Structural Artist: Félix Candela Exhibit in Berlin

Last year Spain's capital celebrated the 100th birthday of Madrid-born Félix Candela (1910-97) with an exhibit which can now be visited in Berlin under the title "Künstler der Konstruktion" (Structural Artist).

Educated as an architect, Candela worked mainly as a contractor and engineer. This explains his deep understanding of the relationship between structure and form which is now revered as structural art.

The ground-breaking works of Spanish engineering Eduardo Torroja (1899-1961) awakened Candela's strong interest in shell structures. In 1936 he was to leave for Germany on a stipend, but this journey was thwarted by the Spanish Civil War. He went in to Mexican exile in 1939 and later worked in the United States.

Candela's work includes more than 800 reinforced concrete shells, mostly built in the 1950s and 1960s in Mexico. One of his most famous structures is the restaurant in Xochimilco in Mexico City and the Bacardi bottling plant.

This exhibit with photos and texts not only presents his life and most prominent works but also intends to provide an understanding of his design philosophy.

Opening: 12 January 2011, 18:00
Exhibit: 13 January to 28 February
Location: TU Berlin, Institut für Bauingenieurwesen, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Building 13b, in front of Auditorium (Hörsaal) B

The exhibit at the Technical University of Berlin is accompanied by a series of lectures entitled "Félix Candela - what became of his concrete shells?"

1 February 2011: Beyond Félix Candela's Concrete Shells, Mike Schlaich, TU Berlin

15 February 2011: On the Form and Topology of Transparent Shells, Hans Schober, Schlaich Bergermann und Partner, Stuttgart

1 March 2011: Under Great Roofs, Knut Göppert, Schlaich Bergermann und Partner, Stuttgart

Time: 18:00

Lectures and exhibit are open to the public and free of charge.