Biography of Antoni Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet is a Spanish architect, Designer and sculptor known for his innovative and extravagant Catalan modernist designs. He was born on June 25, 1852 in Riudoms, a small town near Reus in Spain, and began his career as an architect in Barcelona, where he built most of his most important works.

Study architecture

At the age of 20, Gaudí moved to the Catalan metropolis to study architecture at the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura de Barcelona. During his studies, he worked as an assistant to various architects, including Josep Fontsere and Josep Maria Sagnier. He graduated with honors in 1878.

Beauty created by God

Gaudí is a very spiritual man and is inspired by nature, the beauty created by 'God'. He subordinates his entire work to this vision: "I try to show the beauty of God that I see in his creation," Antoni Gaudí comments on his philosophy. As a child in a family of boilermakers, Gaudí acquired an understanding of materials, space and volume by watching his grandmother and father at work and putting his own hands to work. As a child, he was often ill and therefore forced to look after the house. He spent his time observing nature, even studying it. When Gaudí completed his studies in 1878, the director Elies Rogent bid him farewell with the words: "I don't know whether we have given him the title of madman or genius, time will tell."

Gaudí's style

Gaudí already had his own unique and unmistakable style, inspired by nature as well as Catalan culture and folklore, which was clearly out of the ordinary. He often used organic shapes and colors reminiscent of nature and incorporated them into his designs in a unique and artistic way. He used traditional techniques and materials such as brick, ceramics and wood. Gaudí achieved the necessary stability with steel girders, which lend his buildings the required stability despite their dynamic forms and playfulness. The steel girders act like bones in a skeleton. In general, Gaudí's structures seem less like buildings and more like organisms that seem to adapt to their purpose. "I believe that nature is the best architect," says Gaudí.

Gaudí and Güell

In mid-1878, the paths of Eusebi Güell and Antoni Gaudí crossed. This seemingly chance meeting would prove to be a historic encounter, as Güell had the financial means and social influence and Gaudí the ideas. As different as the two may seem at first, they were united by their admiration for each other and a tendency towards the same preferences. Güell became a pioneer and patron of Gaudí.

Casa Vicens

After completing his studies, Gaudí initially began working as an architect, designing and constructing residential and public buildings. In comparison to his later work, these were smaller projects in Barcelona, in which he largely focused on the design of the building envelope and which are less well known to the general public. One example of this is Casa Vicens, a residential building in Carrer de les Carolines, which Gaudí built between 1883 and 1885. His first building served as a summer residence for the Vicens family and demonstrates Gaudí's beginnings as an architect and his early ideas and styles. Today, Casa Vicens is a museum that welcomes visitors. The brick-red building stands out with its striking color and design and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Casa de los Botines

Another remarkable project by Gaudí that is often overlooked is the Casa de los Botines in León. Work on the 800 square meter residential and commercial building in the Castile region of north-western Spain began in 1890 with the drawing up of the construction plans and was built between 1891 and 1892. The Casa de los Botines is considered one of Gaudí's first major projects and demonstrates his ability to work in different architectural styles. The imposing building is built in the neo-Gothic or neo-Gothic style and is a listed building. Today, it houses a museum, where you can also visit two residential floors from the period with historical furnishings.

Bishop's Palace of Astorga

Parallel to the Casa de los Botines, Gaudí built the Bishop's Palace of Astorga in neighboring Astorga from 1887 to 1893. He was at least responsible for the first construction phase of the monumental building in the neo-Gothic style with Art Nouveau accents and built it up to the second floor. Just as Anton Gaudí never completed the building, no bishop ever moved in.

Casa Calvet

Another rather unknown project by Gaudí, but one that should definitely be mentioned, is Casa Calvet. The residential and commercial building at Carrer de Casp 48 in Barcelona, which he built from 1898 to 1900 for the textile manufacturer Pedro Mártir Calvet, is often described as Gaudí's most 'normal' building. Although it is less well-known because it is less conspicuous, Casa Calvet demonstrates Gaudí's ability to work in a more traditional style and, above all, highlights his skills as an interior designer. In this context, the Calvet Chair and the Calvet Armchair, which are still available in their original form at TAGWERC, deserve special mention.

Architecture of light

At Casa Calvet, it is already clear that Gaudí was a pioneer in the use of light in architecture. He placed particular emphasis on allowing natural light to flow into his buildings. Gaudí integrated artificial light as an accent or used it to achieve special effects. This design aspect is particularly evident in the Sagrada Familia church and Park Güell.

Park Güell

The legendary Park Güell, today an absolute tourist magnet in the Catalan metropolis of Barcelona, is one of his first, larger and holistic projects. Today, the public Park Güell is mainly visited for its fantastic colors and shapes and is perceived as unique and fantastic. However, it is actually the holistic architecture, with its unique views and unexpected vistas, as well as organically shaped walls and seating areas, that make up the concept of Park Güell and are emblematic of Gaudí's style. Park Güell is located in the Gràcia district of La Salut. Antoni Gaudí built the park from 1900 to 1914 on behalf of his patron Eusebi Güell, after whom it is named. Eusebi Güell (1846 - 1918), industrialist, politician and patron of the arts, was an avowed Freemason. The Gaudí invoices also feature typical Masonic symbols: a square and compass, which suggests that Antoni Gaudí also belonged to the order.

