Antonio Gaudi – Biography

BIOGRAPHY.

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was born in Reus, Tarragona, a 25 June 1852.

Gaudí's family origins go back to the South of France, in Auvergne, from where one of his ancestors, Joan Gaudí, peddler, Catalonia became the seventeenth century. It is unknown exactly where Gaudí's birth, since it is not conserved any documents that specify, there is a dispute between Reus and Riudoms (two neighboring municipalities and adjoining the Baix Camp) on the town architect birthstone.

Gaudí felt a deep appreciation for his homeland, which evidenced the vast Mediterraneanism, fact that greatly influenced the architecture: Gaudí said that Mediterranean people have an innate sense of art and design, who are creative and original, whereas Nordic people are more technical and repetitive. In the words of Gaudí:

"We own the image. Fantasy comes from the ghosts. Fantasy is the people of the North. We are concrete. The image is of the Mediterranean. Orestes knows where, while Hamlet wanders lost in doubt ".^[

His first studies in kindergarten teacher Francesc Berenguer, father would be one of his top aides, and then went to Reus Escolapios; excelled in drawing, collaborating with the weekly The Harlequin.[] He also worked for a time as an apprentice in the textile factory "Vapor Nou" Reus. In 1868 moved to Barcelona to study secondary education at the Convent of Carmen in the old city. In his teens was close to utopian socialism, performing along with two fellow students, Eduard Toda i Güell y Josep Ribera i Sans, a restoration project for the Monastery of Poblet that would make it a utopian social phalanstery.

Between 1875 and 1878 performed military service in the Infantry in Barcelona, being destined to Military Administration. He spent most of the time reduced service because of their health, so they could continue their studies.

He studied architecture at the Llotja School and the School of Architecture of Barcelona, graduating in 1878. Along with architectural subjects attended French classes and attended some classes in History, Economy, Philosophy and Aesthetics. His academic record was fair, with occasional suspense; Gaudí cared more about their own interests than of official subjects. Elies Rogent, director of the School of Architecture of Barcelona, said at the time of granting the title:

"We have given the title a madman or a genius, time will tell ".

To pay the race, Gaudí worked as a draftsman for several architects and builders, as Leandre Serrallach, Joan Martorell, Emili Sala Cortés, Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano and Josep Fontserè. Maybe that's why, to receive the title, Gaudí, with his wry sense of humor, told his friend the sculptor Llorenç Matamala:

"Llorenç, say that I'm an architect ".

His first projects were the streetlights to the Plaza Real, Kiosk unrealized project and Workers Cooperative Girossi Mataronense. With his first major commission, Casa Vicens, Gaudí began to acquire fame, and receives commissions increasingly larger. In the Paris Universal Exhibition 1878 Gaudí showcased his glove on for Comella. The modernist design, both functional and aesthetic of that work, impressed the Catalan industrialist Eusebi Güell, on his return, contacted the architect to entrust various projects he had in mind. Thus began a long friendship and a fruitful patronage that led to some of the most outstanding works of Gaudí: Bodegas Güell, Güell Pavilions, Palau Guell, Park Güell and the crypt of the Colonia Guell. Also, related to the Marquis de Comillas, father of Count Güell, for which made El Capricho de Comillas.

En 1883 agreed to take over the newly initiated continue work on the Temple of the Sagrada Familia. Gaudí completely changed the initial project, making it his masterpiece, known and admired throughout the world. Starting 1915 was devoted almost entirely to this project, until he died. Gaudí began to receive more and more orders, so that, to work on several sites simultaneously, had to be surrounded by a large team of professionals in all construction related fields; in their study would form many architects that eventually reach a place renowned in the industry, as Josep Maria Jujol, Joan Rubió, Cèsar Martinell, Folguera and Josep Francesc Francesc Ràfols. En 1885, to escape the cholera epidemic that was ravaging Barcelona, GaudíInpent a stay in Sant Feliu de Codines, residing in the home of Francesc Ullar, thanks to that designed a dining table.

One of the events of the time to the Catalan capital, and served as a starting point for modernism, was the World Expo 1888, where the main architects of the time would present their best works. Gaudí participated with the building of the Transatlantic Company, and received a commission to restructure the Salon de Cent of the Barcelona City Council, which finally took place. In the early years 1890 received two orders outside Catalonia: the Episcopal Palace of Astorga and the House in Lion Boots. So, fame and prestige of the Reus architect was spreading throughout Spain. In 1891 traveled to Málaga and Tangiers to examine the site of a project for a Franciscan Catholic Missions, she longed for the 2nd Marquis of Comillas; the project was not made, but the towers planned for the Missions served him as a model Gaudí for the towers of the Sagrada Familia.

In 1899 became a member of the Cercle Artistic de Sant Lluc, Catholic cutting artistic society founded in 1893 by bishop Josep Torras i Bages and brothers Josep and Joan Llimona. Also joined the Spiritual Lliga Virgin of Montserrat, Catalan entity also sign Catholic. The foregoing demonstrates the conservative and religious character of his political thought, linked to the defense of the cultural identity of the Catalan people. Despite the apparent contradiction between the utopian ideals of his youth and his subsequent assignment to more conservative positions, evolution can be natural when you consider the profound spirituality of the architect; in the words of Cesar Martinell;

"Secular philanthropy replaced by Christian charity".

