Antoni Gaudí: Faith in Modernism

Towering over the sprawling streets of Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia strikes every tourist’s eye. The Basilica, once finished in 2026, will be the world’s tallest church, with the spires piercing the blue Spanish sky. Every element of the church has natural, biblical, and cultural significance, from the great beams stretching from the church's columns to the natural scenes sculpted on the nativity facade. The church is a hallmark of modern architecture, but unlike many contemporary modernists, who often set their goal to shock the public, the basilica’s mastermind was a devout Catholic, finding it as his mission to express God’s mastery in his own work. From humble beginnings to international renown, Antoni Gaudí has remained one of the most influential and fascinating architects of all time.

Gaudí was born into a working class family in Reus, Spain, a village sixty-seven miles south of Barcelona. The architect was the youngest of five children and found himself ill for much of his childhood. Being confined in his family home in times of sickness, young Gaudí found himself contemplating the beautiful Mediterranean terrain sprawling outside of his windows. In between his bouts of sickness, young Gaudí was an avid outdoorsman, exploring his native Catalonia through expeditions and hikes through the rocky terrain. The wiry trees, rugged lines of the landscape, and rocky mountainsides captivated the young boy, and with this captivation, inspired his religious beliefs. Looking at this beautiful landscape, it was proof to Gaudí that God had created this perfect masterpiece.

Religious convictions drove Gaudí to study at the Poblet Monastery, west of Barcelona. There, Gaudí began to explore his interests in architecture and community living. Enamored by his contemporary thinkers, Gaudí desired to turn the monastery into a socialist utopian community. Along with two peers and the facility founder, Gaudí began this experiment. This would prove invaluable to the young architect, as one of his most famous works, the Parc Guell, was designed to function in much of the same capacity. Due to health problems and the death of his mother and brother, Gaudí left the monastery and began mandatory military service. During his time in the military, he again had severe bouts of sickness. Because of this extended free-time, Gaudí was able to enroll in the Llotja School and the Barcelona Higher School of Architecture to receive his degree in architecture in 1878.

Through multiple small-scale commissions, such as window displays for parisian shops and furniture designs for the Palacio de Sobrellano en Comillas, Gaudí was amassing interest even before his graduation. In fact, Gaudí’s first large-scale commission began in 1877, a year before his graduation. La Casa Vincens was designed for a wealthy Catalan brick producer, Manuel Vicens I Montaner, and the stunning design of the build proved to put Gaudí on the map. With bright colors, striking geometry, and the deep connection with Spain’s Moorish history, Casa Vicens showcased the young architect’s unmatchable talents. The ceramic tiles, boldly painted with striking colors, arches encircling the mansion, and repetitive geometric motifs all harken to Spain’s southern islamic flare. Comparing Casa Vicens to the Great Mosque (now Cathedral) of Córdoba, the Alhambra of Granada, and La Giralda in Sevilla, the influence of Spain’s islamic history shines brightly through the work of La Casa Vicens. It is also within this commission that we see Gaudí’s modernism on display. Gaudí took the traditional beauty of Southern Spain and mixed it with a modern sense of color and design. The distorted towers, bright colors, and irregular design make the building seemingly pop off of the crowded street. This solidified Gaudí’s renown and established his position as a serious architect.

It wasn’t until Gaudí met Eusebi Güell that the architect began to create the fluid designs that now permeate his portfolio. Eusebi Güell was an avid Catholic, just like Gaudí, and because of this, among other shared personality traits, the two became a quick match. The Güell family commissioned many buildings from Gaudí throughout Barcelona. Palau Güell, a large residence in the heart of Barcelona, showcases the transition from the Casa Vicens Gaudí to the later Gaudí of Casa Batllo. The rigid geometrics of his earlier career are on display in the facade’s tower slopes, while the fluid design is peeking through in the window arches and twisting spires perching atop the roof.

At this point in his career, Gaudí was quickly gaining traction. The artist was being commissioned for many projects. While the majority were from the Guell family, one commission stands out from the rest. In 1908, two American businessmen commissioned a design from Gaudí for a New York City skyscraper. The project, known as Hotel Attraction, would consist of parabolic towers, similar to those on La Sagrada Familia, which would come to an astonishing height of 1,180 feet (the One World Trade center is 1,776 feet tall), a tremendous goal for that time. However, because of concerns about the architecture design and disbelief that the height could be realized, the project was abandoned. However, for Gaudí, this did not put a stop to his ever-growing career, for his most iconic works were still in the making.

Prior to his commission for the Hotel Attraction, Gaudí assumed control of La Sagrada Familia in 1883. This work was Gaudí’s most iconic design, and stands out today as one of the world’s most photographed buildings for its striking beauty. This design by Gaudí was meant to express appreciation and pay homage to God’s creation. The only component of the building completed in Gaudí’s lifetime was the Fachada del nacimiento (the Nativity Facade). This facade represents the birth of Christ, with a child-Christ, Mary, and Joseph adorning the entryway. Along with the holy family, the facade hosts many natural references. From trees, tortoises, and birds, the facade celebrates the many gifts God had endowed to Catalonia. Perching on the ledges of the facade, Angels announce and celebrate the birth of Christ. The symbolism of the facade draws from traditional Catholic text and Catalan roots. At the turn of the century, Catalonia was experiencing an explosion of wealth. Because of this, many new buildings were being commissioned and Catalan modernism was transformed into a symbol of identity. This identity, though nuanced, adorns the Nativity Facade through the many references to Catalan traditions.

