Spanish Language Blog

Part of the rebuilding project for the World Trade Center includes a new transportation hub for lower Manhattan, known as the PATH station. It is scheduled to be completed in 2013, and the architect in charge is Santiago Calatrava.

Born in Valencia, Spain, Calatrava is one of the most renowned contemporary architects and one of the pioneers of a revival of artistic design in a field dominated by budgets, deadlines, and practicality. He has brought to life a vast number of innovative projects all over Europe and the US. His most recognized work in Spain is La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) in Valencia. This is a complex made up of several buildings including museums, an aquarium, an opera hall, and a planetarium. Other significant works are the Milwaukee Museum, the James Joyce Bridge in Dublin, Lyon St-Exupéry Station, or the Turning Torso in Malmö.

Valencia, Museo de las Artes y las Ciencias” by Un ragazzo chiamato Bi

Calatrava is not just an architect. He is also a sculptor and engineer, and draws thousands of sketches for his projects. In his own words, “la arquitectura es una escultura donde se entra” (architecture is a sculpture you can walk into”). This concern with stylistic beauty can be appreciated by observing his bold and ambitious designs. As an artist, he was the perfect choice for bringing a symbolic meaning to the new World Trade Center project. The concept for the transportation hub is a dove being released from a child’s hand. In Calatrava’s mind, the poetic dimension is an essential part of architecture, and this building represents a tribute to the city, to life, a message of peace, and a door open to hope for future generations.

The World Trade Center Transportation Hub as seen from the street level
Courtesy of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

Such a large project couldn’t be without pitfalls. Some of the features have had to be modified to comply with enhanced security regulations in the city, and the budget has ballooned beyond its initial estimation. Some people have criticized Calatrava as a result, but we have to remember that, at the end of the day, the hub will be more than just a station. It will be a work of art. Would you rather see another boring, lifeless, dull building in its place simply because it is more inexpensive? Do we care now whether the Sistine Chapel was completed within budget, or how much the Eiffel Tower cost?
In time, the new WTC will be a landmark for the city, and I’m looking forward to walking into this sculpture one day.

Shall we learn some vocabulary related to the office?

el archivo – file cabinet
el armario – closet
el clip – paper clip
el escáner – scanner
el líquido borrador – whiteout
el ordenador / la computadora – computer
el pisapapeles – paperweight
el rotulador – marker
el sello fechador – date stamp
el sillón giratorio – swivel chair
el teléfono – telephone
la agenda – appointment book
la almohadilla – stamp damper
la calculadora – calculator
la carpeta – folder
la estantería – bookshelf
la grapadora – stapler
la impresora – printer
la máquina de escribir – typewriter
la papelera – paper basket

According to Ed Brodow in the book Negotiate with Confidence, Americans do business in a hurry. The following sentences will show businesspeople some ways to establish rapport, induce the other part to open first, explore the needs of the client, and then resist the first offer.

Bien, en primer lugar … – Well, first of all …
Gracias por haber venido. – Thank you for coming.
Les agradezco que hayan vendio a reunirse con nosotros hoy. – I would like to thank you for meeting with us today.
Gracias por venir en tan corto plazo. – Thank you for coming on such short notice.
Gracias por reunirse con nosotros en tan corto plazo. – Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice.
Gracias por haber tomado tiempo para reunirse con nosotros. – Thank you for taking time out to meet with us.
Hemos oído muchas cosas buenas sobre su empresa. – We’ve heard so many good things about your company.
Estoy seguro de que nos esperan buenos momentos en el futuro. – I’m sure so many good things lie ahead for us in the future.

Bien, ¿por qué no me dice lo que tiene en mente? – Right, why don’t you let me know what you have in mind?
¿Le gustaría empezar? – Would you like to begin?
Creo que usted debería empezar. – I think perhaps you should go first.
Es mejor que usted empiece con lo que había planeado y continuaremos de ahí. – It’s best if you start with what you had planned and then we’ll take it from there.
No, ¿por qué no empieza usted? – No, why don’t you go first?
No, por favor. Usted primero. – No, please. You go first.

¿Qué está usando ahora en términos de …? – What are you using now in terms of …?
¿Actualmente, qué están…? – What do you currently …?
¿Están satisfechos con su … actual? – Are you satisfied with your current …?
¿Qué le gusta más del producto? – What do you like the most about the product?
¿Qué le gusta menos en el producto? – What do you like the least about it?
¿Estaría en lo correcto si dijera…? – Would I be right in saying that …?

Muy bien, pero no era eso lo que tenía en mente. – OK. Well, that’s not exactly what I had in mind.
Mire, francamente yo esperaba … – Well, to be honest, I was hoping for …
Bien. Parece bueno, pero… – OK. Well, that sounds fine, but …
Nos gustaría un poco más de tiempo para pensar al respecto. – We’d like a little more time to think it over.
¿Y si …? – And what if …?
Aún tengo algunas dudas sobre … – I still have a few doubts about …