The beginning of the century found Gaudí embarked on numerous projects, which was evident in the change of its style, increasingly more personal and inspired by nature. In 1900 received the award for the best building of the year by the Casa Calvet, granted by the City of Barcelona. During the first decade of the century pursues projects like the Casa Figueras, known as Bellesguard, Park Güell, development project unsuccessful, and restoration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma de Mallorca, for he made several trips to the island. Between 1904 and 1910 built the Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, two of his most emblematic works.

Gaudí's reputation was growing, resulting in such that 1902 the painter Joan Llimona escogiese the physiognomy of Gaudí to represent Saint Philip Neri in the paintings in the transept of the church of San Felipe Neri in Barcelona. That year he founded with Joan Santaló, son of his friend Dr. Pere Santaló, a company specializing in wrought iron, failed.

Since his move to Barcelona, Gaudí had often changed address: in his student days lived pension, usually in the Gothic area; to start your career, passed several rented flats in the Eixample area. Finally, in 1906 moved into a house owned, Park Güell, constructed by his assistant Francesc Berenguer as a show house of urbanization; currently is the Gaudí House Museum. Here he lived with his father (fallecido en 1906 a los 93 años) and niece, Rosa Egea Gaudí (faldied in12 a lto añyears oldHe lived in this house until 1925, few months before his death, this last time residing in the workshop of the Holy Family.

One of the events that marked deeply Gaudí was the events of the Tragic Week 1909; Gaudí that time remained homebound Park Güell, but because of the anticlerical atmosphere and the attacks on churches and convents feared for the integrity of the Sagrada Familia, which fortunately was not damaged.

In 1910 was held at the Grand Palais in Paris, an exhibition dedicated to Gaudi, within the annual Salon of the Societe des Beaux-Arts in France. Gaudí participated at the request of Count Güell, concurring with a series of photos, drawings and models in plaster of several of his works. Although he participated out of competition, received rave reviews from the French press. Much of this exhibition was shown the following year at the First National Exhibition of Architecture held at the Municipal Exhibition Hall of the Buen Retiro in Madrid.

While the exhibition was held in Paris, on May 1910, Gaudí spent a stay of rest Vich, where he designed two lampposts made of basalt and wrought iron for the Plaza Mayor Vic, the centenary of Jaume Balmes. The following year was also forced to spend some time in Puigcerdà, because of fever of Malta; in this period of rest conceived the Passion facade of the Sagrada Familia. Because of its severity, the 9 June wrote a will before the notary Ramon sang i Figueres; fortunately, could recover completely.

Years 1910 were hard to Gaudí, suffered several misfortunes: en 1912 his niece Rosa died; en 1914 died his main collaborator, Francesc Berenguer; en 1915 an economic crisis almost paralyzing the work of the Holy Family; en 1916 killed his friend Josep Torras i Bages, Bishop of Vich; en 1917 works are interrupted Colonia Güell; en 1918 death of his friendinnd patron, Eusebi Güell. Perhaps all from 1915 is devoted entirely to the Holy Family, refuge in his work. Gaudí confessed to his collaborators:

"My best friends are dead; I have no family, or customers, or fortune, or anything. So I can give myself totally to the Temple ".

Really, the last years of his life were devoted entirely to the "Cathedral of the poor" as it is popularly known-, for which even come to beg in order to proceed with the works. Apart from that dedication, made few more activities, almost always related to religion: in 1916 participated in a workshop taught Gregorian chant at the Palau de la Música Catalana by the Benedictine monk Gregori M. Sunyol.

Gaudí lived entirely dedicated to their profession, remained a bachelor all his life. Apparently, only once was attracted to a woman, Josefa Moreu, Cooperative teacher Mataronense, to 1884, but it was not reciprocated. Since then Gaudí took refuge in his deep religiousness, in which was great spiritual serenity. Often has painted a picture of a sullen and unfriendly Gaudí, of abrupt answers and haughty gestures; but people who treated him more closely described him as affable and courteous, good conversationalist and faithful with your friends, among which were especially his patron, Eusebi Güell, and the Bishop of Vic, Josep Torras i Bages, and writers Joan Maragall and Verdaguer, Dr. Pere Santaló and some of his closest collaborators, as Francesc Berenguer and Llorenç Matamala.

Gaudí's personal appearance-Nordic traits, blond hair and blue eyes underwent a radical transformation over time: being a young-looking "dandy" (expensive suits, well groomed hair and beard, taste of gourmet, frequent attendance at the theater and the opera, even visited the works assembled in his carriage), happened in his old age to the strictest simplicity, eating frugally, wearing old clothes and worn, with a run, While sometimes took him for a beggar, as unfortunately happened at the time of the accident that caused his death.

Gaudí left virtually no written, apart from technical reports of his works required by official, some letters to friends (Joan Maragall mainly) and a newspaper article. They retain some of your phrases collected by some of his aides and followers, Josep Francesc mainly Ràfols, Go Bergós, Cesar Martinell and Isidre Puig i Boada. The only letter left by Gaudí is known as Reus Manuscript (1873-1878), a kind of scholarly journal which contained various views on architecture and decoration, exposing his ideas about; emphasize the analysis made on the Christian church and manor, well as a text about ornamentation and a memory for a table-desk.

