De Gaudí a Calatrava: sobre el bando perdedor (Entre dos fines de siglo)

The breakdown of the classical-historicist architectonic tradition spanning five millennia of antiquity gave way to a new tradition -that of modernity. This new tradition of modern architecture has to be interpreted in its entirety between the actual margins in which it was born. It is not necessary, therefore, to highlight just one of the possible trends in contemporary architecture, as has been done in a biased and dogmatic way from the perspective of rational-functionalist architecture. It is necessary rather to develop a modern architecture in the vast field which extends between the two frequently confronted sides, so as to combat the fixed ideas which are still prevalent. From the rational, objective and material to the emotional, expressive and symbolic: based on this array of possibilities the new architecture came into existence, with just two conditions attached: the freedom won by the avantgarde movement and its adaptation to the day and age (DerZeit lhre Kunst/Der Kunst lhre Freiheit), according to the slogan of Secession which is now a hundred years old. By rejecting the absolute character from all that was functional, pragmatic and realist; by seeking parity in the evaluation o7 all the various characteristics of which the architecture and design boast, advancement will be brought about through a balanced development of the architectonic biodiversityv.