A nocturnal roof garden for spectacles. The Luminous Ship by Carles Buïgas

David Caralt Robles*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The Luminous Ship was an unbuilt project by the Catalan engineer Carles Buïgas, conceived in 1930 and reformulated several times until the year before his death in 1979. It consisted of a floating universal exhibition that was to travel around the world, with a large luminous garden on its deck with a synchronized display of water, light, color, perfume, and music. For Buïgas, this idea was more than just an engineering project. To ‘climb’ onto the deck of this ship, bringing the Good News of Salvation, meant for him entering a paradise on earth, materialized as a garden of luminous water. If the ship was the 20th century's utopian image of the architecture, the paradisiacal deck of this nocturnal ship was the utopia of an engineer convinced that he could improve humanity only by means of water, light and music.
Translated title of the contributionUna cubierta nocturna para espectáculos.: La Nave luminosa de Carles Buïgas
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationA nocturnal roof garden for spectacles.
Subtitle of host publicationThe Luminous Ship by Carles Buïgas
EditorsHoracio Torrent
Place of PublicationSantiago
PublisherDocomomo International
Pages722
Number of pages728
ISBN (Print)978-956-6204-22-0
StatePublished - 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Arts and Humanities

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