Gaudí always recognized supporter of Catalan, but never wanted to link up with the politicians and policy-Francesc Cambo or Enric Prat de la Riba suggested he submitted to deputy, but he declined the offer-. Still, had several altercations with police: in 1920 it was beaten by a mob formed in the celebration of the Poetic; the 11 September 1924, National Day of Catalonia, during a demonstration against the ban on the use of the Catalan language by the Primo de Rivera dictatorship, was arrested by the Guardia Civil, from a brief stay in jail, which came with bail 50 ESP.

The 7 de junio de 1926 Gaudí was going to the church of San Felipe Neri, visiting daily to pray and meet with his confessor, mosén Agustí Mas i Folch; but passing through the Gran Via in the Catalan Courts, between Girona and Bailen street, was hit by a tram, that left him senseless. Being taken for a beggar, to go undocumented and because of his unkempt, with worn clothes and old, was not immediately relieved, until a policeman stopped a taxi that took him to the Hospital of the Holy Cross. The next day was recognized by the chaplain of the Holy Family, Mosén Gil Parés, but it was too late to do anything for him. He died the day 10 de junio de 1926, to 74 age, in the prime of his career. He was buried on 12 de junio, with the presence of large crowds who wanted to say their Junedbye, in the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia. On his tombstone inscription says:

Antonius Gaudi Cornet. Reusensis. Annos natus LXXIV, exemplaris vitae vir, eximiusque artifex, mirabilis operis hujus, templi auctor, obiit market Barcinone dit X Junii MCMXXVI, hinc cineres tanti hominis, resurrectionem mortuorum expectant. R.I.P.

Gaudí was the most representative of Catalan Modernism, was an architect with an innate sense of geometry and volume, and a great imaginative capacity that allowed mentally project most of his works before passing to planes. In fact, rarely performed detailed plans of his works; preferred to recreate on three-dimensional models, molding all details as was devising the mentally. At other times, was winging, giving instructions to his colleagues about what they had to do.

Equipped with a strong intuition and creativity, Gaudí conceived his buildings in a comprehensive, serving both structural solutions such as functional and decorative. Studied to the smallest detail of his creations, architecture integrating a range of crafts commanding himself to perfection: ceramics, glass, wrought iron, carpentry, etc. Also, introduced new techniques for the treatment of materials, as his famous "trencadís" pottery made with waste.

After some early Gothic influenced by art, and Orientalizing tendencies, Gaudi led to modernism in its time of greatest turmoil, between the late nineteenth and early twentieth. However, Reus was the architect beyond orthodox modernism, creating a personal style based on the observation of nature, fruit of which was his use of ruled geometrical forms, as the hyperbolic paraboloid, the hyperboloid, the helicoid and the conoid.

Gaudí's architecture is marked by a strong personal stamp, characterized by the search for new structural, that achieved after a lifetime devoted to the analysis of the optimal structure of the building, integrated into its environment and be a synthesis of all the arts and crafts. Through the study and practice of new and original solutions, Gaudí's work will culminate in an organic style, inspired by nature, but without losing the experience provided by previous styles, generating an architectural work that is a perfect mix of tradition and innovation. Also, all his work is marked by those who were his four great passions in life: architecture, Nature, religion and love for Catalonia.

Gaudí's work has reached over time with widely published, being innumerable studies devoted to his way of understanding architecture. Today he is admired by both professionals and the general public: the Holy Family is currently one of the most visited monuments in Spain. Between 1984 and 2005 seven of his works have been considered a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

In his time as a student, Gaudí attended various craft workshops, Eudald as Puntí, Llorenc Matamala y Joan Onos, where he learned the basics of all trades related to architecture, as sculpture, Woodworking, forging, glassmaking, ceramics, plaster molding, etc. Also, was able to assimilate the new technological, incorporating in its technical construction in reinforced concrete or iron. This was due to the global vision Gaudí had of architecture as a multifunctional design work, should be developed in which even the smallest detail in a set pervaded, proportionate. This knowledge not only allowed him to pursue his architectural, but also to design all the elements of the works created, from furniture to lighting or wrought iron finishes.

Gaudí was also an innovator in the field of crafts, devising new techniques and decorative solutions with the materials he used, like your way of designing ceramic tiling made from scrap parts ("Trencadís"), in original and imaginative combinations. For the restoration of Mallorca Cathedral created a new technique of making stained glass, juxtaposing three glass consisting of primary colors, and sometimes a neutral-, varying the thickness of the glass in order to grade the intensity of light.

Also, personally designed many of the sculptures of the Holy Family, applying a curious method he devised work: first did a thorough anatomical study of the figure, focusing on joint-carefully studied to what the human skeletal structure-; sometimes made use of dolls made of wire to test the appropriate posture of the figure to sculpt. Second, took photographs of models, using a system of mirrors providing multiple perspectives. Then, made plaster casts of the figures, both people and animals (on one occasion had to hoist a donkey not to move). On these molds altered the proportions to get a perfect view of the figure depending on its location in the temple (larger the higher). Last, was carved in stone.

Besides architect, Gaudí was urbanist and landscape, always trying to locate their work in the best environment, both natural and architectural. He did a thorough study of the site of the buildings, which sought to be integrated in a natural way in the surrounding landscape, arriving on numerous occasions to use the most common material in their environment, as stone or slate in gray granite Bellesguard Bierzo in the Bishop's Palace of Astorga. Many of his projects included gardens, as Casa Vicens or the Güell Pavilions, or were even fully landscaped, as Güell Park or the Can Artigas Gardens. A perfect example of integration into nature was the First Mystery of Glory Monumental Rosary of Montserrat, where the architectural framework is nature itself-here the Montserrat rock-, which accommodates the group sculpture that decorates the path to the Holy Cave.

