Faris M. Turkistani Dr. Brett Tippey The Modern in Spain 5/9/2017 Chueca Goitia and Rafael de la Hoz: Moorish and Modern After the year 1898 Spain was going through difficulties identifying its national values. Losing the remnants of the occupied colonies, and the internal divide between their states played a major part of this escalating this issue. A combination of the establishment of a new social class, and the effort for each area to find their own characteristic resulted in architecture that is based in a historicist perspective. Historicism lead to building that lacked creative, and rational approach to design, which hindered the progression of the Spanish architecture. While the design methodology produces inadequate design, the sentiment it stems from is understandable. The sentiment of determining the national, or traditional values that represent Spain as a collective, and preserving these in times of global change. Spain’s need to maintaining its own authentic style is essential for maintaining its identity. In 1953 after Francisco Franco and Dwight Eisenhower signed the Pact of Madrid Spain saw a softening of Franco’s dictatorship, dictablanda, leading Spanish architects to explore and implement modern ideas in their projects. In the same time architect Fernando Chueca Goitia published his theoretical text titled Manifesto de la Alhambra, where he argued that in order for Spain to progress in a rational, and traditional manner they need to adapt architecture from the history of Spain in an abstract method. He specified Moorish architecture as the source of inspiration. With similar goals Rafael de LaHoz conducted a study in search of architectural canon in the city of Cordoba started in 1944, then published in 1973 under the name La Proporcion Cordobesa. The proportion he identified as the appropriate ratio used for the composition of architecture in Cordoba, achieving excellence in aesthetic quality and functional application. The aforementioned texts share similar sentiments of identity, and rationality of design, and both texts promote modern ideas through the analysis of existing Moorish architecture, or architectural concept established by the Moors of Al-Andalus. Through the analysis, and comparison of the theoretical writings of Fernando Chueca Goitia, and Rafael de La-Hoz about Moorish architecture, this paper argues that Moorish architecture has elements that demonstrate modern sensibilities while representing an integral part of Spain’s history, and identity.
Moorish style is adequately appropriate for adaptation by modern Spanish Architects. As Spain had an extensive amount of interactions with the Moors. The Islamic motif and sensibilities has its historical and cultural connection with Spain ever since the establishment of Al-Andalus. These connections justifies the remarking the influence of Moorish architecture as a part of the Spanish canon. The manifesto sought to promote the idea of venturing outside the comfort of Classical/Renaissance influence in order to build a path for Spain that leads to a proper national identity in architecture. An identity that is based upon rational thinking and approach instead of the shallow mimicry of antiquated traditions. Alhambra is the key for that achievement, as it encompasses the subtleties that correlates with modern thinking, combined with the cultural and historical values that relates to the Spanish background.