Though the Nativity Facade was the only component designed completely by Gaudí, the rest of the basilica’s design is inspired by his sketches. The interior of the church is truly a marvel of design. The graceful columns support a breath-taking ceiling, bathed in the light filtered through the vibrant stained-glass windows of the church. Gaudí wanted the columns to resemble the trees that he so adored in his native Catalonia. The towering columns split into thin braces for the ceiling, resembling the sprawling branches of a tree. Gaudí drew from the inspiration of God’s creation and planned a basilica that would transport the visitor into his own  man-made representation of the natural world.

Though Gaudí died long before the completion of the basilica, which is scheduled for 2026, his vision is realized throughout La Sagrada Familia. The Fachada de la pasión (Passion Facade) represents the Passion of Christ. The Passion Facade began construction in 1954, and the design showcases the innovative and modern design for that time. With a crown of arches and beautifully delicate supports for the enormous basilica, the Passion Facade truly draws from Gaudí’s inspiring modernism. Symbolism of the story of Good Friday permeates the Passion Facade. On the crown of  arches sits a figure of Christ, representing his resurrection. On a ledge of the facade, a Roman soldier pierces the wall of the basilica with a spear, representing the biblical story and inferring that the building itself represents Christ. The final facade is La Fachada de la gloria (Glory Facade). This facade has yet to be finished, but will represent Christ’s victory over death and his inspiration today. In this facade, the published designs show a true connection to Gaudí’s original plans. Spires will hover over this entrance to the church, matching those of the main dome of the Basilica.

The spires of the church are the most striking visual that any visitor has to the city of Barcelona. Though unfinished, the main tower, Jesus Christ’s Tower, will reach 172 meters into the blue sky, just 0.5 meters short of Montjuic Hill. Gaudí planned this height because he did not want his work to eclipse the work of God. Once completed, La Sagrada Familia will be the tallest church in the world, taking that position from Ulm Minster in Germany, and second largest church, not overtaking St. Peter’s Basilica.

While the bold work of La Sagrada Familia was taking place, a quieter project was taking shape just west of La Sagrada Familia. Parc Guell is one of Antoni Gaudí’s best known works. Originally, this park was meant to be a community housing the wealthy Barcelona society. There were to be many homes designed by Gaudí, outdoor spaces, and a marketplace for the residents to shop. However, this dream never took off. Today, only two of the original sixty houses designed stand completed. Though the park was never realized as a housing development, today it is open to the public as a tranquil overlook of the Barcelona skyline. Walking on the park’s tangled walking paths, visitors are interrupted by large sandstone spheres. While they may appear simply as decoration, or maybe a seat for tired visitors, these spheres serve a specific purpose, to guide the visitor through prayer. The spheres make up large rosary beads for residents to pray along their walk. Gaudí found his connection with God through nature, and because of this, he placed the rosary right in the middle of these relaxing trails.

Gaudí was as much of a modernist as any architect could be. His designs shocked the public and gave him international renown. However, unlike the modernists of today, his purpose and means to shock the public was not through increasingly vulgar work, but through inspiration from God. Instead of deciding to produce work that was meant to tear down society and traditional culture, Gaudí’s modernism celebrated his Catalan and Catholic heritage. While today modernist architecture consists of white walls and glass behemoths, La Sagrada Familia celebrates color and shape.

Today, London is home to many of the world's most iconic modern architectural sites. The Shard in London’s financial district cuts through the capital’s expansive and crowded center. While the skyscraper is undoubtedly a must-see for any London tourist, the simplicity of the design loses the cultural influence that the architects had. The designs of the building were said to come from the tall masts of British sailboats and the straight lines of British railways, but to the average viewer, this influence is lost. The glass walls shine proudly in the London sky but offer no cultural narrative or celebration of complex design. The Shard, while celebrating the beauty of simplicity, forgets the cultural importance of intricacy and complexity.

In Paris, the Louvre Museum welcomes visitors through a modern representation of the Great Pyramid of Giza. In the center of the 18th century palace sits a heap of aluminum and glass. Here is a juxtaposition unlike any other. The sandstone columns reaching towards the immaculate arches of the palace are placed alongside a transparent pyramid. Again, the simplicity of the design of the Louvre's Pyramid is admirable, yet the beauty of the museum itself is lost to the modernist attempt to break away from cultural tradition. For Gaudí, the two were not exclusive. He found a way to maintain and further the tradition of his culture while creating masterpieces never before thought possible. His religious inspiration was enough to create towers almost as tall as the mountains of Barcelona and designs intricate enough to captivate the minds of any passerby.

Today’s societal shock comes from separation from societal norms and traditions, while Gaudí’s consisted of building great works dedicated to God and his gifts bestowed to man. The life and works of Antoni Gaudí are fascinating and all culminate in the ongoing construction of La Sagrada Familia. Studying this great Master of Architecture may force us to rethink how contemporary culture can be advanced by showcasing our cultural values and traditions through innovative and inspiring means.

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