June 25th: The Day That 'God's Architect' Appeared on Earth

Antoni Gaudi, 1878

Antoni Gaudi i Cornet was born on June 25th 1852, and during his lifetime became famous for his groundbreaking creativity in architecture, and fronting the Catalan Modernism movement. He is considered a saintly influence on the architect scene, with his most remarkable work situated in Barcelona, namely the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and Park Guell.
   Today Gaudi is appreciated by both architect experts and the general public alike, and he is particularly commended for his ability to merge his personality and the favourite aspects of his life into his work. For example, his dedication to the Roman Catholic faith is portrayed in nearly all his work, through interweaving religious imagery into the design, which landed him with the nickname 'God's Architect'. Gaudi successfully combines his love of nature, with his local appreciation of Catalonia into his architecture, which is evident in the Sagrada Familia, for example. The Barcelona cathedral and tourist attraction is due to be finished in 2026, which is significantly the centennial of Gaudi's death, and demonstrates his wide array of talents through different medias e.g. carpentry, wrought ironwork forging, stained glass, and ceramics. 
   Unfortunately Gaudi's death doesn't convey the appreciation and success of his career. On June 7th 1926, Gaudi was run over by a tram on his way to church. Due to his shabby clothes, passers-by did not identify him as the highly respected Antoni Gaudi, therefore shockingly no-one helped him to the hospital. Three days later, at the age of 73, Gaudi died of his injuries, which could have potentially been prevented if treated earlier. His appalling death highlights the problem with human nature and society...whether the decision to ignore a dying man in the street was a product of the time, or purely a lack of humanity; Gaudi's avoidable death should spark attention paid to the way we treat each other. There's a modern-day parable of the Good Samaritan if you ever see one! If a talented, respected Catalan architect can't receive help from his own local people, then who will?! 

Park Guell

   Anyhow, this post is about the birth of Gaudi, not the death. Carving the way for architects and artists worldwide, he has impacted especially upon Barcelona and Catalonia, where you can find traces of his iconic work everywhere! The Park Guell is especially fascinating, with the famous mosaic patterned benches and the endless detail in the smallest places. The Park really captures Gaudi's love of Catalonia through creating a space for the community to enjoy. People flock from all over the globe to see Gaudi's architecture, and despite his dreadful death, his style lives on and is remembered for the huge impression he left on culture and the region.