Equally, Gaudí stood out as interior, personally taking charge of the decoration of most of its buildings, from designing the furniture to the smallest details. In each case knew apply stylistic particularities, personalizing the decoration according to the owner's taste, the predominant style of the set or location in the environment, either urban or natural, or depending on their type, secular or religious, much of its production was linked to the liturgical furniture. So, from the design of a desk for his own office at the beginning of his career, through the furniture designed for the Palace of Comillas Sobrellano, made all the furniture in the houses Vicens, Calvet, Batllo and Mila, Güell Palace and the Tower Bellesguard, to lead the liturgical furniture of the Holy Family. It is noteworthy that Gaudí made ergonomic studies to adapt his furnishings to the human anatomy in the most optimal way. Much of the furniture he designed sets currently in the House-Museum Gaudí's Park Güell.

Another aspect is the intelligent distribution of space, designed to create an atmosphere of comfort and privacy inside all buildings. This organizes the space into different sections or environments tailored to their specific use, partitions by employing, suspended ceilings, sliding doors, windows or wall cabinets. Besides taking care of every detail all structural and ornamental, took care of their buildings they had perfect lighting and ventilation, for studying in detail the building orientation with respect to the cardinal points, and the climate of the area and its place in the natural environment surrounding. At that time began the demand for more domestic comfort, with water channeling, gas and electricity, Gaudi knew incorporate elements masterfully in his constructions. To the Holy Family, e.g., conducted thorough studies on acoustics and lighting, to optimize. Gaudí said the following regarding the light:

"Light achieves maximum harmony is one that has an inclination of 45 °, it influences the bodies so that it is not horizontal or vertical. It can be considered the average light and gives the most perfect vision of bodies and exquisite nuance. It is the light of the Mediterranean ".

The lighting also serves Gaudí to organize space, basis of a carefully studied the gradation of light intensity to adequately adapt to each specific environment. It does this with different elements such as skylights, windows, shutters and blinds; worth noting in this regard the color grading used in the atrium of the Casa Batllo to achieve uniform distribution of light throughout the interior. Also, tends to orient the houses south to maximize sunlight.

Gaudí's style.

The architect's career had evolved sui generis, due to ongoing research in the field of the mechanical structure of the works. In the beginning, Gaudí received some influence of Eastern art (India, Persia, Japan), through the study of the historicist architectural theorists, Walter Pater, John Ruskin y William Morris. We see this trend in works like orientalizante Capricho de Comillas, Palau Guell, Güell Pavilions and the Casa Vicens. Later, follows the current fashion neogothic when, following the dictates of the French architect Viollet-le-Duc. It can be seen in the College of the Sisters, Episcopal Palace of Astorga, Booties House and Casa Bellesguard, and in the crypt and the apse of the Sagrada Familia. Finally, stage leads to more personal, naturalistic style, individual, organic, inspired by nature, which made their masterpieces.

During his student days, Gaudí was able to see a collection of photographs that the School of Architecture had on Egypt, India,, Persian art, maya, Chinese and Japanese, Islamic monuments and Spanish, which left a deep imprint, serving as inspiration for many of his works. He also studied the book carefully Plans, elevations, sections and details of the Alhambra, Owen Jones, belonging to the library of the School. Of the Nasrid and Mudejar arts took multiple structural and ornamental solutions applied with variations and stylistic freedom works. A noteworthy aspect that Gaudí takes of Islamic art is the spatial uncertainty, conception of limitless space structured; space acquires a sense sequential, fragmented, through small hollow partitions or diaphanous, without supposing that create separation barriers delimiting compact space uniformly closed.

But no doubt the style that most influenced him was the Gothic, that in the late nineteenth century lived a great revival largely due to the theoretical work and restorer Viollet-le-Duc. The French architect called for studying the styles of the past and adapt them to this in a rational, serving both structural reason as to ornamental. However, for Gaudí the Gothic style was "imperfect", because despite the effectiveness of some of its structural solutions it was an art that had to be "perfect". In his own words:

"Gothic art is imperfect, is half solved; Compass is the style, of Industrial repeating formula. Their stability is based on permanent bracing buttresses: is a defective body that holds with crutches. (…) Proof that Gothic works are of poor plastic is producing the ultimate thrill when mutilated, covered with ivy and illuminated by the moon ".

After these initial influences, Gaudí leads modernism in its heyday, located in the years between the nineteenth and twentieth. In the beginning, modernism finds inspiration in the historicist architecture, since for modernist artists around the past is a reaction against the industrial forms imposed by the new technological advances produced by the Industrial Revolution. The use of past styles is a moral regeneration that allows the new ruling class, the bourgeoisie, identify with values ​​they recognize as their cultural roots. Also, the revival of Catalan culture from the mid-nineteenth century (the Renaissance), has to take the Gothic forms as "national" style of Catalonia, with the aim to combine nationalism and cosmopolitanism, to integrate into the European modernizing current.

