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Art Design History

A New Book Compiles an Expansive Collection of Gaudí’s Unorthodox Architectural Works

Known for transforming Barcelona’s architectural landscape, Antoni Gaudí famously combined nature, materiality, religion, and influences of Orientalism into a widely recognized aesthetic that’s captured in a new book from Taschen. Throughout more than 350 pages, Gaudí: The Complete Works encompasses the Catalan architect’s projects from the Casa Batlló to his first house, Casa Vicens, to his most recognized creation, the Sagrada Família. It features new and historical photographs, the architect’s plans and drawings, and an appendix of each of his projects—including buildings, furniture, decor, and even unfinished pieces.

With words by art critic Rainer Zerbst, the book considers the effects of Gaudí’s unconventional designs. “Like a personal tour through Barcelona, we discover how the ‘Dante of architecture’ was a builder in the truest sense of the word, crafting extraordinary constructions out of minute and mesmerizing details, and transforming fantastical visions into realities on the city streets,” a note about the text said. Grab a copy for yourself from Taschen’s site.

Design Photography

Step Inside the Lavish Architecture of Gaudí’s Casa Vicens

Architectural photographer David Cardelús recently completed an assignment for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Casa Vicens. In the grand tradition of ornate “cottages” commissioned by society’s upper class, the 1880’s home was designed and built by Antoni Gaudí for a wealthy broker, Manuel Vicens. Though the city of Barcelona has since been built up to surround Casa Vicens, at the time of its construction it was in a village known as Gràcia. The home is considered the first architectural work of note by Gaudí, and one of the pioneering buildings in Europe’s Modernism movement. It features many Islamic and Oriental architectural motifs and vibrant colors from cadmium red exterior trim to cerulean blue ceilings bring personality to every corner of the home.

Cardelús has captured Gaudí’s Casa Batlló, Gaudí Crypt, Palau Güell, and El Capricho in addition to this most recent series, and he shares with Colossal that he hopes to photograph all of the famous Catalan architect’s buildings some day. Cardelús, who was born and raised in Barcelona, studied photography, film, and video and now lectures on architectural photography at Universitat Pompeu Fabra ELISAVA.

You can see more of Cardelús’s photographs on his website and Behance, and learn more about Casa Vicens (which is now a museum) on their website. (via Colossal Submissions)

Photography

Aerial Photographs Explore the Unique Geometric Patterns of Coastal Barcelona

Márton Mogyorósy explores the coastal city of Barcelona from above, creating geometric images of the Spanish city’s buildings, shore, and sea. Mogyorósy browses the city via Google Earth to get an idea of the natural and manmade shapes he would like to capture, and then finds these areas with the assistance of a drone. The Hungarian photographer photographs lesser known areas of Barcelona, finding structures and buildings that are attractively shaped from the sky, rather than famous tourist attractions from the ground. His second series of drone images of his hometown of Budapest will be published soon. You can keep updated on his aerial photography on Behance and Instagram. (via My Modern Met)

Art

A Deranged Building Facade on the Streets of Barcelona by Penao

Here’s a fun piece by Penao that appeared last year in Barcelona. The artist utilized windows and holes in the side of an abandoned building to create a maniacal face. The mural is part of the Murs Lliures project that helps pair artists with available urban spaces for the creation of public art. If you liked this, also check out more facade faces by Nomerz. (via StreetArtNews, Digerible)

Art

Pneumàtic’s Salvaged Tire Installations Playfully Interact With Barcelona’s Urban Architecture

Pneumàtic was founded by artists OOSS, Iago Buceta, and Mateu Targa for the street art festival Ús Barcelona. The idea behind the cut salvaged tire installations was to create works that tested the traditional uses of architecture, playing with the audience’s understanding of what is just beyond their physical grasp.

The works, which are all placed in linear or circular arrangements, also test the viewer’s association with architecture, giving a playful tactility to the spaces they occupy. Although most of the sculptures look as if they are only decorative, many impede walking paths, forcing one to walk around their blockade or traipse upon their back like a bridge. Each installation appears as if the solid structures the tires are adhered to are malleable, the pieces disappearing and emerging from the ground and walls like they are being slowly sucked in by quick sand.

 

Design

New Video Depicts the Amazing Final Stages of Construction of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona

The foundation responsible for the construction of the famous Sagrada Família church in Barcelona recently released a video depicting what the final stages of construction will look like as nearly 150 years of building (and delays) finally wraps up in 2026. The breathtaking clip combines footage shot from a helicopter with computer-animated renderings to show what the basilica, designed by Antoni Gaudí, will look like. The structure is said to be “the most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages.” Read more over on Co.Design. (via Design TAXI)