Antonio
Gaudi
One of Spain’s most
internationally recognized architects, Antonio Gaudi has left his mark
throughout Barcelona and Catalonia. His whimsical
vision and imaginative designs have brought a bit of magic to this historic
region. Gaudi´s culmination of traditional elements with fanciful
ornamentation and brilliant technical solutions paved the way for future
architects to step outside the box.
Born in Reus, Catalonia
in 1852, Gaudi was the first in over four generations to leave the
family tradition
of metal working. As a child, Antonio never
excelled in school. He suffered from arthritis, which kept his attendance
low, and preferred to spend his time observing plants and animals,
as well as studying forms in nature, which would eventually be so prominent
in his designs. It was also during his early years studying with the
Escolapius Fathers that Gaudi recognized the “value of the divine history
of the salvation of man through Christ incarnate, given to the world
by the Virgin Mary.” He later incorporated such beliefs into his greatest
work, The Sagrada Familia.
Around 1870 Gaudi
moved to Barcelona to study architecture at the Provincial School of
Architecture. His grades were
again less than superior. However,
the young student did earn special recognition in the areas of Trial
Drawings and Projects, which allowed him to put his outlandish ideas
to use. His professor proclaimed that what had been produced in these
two courses was either the work of an insane man or a genius. In
1878 Antoni Gaudi was one of only four students to be granted the title
of Architect by the school´s director.
At a time of cultural
and political renaissance in Europe, Gaudi looked to many sources
of inspiration for his work. Medieval books,
Gothic
art, Oriental structures, the Art Nouveau movement, and, of course,
the glory
of nature, strongly influenced his designs. His deep love of music,
as well as his interest in writers such as John Ruskin, who said
that “ornament
is the origin of architecture,” also played a roll in the development
of Gaudi´s unmistakable style.
After graduating, Gaudi found comfort in the flourishing city life
of turn-of-the century Barcelona. Numerous doors were opened for
him among
the bourgeoisie,
artists, and intellectuals of the time. The young architect had a reputation
for dressing in the latest fashion, and surrounding himself by high society.
However, Gaudi never forgot his working-class roots. His first major
project as a professional architect was workers´ housing
in a factory, the Coopertiva Mataronese, which was intended to
improve the workers´ quality of life.
Gaudi presented his
design at the Paris World Fair in 1878. It was there that he
met Eusebi Guell, the man who would become one of the artist’s
closest friends
and most loyal patrons. In the following years, with rapidly growing
interest in his work, Gaudi took on many important projects. Among
them was the
house built for the wealthy ceramic manufacturer, Manuel Vicens, as
well as “El
Capricho,” a villa for the brother-in-law of the Marquee of Comillas.
Soon after, Gaudi
began designing a palace for his good friend Guell (Palau Guell), and
then later the two collaborated on Park Guell, which was intended to
be a garden
city.
Gaudi, however, is
most recognized for his work on “La Sagrada Familia,” a twentieth century
cathedral in Barcelona. Gaudi took over
the project
in 1884
after a disagreement between a member of the Temple Council and the
original project manager, Fracisco de Paula del Villar (Gaudi’s former
professor),
over materials. Antonio Gaudi was a mere 31 years of age when he
officially gained
control over the building. The architect devoted the next forty-two
years of his life to its construction, until his sudden death at
age 74 in
1926.
Gaudi’s works in Barcelona:
• Casa Vicens
• Sagrada Familia
• Palau Guell
• Colegio Teresano
• Casa Calvet
• Colonia Guell
• Bellesguard
• Park Guell
• Casa Batllo
• Casa Mila
|