Question 1

True or false: Calatrava designed the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia, Spain.

Accepted Answer

True. He designed the iconic complex, including L'Hemisfèric and the Museu de les Ciències, blending futuristic architecture with engineering.

Question 2

True or false: He designed the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York City.

Accepted Answer

True. Calatrava designed the Oculus, the WTC transit hub, which opened in 2016 and features ribbed, wing-like structures.

Question 3

True or false: Calatrava's only completed skyscraper is the Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden.

Accepted Answer

True. The Turning Torso, a twisting residential tower completed in 2005, is his sole finished skyscraper to date.

Question 4

True or false: He once designed a bridge that was shaped like a giant harp.

Accepted Answer

True. The Alamillo Bridge in Seville has a single pylon with cables fanning out, resembling a harp, completed in 1992.

Question 5

True or false: His designs often feature moving parts, such as retractable roofs or adjustable fins.

Accepted Answer

True. The Milwaukee Art Museum has a movable sunscreen that opens like wings, and the Tenerife Auditorium has a retractable roof.

Question 6

True or false: He originally trained as a sculptor before becoming an architect.

Accepted Answer

False. Calatrava studied civil engineering and architecture, not sculpture, though his works are often likened to sculptures.

Question 7

True or false: Calatrava has a degree in fine arts from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels.

Accepted Answer

False. He earned a degree in civil engineering in Valencia and a PhD in architecture in Zurich, not fine arts.

Question 8

True or false: Calatrava's structures are known for using only steel and concrete, avoiding glass entirely.

Accepted Answer

False. His designs frequently incorporate glass, like in the Milwaukee Art Museum's brise-soleil, which uses glass and steel.

Santiago Calatrava Trivia Questions