Santiago Calatrava, a renowned architect and engineer known for his dynamic, sculptural structures that merge art and architecture. His designs are made mostly of white concrete, steel, and glass to convey a striking sense of fluidity, weightlessness, and movement.
To capture this essence, the book is designed as part of a sculpture; one that not only embodies his vision but also serves a functional purpose, as a book display and page holder.
The concept came from the title for this project Bridging Art and Architecture. It represents Santiago Calatrava’s ability to blend structural engineering with artistic expression. The title reflects how his designs serve as a bridge, both literally and conceptually.
This concept was brought to life by combining the letters “A” (from Art and Architecture) to build a structural form, uniting them with the crossbar of the “A” serving as a bridge.
A varnish finish allows light to interact with the surface which supports Calatrava’s signature emphasis on movement and fluidity. The book itself is grounded in white, mirroring the clean, sculptural aesthetic of his work. The graphic element rest exactly on the edge of the book to portray the precision and details of architecture and the extension of the crossbar across the book, visually links the front and back covers to enhance the aspect of bridging.
The support for the book is both a structural element inspired by Calatrava’s work and a functional page holder, made out of steel, reflecting his belief that architecture should merge art with purpose. Designed in the shape of the letter “A,” it reinforces the concept and maintains visual consistency, further emphasizing the connection between art and architecture.
In the inside layout of this book, the bridge concept continues through the layout, with the header placed in the centre of the spreads to create a horizontal bridge-like line. Tight margins provide space for images and text while respecting the grid constraints set by the central header.
The book was adapted into an E-Book version suitable for tablet use.
