The structure has monumental dimensions of 315 by 184 feet which is much greater in size than any temple in the ancient world. The use of modern materials is what makes this structure stand out from traditional architecture inspired by the Greek style. The columns and roof are made of concert and the front and side walls are made of glazed glass curtain walls to allow the interior to be seen from the street. There are three different theatres which has seating for 900, 400, and 300 people. There is also an outdoor space, known as the Plaça de les Arts, which is sometimes used as an open air performance space.

The main foyer was a conceived as a large public gathering space with internal vegetation to give the illusion of still being outside but without the heat and elements. Within this space resides the ticket office, cloakroom, information center, and restaurant. This is the area that is surrounded by glass and can be seen from the street.

The main focus of the interior of the National Theater is the main auditorium. It was designed to embody the inspiration of the Ancient Greek amphitheaters. The interior was made of wood to allow for better acoustics and to give a more welcoming appearance to those who enter. This theatre was designed in a way much like the classical amphitheatres because it allows for maximum visibility from every point amongst the seated audience. In this theatre there are performances of Catalan and Spanish play, world classics, and contemporary dance and drama.

Ricardo Bofill designed the National Theatre of Catalonia in such a way that the entire given space was purposeful. It stands out due to the mixture of the Ancient Greek Templar style and high-tech glass curtain walls.

Precedent Analysis : Deliverables

Teatre Nacional de Catalunya


Images
I. Entrance/front face of the building : Pen
II. Exterior two point perspective : Pen and color
III. Floor Plan with vellum overlay of surroundings : Pen and Marker
IV. Interior one point perspective of the Sala Petita : Watercolor or Marker with Pen
V. Detail of the exterior columns : Pen and Watercolor
VI & VII. 1 to 2 side by side comparisons of the Theatre with ancient Greek temple ( Front face and corner views) : Pen
VIII. Side by side comparison of amphitheater like interior and ancient Greek amphitheatre : Pen and Color
IX. Detail of ceiling panels : Pen with Watercolor and Color pencil
X. Interior perspective of building front showing light and shadows : Pen with Watercolor
XI. Detail of decorative doors surrounding the amphitheatre : Pen and Marker


Outline
I. Introduction
  A. Why is this building special?
  B. Thesis
II. The Architect : Ricardo Bofill
  A. Who is this guy?
  B. When and why did he become an architect?
  C. Influences?
  D. Why this particular style of design?
  E. Touch on other works
III. History of the structure
  A. Why was it built?
  B. Who sponsored it’s construction?
    1. Costs
  C. Future plans?
  D. What does the designer have to say?
IV. Function
  A. What is this structure used for?
  B. Who are the predominant users/visitors?
V. Exterior
  A. What’s it made of?
  B. Why this unique style?
    1. Classical order
    2. Glass/Curtain walls
  C. Sticking to the ancient rules while breaking the new ones - Regression leading evolution
  D. On a hill : Acropolis
VI. Interior
  A Flow of the interior spaces
  B. Furnishings
  C. Acoustics
VII. In depth comparison with ancient Greek structures
  A. Tie it to the history
  B. Similar Details
    1. Amphitheatre
    2. Exterior structure/décor
IX. Conclusion
  A. Restating of the these
  B. Why this structure should be important to society
  C. Final words


Questions?
Are my various side by side comparisons okay to use?
Writing isn’t one of my strong points. Where can I fit commodity, firmness, and delight into this essay?

Precedent Analysis Teatre Nacional de Catalunya

National Theatre of Catalonia / Teatre Nacional de Catalunya


Coiro Mas

Since I have been having trouble finding a structure to focus on I decided to move from housing to public architecture.

The National Theatre of Catalonia really stood out to me because it has an exterior that resembles a Greek temple. The construction of this structure began in 1991 by Catalan postmodern architect Ricardo Bofill in Barcelona, Spain. I feel that the mix of modern architecture and the Greek columns give the structure an interesting presence that I would like to work with more.

Villa Savoye : Precedent Analysis

Arth



e/qual

Made of reinforced concert Villa Savoye was designed by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. This structure was designed to be a weekend home in Poissy, France which is just outside of Paris. I feel that Villa Savoye would be an excellent precedent analysis subject because of the unique style and how it uses the industrialness of concrete while allowing the nature around to still grow freely.

Building Selection & Justification: Robie House

mach3

I have chosen Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House as my Precedent Project. Built in 1908, this house is an expression of the transformation from the Victorian style of the houses around it into the Modern style of architecture that it represents. Wright incorporated a balance between covered and open spaces through the use of overlapping horizontal planes to give a since of openness to the outside while still enclosing the owner in privacy. The house was designed for the bicycle and motorcycle manufacturer Frederick C. Robie who requesting the unique idea of openness with privacy. I feel that this will be a fascinating structure to work with due to it’s out of the ordinary design and the experience I will receive from studying the work of such a talented designer.

"Space is defined not by walls, in the conventional sense, but by a series of horizontal planes intercepted by vertical wall fragments and rectangular piers. These horizontals extend far beyond the enclosures, defining exterior space as well and echoing the flat midwestern landscape that so inspired the architect." - Paul Kruty

jaminneb

Pitt.edu