Félix Candela
Félix Candela Outeriño (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈfeliɣs kanˈdela owteˈɾiɲo]; January 27, 1910 – December 7, 1997) was a Spanish and Mexican architect who was born in Madrid and at the age of 26, emigrated to Mexico, acquiring double nationality.
Félix Candela Outeriño | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 27, 1910 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | December 7, 1997 (aged 87) Durham, North Carolina, United States |
| Nationality | Spanish, Mexican |
| Education | Madrid School of Architecture |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse(s) | Eladia Martin, Dorothy Candela |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Architecture |
| Institutions | Institution of Structural Engineers |
| Projects | Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, Palacio de los Deportes |
| Significant design | thin shells |
| Awards | IStructE Gold Medal, Augusto Perret prize of the Architects International Union |
He is known for his significant role in the development of Mexican architecture and structural engineering. Candela's major contribution to architecture was the development of thin shells made out of reinforced concrete, popularly known as cascarones.
He was Santiago Calatrava's icon who has had a great influence on his works.
At the end of his career he worked with the architect Fernando Higueras, designing inverted umbrellas with 12-meter cantilevers, and with the young and innovative Emilio Pérez Piñero.