Santiago Calatrava has won a victory over Esquerra Unida, a Spanish left-wing political party, in court, as a judge has ordered the party's Valencia branch to pay €30,000.
These damages are to be paid because of a website the party created, called "Calatravatelaclava," or "Calatrava bleeds you dry." The architect was asking for €600,000 in damages.
The site went up in 2012 and was meant to target the City of Arts and Sciences, a project that went from €300 million to over €1 billion during construction, according to The Guardian. The complex includes an opera house, a concert hall, a planetarium, and science museum, and was completed in 2005.
It has had multiple structural problems since its construction; in December, the concert hall was fenced off after high winds blew parts of the mosaic off the building. Calatravatelaclava was created to point out flaws in Calatrava's projects, but focused on the Valencia complex in particular.
Other buildings designed by Calatrava have also shown structural problems; for example, the Palacio de Congresos project in Oviedo, Spain.
The judge ruled that the actual information on the Calatravatelaclava site was true and not problematic, but that the name was "insulting and degrading."
The Guardian reports: "the judge said the name suggested that Calatrava 'does not act with the necessary professionalism and honour, but rather schemes, betrays and deceives.' The €30,000 would be 'symbolic reparations for the pain caused' by the site, which he ordered to be shut down within 20 days."
The original website has been taken down; however, another site, called "Calatrava no nos calla," or "Calatrava won't silence us" was launched by Esquerra Unida on Friday, May 16. Ignacio Blanco, has said that this is legal according to the terms of the sentence, and he says that the party will appeal the decision.
Related Stories
| Jul 7, 2014
A climate-controlled city is Dubai's newest colossal project
To add to Dubai's already impressive portfolio of world's tallest tower and world's largest natural flower garden, Dubai Holding has plans to build the world's largest climate-controlled city.
| Jul 3, 2014
Gehry edits Canadian skyscraper plan to be 'more Toronto'
After being criticized for the original tower complex, architect Frank Gehry unveils a new design that is more subtle, and "more Toronto."
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jul 1, 2014
Peter Zumthor's LA art museum plan modified with bridge-like section across main thoroughfare
After his design drew concerns about potential damage to LA's La Brea Tar Pits, Peter Zumthor has dramatically revised his concept for the Los Angeles Museum of Art.
| Jul 1, 2014
Zaha Hadid's flowing Heydar Aliyev Center named Design of the Year for 2014
The Design Museum's Design of the Year award has been awarded to Zaha Hadid's Heydar Aliyev Center. Hadid is not only the first woman to win the top prize, but the center is the first architectural project to win the overall competition.
| Jun 30, 2014
Philip Johnson’s iconic World's Fair 'Tent of Tomorrow' to receive much needed restoration funding
A neglected Queens landmark that once reflected the "excitement and hopefulness" at the beginning of the Space Age may soon be restored.
| Jun 30, 2014
4 design concepts that remake the urban farmer's market
The American Institute of Architects held a competition to solve the farmer's markets' biggest design dilemma: lightweight, bland canopies that although convenient, does not protect much from the elements.
| Jun 26, 2014
Plans for Britain’s newest landmark brings in international cooperation
Designers of the London Eye will team up with companies from France, the Netherlands and the United States to construct i360 Brighton, the U.K.'s newest observation tower.
| Jun 25, 2014
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Spring House, Cincinnati’s Union Terminal among 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2014
The National Trust for Historic Preservation released its annual list of 11 Most Endangered Historical Sites in the United States for 2014.
| Jun 23, 2014
Gehry's 'glass sail' cultural center for Foundation Louis Vuitton set to open in October
Comissioned by Bernard Arnault, American legendary architect Frank Gehry's newest structure in Paris for Foundation Louis Vuitton will house eleven galleries and an auditorium for performing arts.