One thing I have confirmed for myself on this trip around the world is the importance of architecture to sense of place. Yes, location is important, but how human beings develop that location is just as important. It is the way first impressions are made. We like what we see or we do not. We feel comfortable or we do not. We want to stay or go.
Arriving in San Sebastian, Spain I was immediately struck by its charm and character. Conversely, when I arrived in Kathmandu I was at first underwhelmed. It wasn't until I had the opportunity to fully explore the catacomb of ancient streets - in Nepal's largest city - that I discovered its magic. At the center of that magic is the architecture that has survived for centuries.
My visit to northern Spain last month (December 2019) included stops in Barcelona and Bilbao. Both have been heavily influenced in different ways by the work of two different architects. One who died nearly 100 years ago and one who still works today.
Even if you have never heard of Antoni Gaudi (B. 1852-1926) you would quickly recognize the unique nature of his work casually walking the streets of Barcelona where he lived. Some of his projects are whimsical almost to the point of humor.
As important as the structure of the buildings and public spaces he designed are the stories they tell through the use of color, shape, materials, and ornamental detail.
His masterpiece is still incomplete and is located near the center of Barcelona.
La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) is an enormous basilica celebrating the life of Jesus Christ. It has three sides depicting his birth, his death and his ascension to heaven. Knowing he would not see the completion of the massive project Gaudi made sure the side telling the story of the nativity was completed first so it could be used as a model by those who would carry on the construction.
Above: Final construction on the spires of the basilica.
The church will have eighteen spires when it is done. The tallest point will be 558 feet tall which is approximately three feet below the highest hilltop in Barcelona. This is because Gaudi, a very religious man, believed nothing man made should be greater than something created by God.
While the outside of the church uses carved detail to tell the literal story of the life of Christ, the inside highlights Gaudi's sense that architecture should also reflect nature. The giant columns supporting the roof are made to resemble trees in a forest reaching for the sky. The stained glass windows are positioned and tinted to make the most of the sunlight as it passes over the building from morning to night. Everywhere there is symbolism connecting the natural world with the story of man.
Above: Gaudi's home is as whimsical as many of his larger projects, but it is small and functional. He is said to have lived very simply almost like a monk. His bedroom (top photo) reflects that lifestyle. The house resembles a small church.
If all goes as planned, la Sagrada Familia will be completed in 2026 - the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death. He died a few days after being hit by a tram on the streets of Barcelona, but not before leaving a signature mark that defines the city's place in the world.
A few days after seeing Gaudi's work in Barcelona and having a chance to learn more about him and his creative motivations I traveled to Bilbao, in the north, to see the modern work of Canadian-born American architect Frank Gehry.
Gehry (B. 1929) is responsible for the design of many outstanding buildings around the world including: The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Dancing House in Prague, the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris and of course the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
When Gehry was commissioned to design the Guggenheim the city was in a long period of decline. Once the project was complete and open (1997) it provided an immediate positive lift to the regional tourist economy that continues until today. Within the world of architecture and urban planning it is known as "the Gehry effect" and others have tried to replicate it elsewhere.
In a manner much different than Gaudi, Gehry has had a lasting impact on the reputation and life of this medium sized Spanish city.
The exterior of the Guggenheim looks like a random jumble of shapes clad in titanium. I went to see it early in the morning so I could walk the exterior and experience its shapes in the most interesting light.
As I looked at the building I had two questions: What was he (Gehry) thinking when he conceived of this tangled mass? And having just spent time in Barcelona I wondered what Gaudi would think.
As to the first question, we have Gehry's own words to explain what he was thinking and his explanation is not far from the thinking of Gaudi. In a number of interviews around the time of the opening Gehry said he was trying to evoke a sense of movement, a sense of the speed of modern culture and to evoke an individual emotional reaction from anyone looking at the building.
As to the second question, whether Gaudi would be accepting of Gehry's modern work, after some initial hesitancy on my part, I would like to think the answer is, "Yes, Gaudi would find Gehry interesting."
Above: Three views from the rear of the museum adjacent to a major bridge.
I come to this conclusion, because we know Gaudi evolved over the course of his lifetime to a point that led him to settle on the style for which he is best known. He worked with and experimented with the materials available to him and pushed the edges of what was considered standard construction. He saw architecture as a form of artistic expression, so I imagine he would respect the right of others to express themselves in their own way.
If Gehry and Gaudi could speak to each other, the contemporary Gehry would have the opportunity to explain his artistic motivations, and Gaudi would be able to understand that vision in the context of life in this new century.
I of course have no way of knowing the answer to my own question, but I would like to think Gaudi, after getting over the shock of seeing the use of such modern materials, would be overwhelmed and excited by what is possible today and immediately desire the opportunity to use those tools to tell his own story.
Credits:
© Dean Pagani 2020