Antoni Gaudí
Un vistazo al arquitecto más influyente de España by Alexandra (Year 13)
‘Ahead of his time’, ‘Never-before-seen’, ‘Genius’, ‘Man of nature’- these are just a few of the many words that have been used to describe one of the most influential architects of the 20th century, Antoni Gaudí. He is best known for having designed intricate and extravagant structures throughout Barcelona, with his most famous being La Basílica de la Sagrada Familia, the most popular tourist destination in Europe. Not only was he an influential architect, but he is also a symbol of Catalan culture in the modern world, with his appreciation for Catalan tradition and intricate symbolism throughout his designs. In May 2023, I went on a Spanish school trip to Barcelona. After visiting La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and seeing Gaudí’s intricate work dotted throughout the city, I was inspired to find out more about him and his influence on modern day art and design, as well as his effect on Barcelona’s economy.
Background
Gaudí was born on the 25th June in 1852 in Reus, a city in Catalonia. Due to health problems as a child, he spent extended periods of time in the Spanish town of Riudoms, where he passed his days by observing and studying nature. This interest in the natural world was what later influenced his designs and architectural style, with his biomorphic, fluid forms. In 1878, Antoni graduated from Barcelona’s School of Architecture, where his professor famously said, ‘I do not know if we have awarded this degree to a madman or to a genius; only time will tell’. Before he had even designed anything, those around him knew that he would one day become an architectural icon.
His Work
Not long after graduating, he soon became one of the most sought-after architects and started to take on larger commissions. Aside from La Sagrada Familia, the most important project of his life, he left behind many other unique projects including Park Güell, Casa Vicens and Casa Batlló, the Episcopal Palace of Astorga, Torre Bellesguard and many more. His memory is sprinkled throughout the city from tourist attractions to streetlamps. He started to form and refine his distinctive style, which often included shapes inspired by the natural and aquatic world – few of his designs used any straight lines.
On the trip, we had a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia. It was a breathtaking mix of neo-gothic and art nouveau, with extremely intricate religious details all over the exterior and within the church itself. What I found interesting was how it is still an active, functioning Catholic church. There are services held on a regular basis. Not only is it a symbol of Catalonian architecture or a renowned tourist attraction, but it is also a place of worship for locals.
In 1883, Gaudí took on the Sagrada Familia project and made it his life’s work. He started to re-design the church completely to be more unconventional and unique – his designs were so complex and detailed that by the time he died, only one part of the cathedral was completed; the bell tower. The rest is still under construction, but is predicted to be finished in 2026, which also happens to be the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. The reason it is so unique and special is because of its contrast with other cathedrals in Europe; it is drowned in colour, with stained glass windows in electric blue, green, red, and orange hues. It has 56 columns branching into a ceiling full of kaleidoscopic shapes, with otherworldly, phantasmagorical sculptures throughout. La Sagrada Familia brings in 4.5 million tourists per year, so it hugely benefits Barcelona’s economy, especially as Spain is a country where the prominent source of income is through the tourism sector. However, the trustees of La Sagrada Família have had to pay $41million in debt to the city council for not having appropriate building permits. Eventually, after 136 years of construction, the building permits have been granted.
In 1926, Antoni Gaudí died after being hit by a tram, and was buried in the crypt of La Sagrada Familia, following a funeral that drew huge crowds in Barcelona. His legacy still lives on as his cathedral continues to be built and his boundary-pushing designs are still used as inspiration today. Seven of his designs in Barcelona are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Now it’s your turn …
The native language in Barcelona is Catalan. Can you match up these words with the English translation?
| Catalan | English |
| església | design |
| adéu | legend |
| disseny | degree |
| gràcies | city |
| llegenda | unique |
| viatge | goodbye |
| ciutat | detail |
| únic | trip |
| grau | church |
| de | thank you |
Answers: església = church, adéu = goodbye, disseny = design, gràcies = thank you, llegenda = legend, viatge = trip, ciutat = city, únic = unique, grau = degree, de = detail