Gaudí's house

Park Güell has a considerable size of 17.18 hectares. The park, which you should therefore plan at least two hours to visit, is also home to Gaudí's residence. He lived here from 1906 to 1925, until one year before his death. Gaudí's house now houses the Gaudí Museum and the furniture he designed. Some of his plans and drawings are also on display here and can be admired. Throughout his life, Gaudí devoted a great deal of time and energy to documenting his projects and presenting them. Most of these documents have been preserved to this day and parts of them can be viewed in Gaudí's former home. Park Güell has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, as have other works by Gaudí such as the Sagrada Familia church.

Sagrada Familia

In 1883, Antoni Gaudí began building the Sagrada Familia church. With the honor of being entrusted with this project, Gaudí thought he had reached the goal of his dreams. "I have always dreamed of building a church that looks like a forest where birds build their nests," says Antoni Gaudí. At the same time, this mammoth task became his life project. The Sagrada Familia is Gaudí's and Barcelona's most impressive and probably best-known building. Until his death in 1926, the grand master of architecture continued to work on the building, which was finally completed in 1935 in the form of the so-called 'birth façade'. While the construction of the Casa de los Botines only took a year, the church became the project of the century, which continues to be built in Gaudí's style to this day. According to the plan, construction work on the Sagrada Familia should be completed in 2026, the centenary year of Gaudí's death. This now seems unrealistic. The church is a masterpiece of Modernisme, Catalan Modernism, a very unique style of Art Nouveau that Gaudí had a decisive influence on. It is representative of Gaudí's and Barcelona's architecture.

Casa Batlló

Another famous work by Gaudí is Casa Batlló, a house in Passeig de Gràcia that he built between 1904 and 1906. It is considered one of his masterpieces and is characterized by its bizarre shapes and use of color. TAGWERC offers the furniture pieces Batlló Chair and Batlló Bench. chair and bench were also designed by Gaudí as part of a holistic architectural project in which the architect also designed the interiors. They are still produced today in the same artisanal manner and are unique design objects in the Modernisme style.

Casa Milà

Casa Milà was built after Casa Battle. One of Gaudí's most extraordinary projects - also known as La Pedrera - a residential building on Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona, which he built for the Milà family between 1906 and 1910. It is characterized by its unusual shapes and use of natural materials and is considered one of the best and most famous examples of Catalan Modernist architecture. Not forgetting the design of squares and streets such as Plaça Reial and Rambla de Catalunya. The latter is still one of the most popular and frequented streets in Barcelona. The avenue is lined with lime trees and leads from the sea into the city center of Barcelona, with its core reserved for pedestrians.

La Seu

In addition to his work in Barcelona and for private clients, Gaudí was involved in a number of public building projects in other parts of Spain. Examples include the restoration of Las Seu, the Gothic-style cathedral in Palma de Mallorca, and the design of part of the Montaña Pelada park in his home town of Reus.

International orders

Gaudí also moves professionally on the international stage. Projects in South America, particularly in Colombia, bear his signature. He designed the El Rosedal residential building in Bogotá and took part in the design of the El Parque del Periodista park, also in the Colombian capital. These projects contribute to Gaudí's international influence.

Torre de Bellesguard

There are also some unfinished projects by Gaudí that were not completed after his death, such as the project for the residential building Torre de Bellesguard, also known as Casa Figueras, which is now privately owned and has been open to visitors in parts since 2013. It is guarded by a dragon, the dragon of the dragon of Bellesguard.

Architectural plasticity

With so much architectural plasticity, it is not surprising that Gaudí was a talented sculptor and created many decorative elements for his buildings, ornaments and sculptures himself. He mainly sculpted with plaster. Other interior objects are made of wood or metal.

Source of inspiration

Gaudí's creative power and inimitable style resonate and inspire architects right through to contemporary architecture. The mixture of organic forms in combination with colors, the use of natural materials and his architectural connection with nature and the environment are visionary and far ahead of his time. They have had a lasting influence on the world of architecture and design and have found many imitators.

Attention and importance

Instead of fading over the years, Gaudí's works have attracted increasing attention and significance worldwide, especially in recent decades. Most of his buildings have been preserved to this day and keep the memory of their creator alive as museums for posterity. There are numerous books and films that reflect and interpret Gaudí's life and works.

Influence on architecture and Catalan culture

All of this contributes to Gaudí being regarded today as one of the most famous and important figures in the history of architecture. His works are an indispensable part of the cultural landscape of Barcelona, and indeed of Spain, and are worthy artifacts of a bygone era that still endure today. His influence on modernist architecture and on Catalan culture and history is undisputed.

Accident on the way to the construction site

After 1912, Gaudí withdrew more and more from the public eye. The dandy with a penchant for parties and good food of the past had become an unkempt man who ate and lived frugally. Until his death, Gaudí lived in seclusion in Park Güell, near the Sagrada Familia. Nevertheless, he continued to work on the church until June 10, 1926, 15 days before his 74th birthday, when he was killed in a streetcar accident on the way to the Sagrada Familia construction site. Nobody recognizes the neglected-looking, injured man at the scene of the accident. At the opulent funeral two days later, the whole of Barcelona lined the funeral procession and paid their last respects to Anton Gaudí.

Gaudí, an exceptional architect

To this day, Antoni Gaudí's influence on modernist architecture is enormous and his works are world-famous. They are visited by millions of tourists every year. He is considered one of the most important architects of the 20th century and many of his works have already been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Design classics by Antoni Gaudí at TAGWERC

TAGWERC offers you the Antoni Gaudí design classics collection. Online, at TAGWERC Design STORE, you can experience a curated selection of Antoni Gaudí design objects. For all Antoni Gaudí objects not listed here, we will be happy to make you an individual offer.