Antoni Gaudi: Catalan Architect

Antoni Gaudi was a Catalan architect from Spain who lived from 1852-1826 and was the master of Catalan Modernism. Most of Gaudi’s work was marked by his 3 passions of life; religion, nature and architecture. His works show various unique styles that he attained through researching natural forms and employing them in his buildings while studying every detail of his creations, assimilating into his design every innovative design solution. He was influenced by Neo-Gothic art and became a main part of the Modernisme movement, even though his works transcended the design of mainstream Modernisme. He used organic styles inspired by forms he found in nature and rarely drew plans, instead much preferring to use models and 3D moulding. His works are largely concentrated in Barcelona, 7 of which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites, most notably his great and still incomplete masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia.

Antoni Gaudi was born in Riudoms or Reus in 1852. He was the youngest of 5 children and one of 3 that survived to adulthood. His exact place of birth is a mystery because no supporting documents were found, causing controversy about him being born in Reus or Riudoms. He had a great appreciation for his homeland and pride in his heritage, thinking that Mediterranean people were creative and had a subconscious sense for design.

As a child Gaudi suffered from rheumatism and general poor health which possibly contributed to his reserved character. These health issues and the theories of hygienist Dr. Kneipp facilitated Gaudi’s change to vegetarianism. His religion and vegetarianism contributed to him undertaking several long fasts which were often unhealthy and in 1894 led to fatal illness.

His professional life was very dist...

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... have keystones and ribs while hyperboloid vaults have a centre and allows for holes to let natural light in. He complimented his organic vision of architecture with unique spatial vision that would have allowed him to conceive designs in three dimensions. With this special conception he always preferred to use casts and scale models, being reluctant to do plans, and only very rarely sketching his work.

In the history of architecture Gaudi has a position of a creative genius who, being inspired by the forms he found in nature, developed his own architectural style and attained aesthetic value as well as technical perfection. His structural innovations were in big part a result of his journey through many styles and design genres, Baroque, Gothic and Traditional Catalan, often being said that the styles were culminated in his work, reinterpreting and improving them.