[Calatrava's] at work in the new transit station at the World Trade Center in New York, but that project is massively over budget and behind schedule and it's highlighted some of Calatrava's legal troubles back in Spain. [...]
The architect was supposed to be in Spain this week testifying as a suspect in a fraud case. Prosecutors say he got 3.6 million dollars to design yet another Spanish convention center that was never built, but Calatrava didn't show up for his court date.
— npr.org
5 Comments
Great to see Calatrava get called out for his absurdly over-budget and nauseatingly expressive 'architecture', but I take offense to this article's insinuation that an architect should only get paid when a project is built. Surely there is more to the lawsuit than that, but NPR makes no mention of any other facts. I've had projects get cancelled 2 days before ground breaking - was all the work that went up to that supposed to be on my dime?
Nauseatingly expressive?
I think his designs show an impressive synthesis of architectural and structural principles, but his business practices and poor detailing really make the profession look bad.
Nauseatingly Expressive: Let's spend $4 billion to make a sculptural train station because I think it should look like a bird flying out of the wreckage of the WTC site. That will really help the healing process. And it won't be corny or overly literal or anything!
I know everyone has their own opinion on this guy, but I rest my case.
I love most of Calatrava's designs aesthetically but find them utterly impractical. He should be working in CGI in Hollywood.
I love how Calatrava gets slapped with figures *4 billion dollars!* That have little to do with architecture and everything to do with nyc bureaucracy.
Again, another architecture villian! If it were designed by SOM you'd never hear about it.
And as for Spain--they loved him before and now they hate him? If you didn't want a Ferrari than don't buy one morons.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.