"Valencia Opera House, Spain" by Jorn van Maanen is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The unusual Valencia Opera House by architect Santiago Calatrava makes a fitting addition to Valencia, Spain’s City of the Arts and Sciences complex. It features an oceanarium, science museum, sculpture garden, and suspension bridge, many of which were designed by Calatrava who is known for his visionary works.
"Valencia Opera House" by Archway Andres is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Calatrava is the recipient of multiple honorary doctorate degrees and awards from around the world. Early in his career, he defined himself by designing structures that seem to defy gravity and bring a sense of movement to stationary objects.
Originally, Calatrava was going to pursue a career in art, however, he ended up going to school for architecture. Later he received his training as an engineer, becoming one of the few architects to do so at the time.
The exterior and interior of the Opera House are strikingly unique and forward thinking. Unfortunately, some problems with the roof resulted in the city having to shut down the complex temporarily.
The City of Arts and Sciences was featured in the Disney Movie Tomorrowland, where it fits right in.
