Like other real people who have become icons for the cities, Antoni Gaudí is synonymous with Barcelona, Spain in an incredibly profound manner. While much of that is driven by the recognition of monuments like the Basílica de la Sagrada Família and Park Güell, the way in which Gaudí has become an icon of the city is about something much deeper than any individual monument.
Barcelona and Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Catalan architect who has become known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. His works have a highly individualized, one-of-a-kind style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his main work, the church of the Sagrada Família.
Gaudí’s work enjoys global popularity and continuing admiration and study by architects. His masterpiece, the still-incomplete Sagrada Família, is the most-visited monument in Spain. Gaudí worked exclusively on the Sagrada Família until his death. However, his work across the region was incredibly significant during its time and beyond.
The Casa Calvet was Gaudí’s first housing project and it was awarded a prize by Barcelona city council for being the best building in 1900. Two years later, Gaudí designed the furniture, carved in oak, for the offices on the ground floor of the building. They were first produced by the Casa y Bardés company and are preserved at the Gaudí Museum in the Park Güell.
His distinct style and identity is evident throughout Barcelona though. Casa Batlló is considered one of his masterpieces, while Casa Mila was the last private residence designed by Gaudí. Popularly known as La Pedrera, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has come to uniquely reveal Gaudi’s boundless imagination.
The direct and indirect impact that these structures and revelations represent to the city can be seen in direct and indirect ways across the city.
Gaudí Comes to Define the Identity of Barcelona
All across Barcelona, there are countless stores and businesses that utilize the name and/or style of Gaudí. Some simply sell items that can easily be associated with him while others directly use his name. There are plenty others that indirectly allude to his influence. Regardless of the approach, it’s difficult to escape the influence and impact of Gaudí on all of Barcelona.
As a more specific example of that impact, reproductions of furniture made by Gaudí are highly sought after. Most reproductions of his work come with the corresponding documentation, consisting of a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity and a short user’s manual for maintenance and preservation purposes.
On top of that, various tours and sites are specifically tied to buildings associated with Gaudí or to an experience that is directly related to him. G Experiència has come to represent one of the newest ways to find out about Gaudí and his work. For the first time ever, visitors can explore Gaudí’s creative universe thanks to state-of-the-art 4D and interactive technology. The experience also provides visitors with an opportunity to organize private events in an innovative, cutting-edge setting in Barcelona that has also created a direct source of revenue for the venue.
That kind of care and significance could only come from someone who had earned the nickname “God’s architect”. The significance of that impact continues to be felt throughout Barcelona and beyond.
Icons and Identity
While various icons and symbols have become synonymous with a city or region, it’s not often that those icons and symbols are associated with a real person. Gaudí’s association with Barcelona has enabled the city to associate itself with an identity that continues to benefit the entire region and all of Spain.
