Book Talk: Churches of Ibiza and Formentera

The architect Elías Torres Tur, born in Ibiza and practicing in Barcelona, along with photographer Michael Moran and architect Billie Tsien, will present Churches of Ibiza and Formentera (Triangle Books, 2024), a book dedicated to the 24 churches of the islands built between the 14th and 19th Centuries.

Elías Torres began to measure the churches of his native islands 50 years ago, a task that, as he himself explains, he carried out as an explorer, detective, or tailer, equipped with a flexible 30-meter measuring tape, a packet of yellow American sketch sheets, a thin blue marker, a rigid folder, a Nikkormat camera, and black and white film. At the time he was unaware of the usefulness of the drawings, that, finally resulted in the formal plans that accompany the book.

Michael Moran photographed the churches in the summer of 1991, documenting the stone barrel vault construction of the buildings, the surprisingly modern simplicity of the façades, and details of the interiors that have since been altered or removed.

The book presents, through Torres' personal testimony, descriptive texts of their current and historical state, sketches, drawings, and plans, the buildings that form part of the architectural heritage most representative of the Pityusic Islands.

The book Churches of Ibiza and Formentera was jointly sponsored by the Col·legi dArquitectes de Catalunya and the Col·legi Oficial d'Arquitectes de les Illes Balears, and published by Triangle Books.

Speakers:
Michael Moran, Architectural Photographer
Elías Torres, Architect
Billie Tsien, Founder, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners

About the Speakers:
Elías Torres, with José Antonio Martínez Lapeña, founded Martínez Lapeña - Torres Architects in 1968. He was a professor of Landscape Architecture, Drawing and Architectural Projects from 1969 to 2014. He has been a visiting professor at UCLA and the GSD Harvard. He is author of the following books: Guía de Arquitectura de Ibiza y Formentera (COA Catalunya and Baleares, 1980); Zenithal Light (COAC, 2005); Hubiera preferido invitarles a cenar… (Pretextos, 2005); Dibujos de Enric Miralles y Elías Torres en la Índia (Associació d’Idees, 2011). The work of Martínez Lapeña - Torres Architects has garnered numerous awards, such as the RIBA International Fellowship 2016 and the Spain Architectural National Award 2016. Their work has been published in numerous books and magazines specializing in architecture, including some monographs such as El Croquis 61 (El Croquis, 1993), and José Antonio Martínez Lapeña / Elías Torres (Lampreave, 2014).

Michael Moran received a master's degree in architecture from UCLA in 1982, and taught himself photography while working in the office of Frank Gehry in Los Angeles. He moved to New York in 1985 to found Michael Moran Photography. He has photographed the work of many important architects, including Rafael Moneo, Shigeru Ban, Frank Gehry, and Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. His photographs have appeared in every major architectural publication including a+u, Domus, Abitare, Casabella, The Plan, The Architectural Review, Architectural Record, and many others. He has been the photographer for seven books, including The 20th Century Architecture and Urbanism: New York (Tokyo: a+u, 1994); Reflections: Philip Johnson's Glass House (Tokyo: YKK AP, 1998); Rafael Moneo: Remarks on 21 Works (New York: The Monacelli Press, 2010); and Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, The Architecture of the Barnes Foundation (New York: Rizzoli, 2012).

Billie Tsien, with Tod Williams, founded their New York-based practice Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners in 1986. Their practice is committed to reflecting the values of non-profit, cultural and academic institutions toward an architecture of enduring vision. Their dedication to this work has garnered numerous awards and citations including the National Medal of Arts from President Obama and the 2013 AIA Architecture Firm Award. Some of their notable recent projects include the renovation of David Geffen Hall in New York, The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
 

A limited amount of copies of the book will be available for sale at the event by Head Hi.