the basilica of our lady of the pillar in zaragoza is an iconic baroque church, a national monument of spain. it's renowned for its connection to the virgin mary and is a key spiritual site, much like santiago de compostela. the basilica features a blend of mudejar and baroque styles, marked by a distinctive array of domes and bell towers. its interior houses important art, including frescoes by goya, and the santa capilla with the revered statue of the virgen del pilar. the basilica stands as a testament to the religious and architectural heritage of spain.
shot in front of the conservatory darius milhaud in the lovely town of aix-en-provence
after my weekly meeting with gras arquitectos i shot some fotos of their beautiful houses at plaça de gomila and saw this lady. i loved the colours of her pullover. doesn´t it fit perfectly the colour of the house?
captured in magaluf, a very british mass tourism holiday location, on mallorca during winter hibernation
shot when i was there with an acute lumbago
shot at an abandoned hotel during winter in magaluf, a very touristic site in mallorca focussed on british tourists
in our portixol office patio, this photo captures the quaint charm of a window with green shutters wide open, letting in the mediterranean sunshine. on the sill rests a bowl of fresh, vibrant lemons, the scene framed by the playful shadows of leaves, embodying the tranquil spirit of the locale. now in winter you have this stunning play of light without the "disturbance" by annyone being here. just me :)
Capturing the quiet essence of our Portixol office, this photo highlights the old wooden door ajar, with sunlight streaming through to cast a sharp, geometric shadow on the floor, contrasting the darkness within and hinting at the world outside.
in el terreno, a district teeming with life in palma de mallorca, stands a striking red building, a creation of gras arquitectos. bathed in the soft morning light, its bold color contrasts beautifully against the crisp shadows. a lone figure walks by, adding life to the serene, architecturally balanced scene.
captured this serene scene in palma from the parque de mar, the calm waters creating a perfect reflection of the imposing cathedral. the clear blue sky and the historic architecture blend harmoniously, while the artificial lake adds a tranquil ambiance to the bustling city atmosphere.
the cathedral of palma de mallorca, la seu, stands under the night sky, its gothic facade a tapestry of stone. light washes over its intricate sculptures and soaring spires, a beacon in the dark. this historic landmark, a crown of the city, gazes out over the mediterranean, a sentinel of faith and beauty. la seu, a gothic masterpiece, was built on the site of a former mosque. construction began in the 13th century and continued for centuries, allowing a mix of styles to influence its design. its rose window is one of the world's largest, flooding the interior with a kaleidoscope of light at dawn. its presence is a testament to mallorca's rich history, intertwining the sacred with daily life and standing as a symbol of the island's resilience and artistic spirit.
gazing out to the Barcelona nocturne, the view unfolds into an intimate tapestry of urban life. the night's canvas is splashed with warm glows from windows, each telling a different story—a mosaic of lives intersecting without meeting. the lights, like staccato notes on a dark score, punctuate the city's rhythm, the silence between them as telling as the illumination itself. in the distance, the city's pulse is a dim, purplish haze, a beacon of the nightlife that throbs unseen. in this nocturnal backyard of quiet existence, the overture of dreams plays softly, inviting the curious eye to ponder the hidden stories behind each lit window.
in the early morning light of barcelona, a hidden courtyard reveals the layered life of the city. buildings of different eras stand shoulder to shoulder, their facades a patchwork of history and daily life. the rising sun throws a sharp divide of light and shadow, carving out spaces where private lives unfold in the urban tapestry. balconies offer a glimpse into the quiet start of the day, as the city awakens in a hush, preparing to pulse with vibrancy once more.
this photograph showcases the grand portal of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, opening onto the vibrant Piazza del Duomo in Milan. The striking contrast of light and shadow accentuates the intricate reliefs and opulent architecture, a testament to the grandiosity of Italian design. Under this ornate canopy, visitors and locals alike traverse, small figures against the monumental backdrop, partaking in the age-old tradition of the evening passeggiata. It’s a place where history is etched into every detail, and modern life flows beneath the watchful eyes of a bygone era.
as dawn's first light washes over milan's duomo square, the day begins with a quiet splendor. the sun, peeking through the spires of the grand cathedral, casts a golden glow that glistens on the stones of the piazza. the shadows are long, the air is still, and the city breathes in the tranquility of the morning. pedestrians, small figures in the vast expanse, tread softly across the square, their movements as gentle whispers against the magnificence of history etched in the duomo's facade. this is a place where every sunrise feels like the first, a timeless scene in a city ever moving forward.
in the heart of avenida joan miro, where the pulse of palma de mallorca beats in a rhythm painted in hues of serenity, stand the echoes of eight houses – a chorus in blue. each facade, a stanza of its own, sings a variation of azure, as if the sky had whispered secrets into the architect's ear. the firm gras has spun a thread of continuity with each shade, crafting a visual melody that plays upon the eyes and calms the urban clamor. here, the sun casts geometric poems on the walls, a play of light and shadow that dances till dusk. in this moment captured, the ordinary is suspended, inviting passersby to ponder the artistry of variegated blues, the symphony of simplicity in this residential cadence.
towering assertively against the madrid sky, the KPMG tower at Cuatro Torres is a spectacle of reflective glass and steel. It stands as a testament to modern engineering and design, reaching for the clouds that casually drift by. The building's facade is a canvas for the shifting sky, reflecting the ever-changing tableau above, while below, the city pulses with its ceaseless rhythm.
in madrid, where the "cuatro torres" stretch, two giants reach for the sky, nearly piercing the cotton-like clouds above. glass surfaces mirror the ambition of a city, reflecting fragments of blue and white in a spectacle of modernity. there's a conversation between earth and heaven here, a visual poetry of aspiration, where human ingenuity meets the artistry of the skies. the towers, like beacons of progress, stand as sentinels at the threshold of the clouds, their tips disappearing into a dreamscape where the boundaries of reality seem to blur into the ether.
overcast skies whisper to the stoic grandeur of palma's cathedral, its gothic contours sketched against the canvas of time. raindrops tap dance on the parc del mar, crafting a symphony of ripples that mirror the edifice's ancient walls. the cathedral, a sentinel of stories, stands as an echo of devotion, where each stone is a verse of faith meticulously carved by hands long gone. here, the past converges with the present, witnessed by the casual stride of locals and the awestruck gaze of wanderers. in this tableau, the water is not merely a surface but a lens, casting the reflection of a bygone era into the gaze of today, as the elements adorn the scene with a patina of reflective tranquility.
