Final+Project

=What makes Venezuela unique from an architectural or urban planning perspective? =

**Central University of Venezuela. (UCV) **

** The primary reason which encouraged the choice of this campus was the great representation and recognition that it has nationwide, being one of the largest and most important universities in the country, as well as the oldest institute of higher education in Venezuela (founded in 1721), and internationally it is recognized worldwide as an example of Modern Architecture. ** **This site is the work of venezuelan architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva, which is considered as the most important venezuelan architect of the twentieth century, the pioneer and leading exponent and promoter of modern architecture in Venezuela. He was part of the group of avant-garde artists who represented the highest ideals of urban planning, architecture and art, combining them into a representation of the modern utopia. **

His urban planning and architectural creations features like the Great Hall (Aula Magna), the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, the Olympic Stadium and others are showing the finest avant-garde architecture. But what stands out in The University City at an international level is the achievement of artistic integration of architecture. By doing this, the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) was declared World Cultural and Natural Heritage by UNESCO in the year 2000. The UCV was influenced by the pattern of U.S. college campuses, which concentrated all the functions, for example, educational, welfare, recreational, sports in one area. In an area, which was out of the troubles and distractions of urban centers, Carlos Raúl Villanueva took these principles, modernized them and adapted them to the context of the city of Caracas. The idea of ​​Villanueva was to create a space where all the inhabitants of the city could participate, spend part of their life. The idea was not only to create a space for the student population, but for everyone. Villanueva, then organized his ideas and with the new concept of university campus model which, had been arising in Latin America, created the project of The University City, as an approximation of how new Caracas could be born; with wide open spaces, generously provided by parks, civilized areas for walking and meeting spaces.

 Currently, The University City ( UCV ) is located in Caracas at the center of the capital city, specifically in “La Parroquia de San Pedro” of the “Municipio Libertador”. It covers an area of 164.22 hectares and the land area reaches 202.53 hectares. In the architecture of the Central University of Venezuela, Villanueva summarizes what he considers to be the Tropics. The tropics according to Villanueva are changing, surprising and imposing, which he wanted to reflect on his masterpiece using the positive attributes which offered the tropical climate. In his work, Villanueva expressed color, light, texture and spaces as a result of tropical weather patterns.

 ** Color **** in the **** UCV. **

 The use of color in the Central University of Venezuela was introduced through the integration of works of art to architecture.

 The architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva was the one who incorporated the work of art to architecture.

 The works of art were based on sculptures and murals in vivid colors, that are bright and contrasting , which is representative of the tropics.

 The color was also used to identify the faculties of the university. As an example the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism is blue and on the other hand, engineering buildings are yellow.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;"> ** The Light in the **** UCV. **

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> Villanueva uses light as an aesthetic and functional element. He gives prime importance to natural light. An example of the functional use of natural light is at the School of Architecture and Planning, where he creates a facade block draft, which corresponds with the horizontal circulation area of the building , in order to maximize natural lighting. Another example is the classrooms. They all have one third of a wall covered with windows, which allows natural light in the study area.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> In the aesthetic feature, Villanueva uses natural light in the corridors and areas, where the students spend some of their time to create a warm atmosphere through the draft block walls , which generate light curtains and visual illusions that are changing and varying according to time.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;"> ** The texture in **** the **** UCV. **

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> Villanueva used primarily concrete ( reinforced concrete) in order to demonstrate the benefits of this material and project a clean work. The most frequent texture in most walls and floors is smooth.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> The depth block walls represent texture as well as the effects of light and shadow with depth block walls on floors and walls.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> “Mosaiquillo” use is prevalent in walls and facades of each one of the buildings, which generate an identity.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> And finally, there are different textures in the works of art that are on campus.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;"> ** The acoustics in **** the **** UCV. **

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> The acoustics of the UCV is represented by the Aula Magna, which was conceived as a meeting place for artists and leading intellectuals. It was designed carefully so that it could provide a suitable atmosphere for musicians to express their art to the public.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> Villanueva was able to merge a group of acoustic engineers, art and technical calculations of acoustics, which resulted in the famous “ clouds” of the Aula Magna. This design allowed obtaining a space with impeccable acoustics.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;"> ** The **** rhythm in the **** UCV. **

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> Villanueva used both monotonous and dynamic rhythm. This can be seen in the various pedestrian corridors that are on the campus of the UCV. Narrow paths are characterized by an uniform cover and the columns are located at constant intervals, which form a monotonous rhythm. There are also passages, mixed with covers (contours, streams) and its columns are placed in equal or unequal intervals , which can grow or shrink in size. That is a dynamic pace.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;"> ** The **** vertical and horizontal **** circulation **** in the **** UCV. **

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> __• Circulation__ __on campus.__

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> The University City is surrounded by the main roads of the city. It is bounded by the Francisco Fajardo Highway, the Las Acacias Avenue , “Paseo Los Ilustres” and the Valle- Coche highway. Besides it has an internal road system that enables communication across the campus. For example, the main avenue of the internal roads is the UCV Avenue, which links Avenue Las Acacias, with “Plaza Venezuela”.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> In regard to pedestrian walkways, the University City has a vast system of pedestrian walkways designed to accommodate and protect pedestrians, allowing them to communicate with all the building in the campus. The main pedestrian walkways are also connected to access points to the city, the most frequently used are the corridors that go to the University City subway station, which is the primary mean of pedestrian access to the university , and the hallways that go to the bridge of “ Plaza Venezuela”.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> __ • ____ The internal circulation ____ of the buildings. __

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> The horizontal circulation within buildings is accomplished through the corridors and vertical circulation ramps, stairs and elevators.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;"> ** Space and **** scale in the **** UCV. **

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> Villanueva used both the urban scale and the human scale (pedestrian ). The UCV was intended as a university city in which Villanueva designed an urban scale, introducing urban elements such as : vehicular roads, outdoor and indoor spaces , landmarks, gardens, buildings , sports stadiums.

<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 90%;"> Villanueva also designed according to the human scale and was careful to design the exclusive pedestrian spaces, such as: covered walkways, indoor square, thinking they were designed to protect pedestrians from the tropical climate.