Antonio Lamela, Architect 1926-2017

In commemoration of the centenary of the birth of the architect Antonio Lamela, his son Carlos Lamela de Vargas, an architect as well, honours with this book the legacy of one of the most important Spanish architects of the 20th C. Antonio Lamela was a visionary, innovative architect. His field of activity ranged from land use, urban planning, and architecture to landscaping, interior decoration, and furniture design, always informed by a holistic, multidisciplinary worldview. One of Antonio Lamela's greatest contributions to Spanish architecture was the introduction of the suspended structure he used for the Colón towers (1967-1977) in Madrid. These twin towers, built from the top down, hold the world record for the number of floor slabs hung from a single head beam or structural platform by means of prestressed concrete hangers along the perimeter. A tireless traveller and scholar, Antonio's research into cutting-edge concrete construction systems inspired him to bring some of them to his own country: he established the first ready-mix concrete factories in Spain, and introduced the systems needed to precast special concrete pieces. As a humanist, his interest in the environment, energy, and ecology inspired him to create two intellectual doctrines that would ultimately give rise to two new organising sciences: Cosmoism and Geoism. AUTHOR: Carlos Lamela de Vargas (Madrid, 1957), son of Antonio Lamela, graduated from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid in 1981 with a degree in architecture and a specialisation in urban planning. He also did a master's programme in industrial design, graphic design, and African art at the Universitá Internazionale dell' Arte in Florence (1983 1984). In 1984 he joined Estudio Lamela as an architect in charge of project development, and when he joined his father and uncle Amador Lamela as partner in 1987, Carlos took the helm and became the studio's director. In 1991, he and his father incorporated Estudio Lamela S. L., where he served as chief executive officer, co-signed plans, and co-supervised construction work. He has lectured at the architecture schools of several international universities, including Cornell and Harvard in the United States and the Politecnico di Milano in Italy. He also chairs or sits on the boards of a number of organisations related to architecture, urban planning, and construction. In 2008, when Estudio Lamela moved to its current headquarters, Carlos became the firm's only lead architect and sole signatory on architectural plans. He has received awards in Spain and abroad, as well as distinctions in recognition of Estudio Lamela's professional history and achievements. SELLING POINTS: . Texts by architect Antonio Lamela himself, by his son, and by one of his closest collaborators, on the architect's life and work . Featuring historic photographs of the most important projects of Antonio Lamela in an extraordinary dimension . An outstanding coffee table book on architecture 78 colour, 147 b/w illustrations