If you haven't heard of Antoni Gaudí, I hope these two galleries entice you to learn more. Briefly, Gaudí (1852–1926) was a Spanish architectural titan who's revolutionary vision sought to combine architecture, nature, and religion in his designs. This first Gaudí gallery is devoted to his most famous structure, Sagrada Família, a Catholic basilica in the heart of the city. It has been under construction since 1882 and is planned to finally be completed in 2026! The church has 12 towers, 11 of which are now completed, leaving only the tallest central tower under construction. When complete this will be the tallest church in Europe and the tallest building in Barcelona (560'). The church was inspired by what Gaudí saw in nature. There are no sharp angles, few straight lines, and the interior pillars are like sturdy trees reaching to the sky. In designing his buildings, Gaudí did not draw blueprints; rather he created 3D model constructions both because his designs were often too complex to draw, and he believed creating models was more organic in keeping with his fixation on nature.
