“The Catenary and the Arch” a Temporary Installation by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila in Can Balaguer

16/07/2019. [Palma de Mallorca] Spain
metalocus, INÉS LALUETA

Insòlit 2019 is a festival of temporary installations that opened the doors of Palma's courtyards to creativity during the first week of July. The project, curated by Aina Bigorra, Erik Herrera and Pep Rovira, wants to promote and show in an active and participative way the heritage value of the Balearic Islands, through temporary creative actions.

The fourth edition of the festival is presented in the courtyards of Can Balaguer, Can Oms, Can Bordils, General Studio Lul·lià, Cal Comte de la Cueva and Cal Marqués de la Torre. Five creations selected from a total of 76 proposals by authors from all over Europe that have been submitted to this year's call were shown.

The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila. Photograph by Antonio Bouzas Barcala

The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila. Photograph by Antonio Bouzas Barcala

Skecth. Axonometric view. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

Axonometric view. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

Courtyard section. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

Skecth. Axonometric view. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

Diagram. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

Sketch. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

Model. The Catenary and the Arch, by Manuel Bouzas and Santiago del Aguila.

“The catenary and the arc” a Temporary Installation by los arquitectos Manuel Bouzas y Santiago del Aguila architects, in the Can Balaguer courtyard (work renovated by the architects Flores y Prats) in Palma de Mallorca.

The proposal takes as reference the arches of stone of the patio, and the opposite with a reverse geometry, catenaries formed light steel meshes, covered with acetates that project a warm light in the interior of the courtyard.

Description of project by Manuel Bouzas y Santiago del Aguila

1.   Can Balaguer is an ancient house designed by Flores y Prats around a courtyard, which is organized by the rhythm of stone arches.
2.   We are seduced by the beauty of those arches.
3.   We want to confront two opposite geometries: the arc and the catenary.
4.   One fights against gravity while the other one works with it.
5.   One requires mass while the other achieves lightness.
6.   One is compressed while the other stretches.
7.   One is opaque while the other lets light pass through it.
8.   One provides shade while the other projects its color.
9.   One grows from the ground while the other falls from the sky.
10. One was already there while the other not yet.
11. The catenary and the arc.