The architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava has once again made the headlines of Spanish papers - and, once again, for less than favorable reasons.
Calatrava's latest controversy is a lawsuit filed against him by the famous Bodegas Domecq winery, property of the Ysios Laguardia in Rioja, Spain. Both the Valencian architect as well as those involved in the winery's construction are being asked to pay two million euros to the winery, a sum that should help cover a renovation as well as the costs the winery has incurred over the last two years fixing the structure's leaky roof. The owner claims that the leaks have been creating a damp atmosphere (in a building where moisture control is critical for the quality of the wine) and thus damaging his business.
The building, opened in 2001, was designed by Calatrava and a team of architects and executed by construction giant Ferrovial. It is one of the most striking buildings in the rural area of Laguardia, a contemporary anomaly in the rolling landscape of the Sierra de Cantabria. The structure consists of an undulating roof with aluminum parts. Since opening, the roof has been repaired several times, but without success.
"We have been forced to take the matter to the courts because each of the officers involved in the building design and construction have avoided their responsibilities," said one spokesman for Bodegas Domecq.
Bodegas Domecq aims to place a new roof over the current one, but to maintain its unique visual appearance and aluminum finish.
Story via The Guardian