Some essential features of modernism will: anticlassical heir language of Romanticism, with a tendency to a certain lyricism and subjectivity; architecture firm linkage with the applied arts and artistic crafts, creating a remarkably ornamental style; use of new materials, creating a constructive language mixed and rich in contrasts, searching the set plastic effect; strong sense of optimism and faith in progress, producing an exalted art and emphatic, reflects the climate of prosperity of the moment, especially in the middle class.

Gaudí's architecture does not fit within modernism, while all the modernism fits perfectly within the work of Gaudí.

Gaudí is usually considered the great master of Catalan Modernism, but his work goes beyond any style or classification attempt. It is a personal and imaginative work that is their main inspiration in nature. Gaudí studied in depth and organic forms of nature anarchic geometric, looking for a language to translate those forms in architecture. Some of his biggest inspirations come from the mountain of Montserrat, Mallorca Caves, Salnitre Cave (Collbató), Guerau Fra Crags in the Sierra de Prades near Reus, Pareis mountain north of Mallorca and Sant Miquel del Fai in Bigas, all places visited by Gaudí.

This study of nature leads to the use of ruled geometrical forms such as the hyperbolic paraboloid, the hyperboloid, the helicoid and the conoid, that accurately reflect the shapes found in nature Gaudí. Ruled surfaces are forms generated by a straight, called generative, to move on a line or several, guidelines called. Gaudí found abundant in nature, as for example reed, rods or bones; said there is no better structure than a tree trunk or a human skeleton. These forms are both functional and aesthetic, and Gaudí used with great wisdom, knowing adapt the language of nature to the structural forms of architecture. Gaudí absorbed the helically movement, and the light hyperboloidal. It read on ruled surfaces:

"The paraboloids, hiperboloides y helicoides, constantly varying light incidence, have a wealth of nuances own, making unnecessary ornamentation and to modeling ".

Another element widely used by Gaudí is the catenary curve. Gaudí had thoroughly studied the geometry when I was young, reading numerous treaties engineering praising the virtues of using the catenary curve as a mechanical element, which however then only used in the construction of suspension bridges; Gaudí was the first to use this element in common architecture. The use of catenary arches in works such as the Casa Mila, the College of the Sisters, the crypt of the Colonia Guell and Sagrada Familia Gaudí allows structures provide a high resistance element, as regularly distributed catenary supporting the weight, suffering only tangential forces that cancel each.

With all these elements, Gaudí went from plane geometry to the spatial, formal geometry. Also, these types of construction got along very well with a type of simple construction and inexpensive materials, as brick: Gaudí used regularly attached brick with mortar, in layers, as in the traditional Catalan vault tabicada. This quest for new structural solutions culminated between 1910 and 1920, when experienced practically all his research in his masterpiece: Holy Family. Gaudí conceived this church as if it were a forest structure, a set of columns with arborescent divided into several branches to support a structure of intertwined hyperboloid vaults. The bent columns for better pressure perpendicular to the section; also, given double helical twist (dextrorotatory and levorotatory), as in the branches and trunks of trees. This branching creates a fractal structure known today, together with the modulation of space, subdivides it in small independent modules and self-supporting, creates a structure that fully supports tensile mechanical stress without the necessity of using buttresses, as required by the Gothic. Gaudí thus achieved a rational, structured, logical and perfectly adapted to the nature, while creating a new architectural style, original and simple, practical and aesthetic.

This new construction technique allows to realize their greatest desire Gaudí architectural, improve and overcome the Gothic: hyperboloid vaults have their center where the Gothic had the key, with the proviso that the hyperboloid to create a hollow space in that, a void left by the passage of natural light. Also, at the intersection of the vaults, where the Gothic had nerves, the hyperboloid allows small opening again vain, Gaudí takes to give the impression of a starry sky.

This organic view of Gaudi architecture is complemented with a unique spatial vision that allowed him to conceive his architectural designs in three dimensions, contrary to the two-dimensional flat design of traditional architecture. Gaudí said that he had acquired this spatial sense child, seeing the designs that his father did for boilers and stills that made. Because of this spatial conception Gaudí always preferred to work on molds and models, or even to improvise on the spot as the work progressed; reluctant to draw plans, rarely drew sketches of his works, only when it is required official bodies.

One of its many technical innovations in the field was the use of a model for the calculation of structures: for Colonia Güell church built in a shed next to a model works on a large scale (1:10), four meters high, where you installed an assembly made of a string of hanging bags filled with pellets. On a wooden board fixed to the ceiling drew the plan of the church, and points of the building-columns sustentantes, wall-hung intersection cords (for funiculars) with bags of pellets (for loads), so suspended catenary curve resulting gave, both bows or vaults. It then drew a picture, was reversed once the structure of columns and arches that Gaudí was looking. About Gaudí took these photographs, pastel with gouache, the outline of the church defined as, highlighting every detail of the building, stylistic and architectural and decorative.

Gaudí's position within the history of architecture is that of a great creative genius, inspired by nature, created a unique style, of technical perfection while care aesthetic value, marked by the stamp of his personality. Their structural innovations, posed some extent overcome previous styles, from Doric to Baroque, through the Gothic, main source of inspiration for the architect, could be considered to represent the culmination of the classic styles, Gaudí reinterprets and refines. So Gaudí historicism and eclecticism than your generation, without actually connecting with other currents of twentieth century architecture, with their rationalist postulates derived from Bauhaus will antithetical to evolution initiated by Gaudí, made to mark the initial incomprehension and contempt towards the work of the modernist architect.

