I wonder if you've checked out La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona? Today, 131 years later, the building of the church follows Gaudí's original idea and, just as he himself did, the best techniques are applied to make the building work safer, more comfortable and faster. It is some time now since the old wagons gave way to powerful cranes, the old manual tools have been replaced by precise electric machines and the materials have been improved to ensure excellent quality in the building process and the final result. The present Church Technical Office and the management are charged with studying the complexity of Gaudí's original project, doing the calculations and the building plans and directing the works as a whole. Here are some more images. Also, if you click on the tabs on the left, there's info on the architect and his ideas of using structures inspired by nature to create the cathedral.When work began on the church, in 1882, the architects, the bricklayers and the labourers worked in a very traditional way. When Gaudí took over the direction he was aware that the works were complex and difficult and tried to take advantage of all the modern techniques available. And so, among other resources, he had railway tracks laid with small wagons to transport the materials, brought in cranes to lift the weights and had the workshops located on the site to make the work easier.
I think it's pretty amazing, personally. As for cool? Um, well, it's cool that someone took the time to design a building like that, I just wish it weren't a church. A library or a museum maybe. Somewhere where one could get a glass of wine without a blood type. Arcosanti does admittedly, look more cool. Also, I bet there's not a Pizza Hut across from it. I'll have to check that place out if I ever swing through Arizona.
And it's so fucking cheap to stay.