Antonio Gaudí was a Spanish architect from the late 19th and early 20th centuries known for his unique organic architectural designs. He began his career designing in a gothic style but developed his own sculptural style influenced by nature. Gaudí's most famous work was the unfinished La Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, which he devoted much of his life and career to designing. The cathedral was intended to have 18 towers and feature hyperboloid structures inspired by nature. Late in his life, Gaudí suffered personal losses and Barcelona faced economic difficulties, slowing progress on the cathedral. He died in 1926 after being struck by a tram in Barcelona.

1. Antonio Gaudí
1852–1926
Antonio Gaudí –
was an architect
who belonged to
the Modernist,
Art Nouveau
movement and
was famous for
his unique and
highly individual designs. Gaudí was born in
southern Catalonia in 1852, the artist's
parents came from families of
coppersmiths... After studying for five
years he was awarded the title of
architect in 1878.
Gaudí's first works were designed in a
gothic style but he soon developed his own
distinct sculptural style. He lived an active
life taking long walks to help suppress his
rheumatism, this allowed him to
experience nature closely which always
had a strong influence in his work Gaudi
was a highly imaginative and skilled
architect, he made original designs
irregular and intricate. Gaudí's
architecture has many different qualities
combining many different materials his
architecture has a unique organic,
dreamlike appearance. He studied
nature's angles and curves and
incorporated them into his designs.
La Segrada Familia
Gaudí devoted most his life to Catholicism
and his Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s
currently still unfinished enormous
cathedral, designed to have 18 towers.
Gaudi never relied on geometric shapes,
he liked to mimic the way men stand
upright through the use of hyperboloid
structures. Gaudi suffered a series of
unfortunate losses in his family including
the death of his niece, it is thought this is
why his work later slowed to a halt. After
these tragedies, Barcelona fell on hard
times economically, slowing the
construction of the La Sagrada Familia.
The only copies of his last blue prints
were destroyed by anarchists in 1938
during the Spanish Civil War. The
cathedral is now being completed but
differences between his work and the new
additions can be seen, completion of the
Sagrada Familía is planned for 2026.
In 1926 Gaudí was run over by a tram
while crossing the tracks reading a
newspaper. Many people and passers by
never recognised the unkempt appearance
of the injured artist assuming he wouldn’t
be able afford to go to hospital it took a
while before he received help and was
eventually taken to a paupers hospital in
Barcelona. When his friends visited him
they tried to move him into a nicer
hospital, Gaudí refused, reportedly saying
"I belong here among the poor." He died
three days later on 10 June 1926, he was
well known and loved by then and left half
of Barcelona mourning his death. He is
buried in the midst of La Sagrada Família.