Another factor of the initial fall into oblivion is the Catalan architect, despite having in the execution of his works with numerous assistants and pupils, Gaudí did not create its own school, because never was devoted to teaching and writing practically left. Some of his colleagues followed his footsteps closely, especially Francesc Berenguer and Josep Maria Jujol; others, Like Caesar Martinell, Josep Francesc Francesc Ràfols Folguera and evolved into Noucentisme, away from the teacher's wake. Nonetheless, some influence of the Holy Family creator we can perceive in some modernist architects-or left-modernism that had no direct contact with Gaudí, como Josep Maria Pericas (House Alòs, Ripoll), Martorell Bernardí (Olius Cemetery ) or Lluís Muncunill (Masia Freixa, Tarrasa).

Still, Gaudí left a deep mark on twentieth century architecture: architects like Le Corbusier declared themselves admirers of the work of the Catalan architect, and others like Pier Luigi Nervi, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Oscar Niemeyer, Félix Candela, Eduardo Torroja and Santiago Calatrava are until today debtors initiated by Gaudí style. Frei Otto used Gaudi forms in the Olympic Stadium in Munich. In Japan, Kenji Imai's work is an obvious influence of Gaudí, As can be seen in the Memorial 26 Martyrs of Japan in Nagasaki (National Architecture Award in Japan 1962), which highlights the use of the famous “trencadís” Architect Reus. On the other hand, the teaching and research conducted by art critics since 1950 the artist has placed a deserved place of importance in twentieth century architecture.

"Architecture is the first visual art; sculpture and painting require the first. Any excellence comes from light. The architecture is the arrangement of light ".

AWARDS.

• In 1900 received the award for the best building of the year by the Casa Calvet, granted by the City of Barcelona.

Several of the works of Gaudí have been declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Site: in 1984 Park Güell, Palau Guell and Casa Mila; and in 2005 the Nativity facade, the crypt and the apse of the Sagrada Familia, Casa Vicens and Casa Batllo in Barcelona, along with the crypt of the Colonia Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervello.

The World Heritage declaration of these works of Gaudí means recognizing their outstanding universal value. This was reasoned by UNESCO:

• The work of Antoni Gaudí represents an exceptional and outstanding creative contribution to the development of the architecture and construction of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
• Gaudí's work exhibits an important interchange of values, closely associated with the cultural and artistic currents of his time represented by the Catalan Modernism. Anticipated and influenced a number of forms and techniques that have played a role in the development of twentieth century modern building.
• Gaudi's work includes several notable examples of the building typology in the architecture of the early twentieth century, residential and public, in the development of which has made a significant contribution and creative.

Major Projects.

His early accomplishments, both during his time as a student as the first executed to obtain the title, highlighted by the high accuracy of the details, using the geometry of upper and mechanical considerations preponderance in the calculation of structures.

After obtaining a degree in architecture in 1878 His first works were:

