Design Post Update

Nestled into the ancient Alhambra is the Palace of Charles V which dates to the early 16th century Renaissance. This palace was modeled on ancient Roman architecture which was heavily influential at the time period. Later these Renaissance examples would come to rule and guide Classical architecture.
Lets start outside as that's what one encounters first.  The strong rusticated base exudes strength but instead of small openings as in a fortress the palace is flooded with large windows and natural light. Fortification is not the primary goal here.
 I love the ornate bronze rings that line the lower level. Notice the recent restoration to the stonework with the new stone crisp and clean leaving the weathered stone alone (the way it should be!).
Once inside the gardens make a complete 180. When in Rome....or Granada in this case.....cooling water features are the focus of the gardens. The gardens were actually already in place when the palace was built having been started in the 14th century (the Palacio de Generalife). They were later restored in the 1930s to their current day appearance.
Architect Pedro Machuca was responsible for the building of the Renaissance palace which took over 20 years.
 The enormous round interior colonnaded patio is what really impresses me.
 Notice the detailed stone work on the interior face of the wall and the beautiful Ionic columns.

 In this cold winter weather here in Washington these gardens are speaking to me!
 Symmetry, balance, and simplicity are key here.
 The gardens terrace down the steep hillsides taking advantage of the view.
Thanks as always to my Australian Penpal for providing us with this inspiration!

Numerous courtyards contain different gardens and water features.
Each are slightly different reflecting the tastes of each ruler and the style of the day but all followed the rule of  making a 'paradise on earth'.
On this cold snowy day I could imagine spending a lot of time in Southern Spain!
The striking thing about each section are the numerous patterns and decoration employed.
The earliest patterns were Arabic inscriptions which morphed into geometric patterns.

No interior surface was left unadorned. Imagine the crews of artisans required to create all of this!
No two rooms are alike, no two ceilings are even the same shape!
Bright colors were also orginally used and many still survive.

Tilework is also a common decoration found throughout the Alhambra as well as most of Spain.
Glazed and painted or else laid into patterns.
I love the colorful herringbone floor above which appears to be laid with common subway tile nearly; so modern!
The complex lay abandoned for centuries, full of squatters and vandals. Renewed interest led to rehabilitation in the 19th century.
While this level of detail isn't something we aspire today I think we could learn a lot from the attention to detail.

Why don't we have World's Fairs anymore? They provided us with some of the worlds great monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and the entire City Beautiful movement. If you have any Beaux-Arts styled buildings in your city or town, such as a courthouse, museum, or townhall, you can thank the World's Fair movement!  I saw an exhibit on that at the National Building museum a few years ago and it was really an eye opening experience (read more about that and how it influenced modernism HERE).
Recently I was sent photographs of the Plaza de España in Seville, which was the centerpiece of the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, by my Australian Penpal which really took my breath away.
This enormous plaza designed by Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier contains fountains and a Venetian-style lazy river complete with boat rides, surrounded by a semi-circular building which now houses government offices.
At the base of the building designed by architect Anibal Gonzalez which surrounds the plaza are 48 alcoves which represent the provinces of Spain, seen in the image above. These have provided great photography fodder with Spanish tourists posing in front of the alcove representing their home province.
In true Spanish tradition albeit with an Art Deco twist, the ceiling of the loggia is beautifully patterned.
Lets step inside the main building to the central staircase, setting of many Spanish weddings. The image below shows why!
The tilework of painted encaustic tiles is beautiful and lends human scale to the otherwise massive stair.
As if one needed another reason to visit sunny Spain, be sure to check out the Plaza de España in Seville!

Who says art museums need white walls?  One of the finest art museums in the world, the Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, sports walls in numerous natural shades of umbers, orange, sienna, and yellow (see my recent post on the Givenchy exhibit in the museum HERE)
 The pleasant shades complement the art and flatter the skin; great spot for a date!
What do you think of this color palette? The great lighting helps as well. Thanks to my Australian Penpal as always for the photos!