• Lampposts for Plaza Real in 1978. For this custom designed two different types of lampposts: one of six arms, of which two were installed in the Plaza Real, and a three, of which also installed two in the Palace Square, versus Civil Government
• The unrealized project Girossi Kiosk.
• The Cooperative "The Workers Mataronense", which was the first major project of Gaudí, where he worked for 1878 a 1882. The project included a factory, a neighborhood of houses for workers, a casino and a service building, of which finally took place only the factory and the services building. In the factory ship Gaudí first used the catenary arch, also first applied, in the service building, ceramic tile decoration in.
• In May 1878 Gaudí designed a display cabinet for the Esteban Comella glove.
• A new commission from Güell-López's for Comillas was the gazebo for Alfonso XII's visit to the Cantabrian town in 1881.
• Gaudí's collaboration with Martorell was crucial for it to recommend to Gaudí's Sagrada Familia. The famous temple was Gaudi Josep Maria idea Bocabella. Initially the project was commissioned architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, who planned the construction of a neo-Gothic church, commencing construction in 1882. However, the following year Villar resigned due to disagreements with the construction board, and commissioned Gaudí passed to, which reformed the whole project, except the part already built the crypt-. Gaudí would use the rest of his life in the construction of the temple, that will be the synthesis of all architectural findings, culminating in its final stage.
• Between 1883 and 1888 built the Casa Vicens, Custom broker Manuel Vicens i Montaner. It is structured into four levels or floors, with three sides and a large garden, with a monumental brick fountain consists of a parabolic arc above which there was a passage between columns. One of the most original rooms is the smoking room, which highlights the shaped roof ceiling decorated with Arab mucarnas, reminiscent of the Generalife in the Alhambra in Granada.
• The same year 1883 Gaudí made a draft of the Blessed Sacrament chapel for the parish church of San Félix de Alella.
• The Whim, a small hotel attached to the Palace Sobrellano, the Marquis de Comillas, in the Cantabrian town of the same name. Known as El Capricho, was commissioned by Máximo Díaz de Quijano and built between 1883 and 1885. Oriental style, plant has elongated, with three levels and a cylindrical tower shaped minaret Persian, completely coated ceramic. Access has four columns and arches lintels, with capitals decorated with birds and leaves of palm, as in the Casa Vicens.
• Between 1884 and 1887 Gaudí carried out a second commission for Eusebi Güell, Pedralbes Güell Pavilions.
• In 1885 Gaudí received from Josep Maria Bocabella, the promoter of the Holy Family, the commission for an altar located in the family chapel Bocabella, having obtained permission from the Pope to have an altar in his home in private. The altar is mahogany, with lacquer coating, with a white marble slab in the center for relics. Has decorative foliage and various religious.
• The Palau Guell, between 1886 and 1888. Gaudí received a new order of Count Güell, building your family home, on the street Nou de la Rambla in Barcelona. The Güell Palace follows the tradition of the great houses of the Catalan as Montcada. Gaudí designed a monumental entrance with a magnificent parabolic arches and gates wrought iron railings puffs, decorated with the coat of Catalonia and a helmet with a winged dragon, Joan obra Onose. Stresses inside the hall, having a height of three storeys; is the central core of the building, as it is surrounded by the main rooms of the palace, and characterized by its double dome cover paraboloid profile inside and outside conical, solution typical of Byzantine art. On the platform of the facade Gaudí used an original system of catenary arches and columns with capitals hiperboloidales, style no employee or earlier or later Gaudí. Carefully designed inside the palace, with a sumptuous Mudejar-style decoration, which include coffered ceilings with wooden and iron. On the roof stand the chimneys, geometric shapes, ceramic coated colorful, and the high needle-shaped lantern is the outer cuff of the dome of the central hall, also made of ceramic and topped with an iron weather vane.
• In 1888 Gaudí constructed the pavilion of the Transatlantic Company, on the occasion of the World Expo held in Ciutadella Park Barcelona, property of the Marquis of Comillas. What place in Granada Nasrid style, with horseshoe arches and stucco decoration.
• The College of the Sisters from 1888 and 1889, Ganduxer street of Barcelona, Custom San Enrique de Osso. Following the indications of religious projected a sober building, made out of brick, and brick elements inside. Also incorporated into the facade wrought iron railings, one of his preferred materials, and crowned with a set of battlements. Inside there is a corridor which is famous for the series of catenary arches containing.
• Construction of the Episcopal Palace in Astorga between 1889 and 1915, order received by Joan Baptista Grau i Vallespinós. The air is neogothic Palace, articulated a plant with four cylindrical towers, surrounded by a moat. The rock on which is built is environmentally friendly, especially with cathedral located in the immediate vicinity, as well as with the nature. The entrance porch has three large flared arches, made with blocks separated by sloping buttresses. The structure is supported by pillars with capitals decorated vaults and arches on glazed ceramic. It is topped with a crenellated Mudejar. Gaudí abandoned the project in 1893, death of Bishop Grau, by disagreements with the council, being terminated 1915 by Ricardo Garcia Guereta. Today is Museum of the Ways.
• The House of Boots, Leon between 1891 and 1894, commissioned by Simón Fernández Fernández and Mariano Andrés Luna. Gaudí's project was an impressive neo-Gothic building, solved with its distinctive modernist. The building used to house its offices and ground floor stores weaving business, and simultaneously available housing on the upper floors. The building was constructed with walls of solid limestone quarry, padding arranged as. The building is flanked by four cylindrical towers topped with high conical needles, made of slate, and surrounded by a moat with wrought iron railing. The facade is Gothic, with lobed arches, and has a clock and a sculpture of Saint George and the Dragon, Llorenç work Matamala. It is now the headquarters of Caja Spain.
• In 1892 Gaudí was commissioned for a Franciscan Catholic Missions for the city of Tangier, in Morocco. The project was not carried out, Gaudí deeply regretted thing, keeping always get the sketch he made of all. Nonetheless, this project influenced him to the works of the Holy Family, especially in the design of the towers, parabolic profile as in Missions.
• In 1895 Gaudí designed, Güell family, a funerary chapel for the monastery of Montserrat, unrealized work of which little is known.
• Between 1900 and 1909 Gaudi was commissioned, Part of the widow of Jaume Figueras, reform the Torre Bellesguard, in the town of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles. Gaudí made a Gothic project, maximum respect for the previous building; as always, tried to integrate architecture into the natural setting surrounding, so building made with stone slate the place. The building is square of 15 x 15 meters, with the corners oriented to the four cardinal points. Built of stone and brick, has much more vertical projection, helped by a conical tower topped with a cross of four arms. The house has a basement, ground floor, main floor and loft, hipped roof.
• Between 1898 and 1899 Gaudí built the Casa Calvet, on the streets of Barcelona Caspe. The façade is of Montjuïc stone masonry, adorned with wrought iron balconies and topped with two pediments, topped with wrought iron crosses. It stresses on the facade the main floor gallery, decorated with mythological motifs and. In this project Gaudí used a Baroque style, visible in the use of spiral columns, decoration with floral themes and draft waterfall and rooftop air pots Rococo. For this work won 1900 the prize for the best building of the year awarded by the City of Barcelona.
• A little-known work is the Casa Gaudi Clapés between 1899 and 1900, Escorial street 125, Custom painter Aleix Clapés. It has three floors, plastered walls and cast iron balconies. For its lack of decoration or original structural solutions authoring Gaudí ignored until 1976, date on which the planes were found signed by the architect.
• Park Güell was Gaudí's main project in the early twentieth century, between 1900 and 1914, Eusebi Guell commissioned again to build a residential-style English garden cities. The project was unsuccessful, because of 60 plots in which split the field only sold a. Nonetheless, were constructed access to the park and service areas, deploying all his architectural genius Gaudí and putting into practice many of his innovative structural solutions that are emblematic of his style organicist and culminating in the Holy Family. The Park Güell is located in the call Montaña Pelada, in the neighborhood of Carmel in Barcelona. It was a rough place, with steep slopes that Gaudí draw with a system of viaducts integrated into the terrain. Access to the park has two buildings, intended goal and administration, surrounded by a masonry wall and polychrome faience. These pavilions are sample input fullness gaudiniana, with Catalan vaults covered as hyperbolic paraboloid. After wards there is a staircase leading to the upper levels, decorated with a sculptured fountains which highlights the dragon, which has become a symbol of the park and one of Gaudí's most recognized emblems. This stairway leads to the Hypostyle Hall, that would have served the residential market, made with large Doric columns. Above this room is a large square shaped Greek theater, with famous ceramic coated sliding bench chopped ("Trencadís"), Josep Maria Jujol. The model home park, work of Francesc Berenguer, Gaudi was the residence of 1906 a 1926, and now houses the Gaudi House Museum.

Park Güell. 1900-1914. Sliding Bank.

• The restoration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma de Mallorca between 1903 and 1914, commissioned by the bishop of that city, Pere Campins i Barceló.
• The Casa Batllo between 1904 and 1906. Commissioned by Josep Batllo i Casanovas to reform an earlier building of Emili Sala Cortés 1875, Gaudí focused on the façade, the main floor, the patio and the roof, and built a fifth floor for service personnel. The facade is made of Montjuïc sandstone, carved as warped ruled surfaces as; bone shaped columns, with representations plant. Gaudí kept the rectangular shape of the building's balconies with iron railings above shaped mask, giving the rest of the facade a corrugated shape upwardly. Also the facade coated with ceramic glass pieces of various colors (“trencadís”), Gaudí obtained in the glass waste Pelegrí. The courtyard was covered with a glass roof supported by a steel structure with a double T, which relies on a series of arcs catenary. Rooftop chimneys stand helical forms and topped by conical caps, coated clear glass in the central and upper Ceramic, and surmounted by clear glass balls filled with sand of different colors. Culminates the facade consists of a vault catenary arches covered with two layers of brick, Glazed ceramic coated flaked (in yellow, green and blue), reminiscent of the back of a dragon; on the left side is a cylindrical turret with anagrams of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and the four-armed cross gaudiniana.
• In 1906 project made the bridge over the stream of Pomeret, between Sarria and Sant Gervasi. Gaudí designed an interesting structure composed of juxtaposed triangles that would support the bridge's framework, the style of the viaducts that were made in the Park Güell.
• The Casa Mila, better known as La Pedrera, between 1906 and 1910, Custom Pere Mila i Camps. Gaudí designed the house around two large courtyards curvilinear, with a stone pillar structure, brick and cast iron, and iron girders trusses. The whole façade is made of limestone Villafranca del Penedes, except that the top is covered with white tiles, evoking a snowy mountain. Has a total of five plants, plus a loft-made entirely of catenary arches-and the roof, and two large courtyards, one circular and one oval plant. On the roof ladder stand outflows, topped with the four-armed cross, and chimneys, ceramic coated with shapes that suggest helmets of soldiers.

Casa Mila. 1906-1910.

• Colonia Güell Church, en Santa Coloma de Cervelló, of which only the crypt was constructed (now known as the Colonia Guell Crypt) between 1908 and 1918.
• Schools built in the Holy Family 1909, small school building for the children of the workers who worked in the temple. The Holy Family School have been an example in constructive genius and have served as inspiration for many architects, for simplicity, resistance, original volume, Functionality and purity geometric.
• From 1915 Gaudí devoted himself almost exclusively to his masterpiece, Holy Family, which is the synthesis of all the brilliant architect architectural evolution. After completion of the crypt and the apse, still in Gothic style, the rest of the temple was conceived in an organic style, imitating natural forms, geometric shapes abound regulated. The interior should resemble a forest, a set of columns with inclined arborescent, a helical, creating a structure that is simple and resistant. The Holy Family has a Latin cross plan, five central naves and transept of three aisles, and apse with seven chapels. He holds three façades dedicated to the birth, Passion and Glory of Jesus, and when completed will 18 towers. The temple will have two sacristy next to the apse, and three large chapels, also, be surrounded by a cloister designed for processions and to isolate the outer temple. Gaudi's Sagrada Familia applied to the highly symbolic, both in architecture and sculpture, dedicating each part of the temple religious significance. During Gaudí's life only the crypt was completed, the apse and, partially, the Nativity facade, of which Gaudí was just crowned the tower of St. Barnabas-. At his death he took over his assistant construction, Domènec Sugrañes; later, has been directed by various architects, Jordi Bonet i Armengol being director of works from 1987.

The Holy Family. 1915-

 USEFUL LINKS and bibliographies.

• http://www.antonigaudi.org/
• http://cvc.cervantes.es/actcult/gaudi/default.htm
• http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-cast/index.php
• http://epdlp.com/arquitecto.php?id=48
• http://www.upc.edu/catedragaudi/
• http://arteycultura.tv/?p=797

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