The puzzle of Sagrada Familia Church: How did Gaudi plan to finish it?
8 June 2006
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The Sagrada Família Church (the Church of the Holy Family) survived the Spanish Civil War, but Gaudi's workshop and many of his models were destroyed. |
Dr Jordi Bonet, the Spanish architect who is completing the Sagrada Família Church, Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece in Barcelona, made his only Sydney appearance on June 5.
Dr Bonet spoke about his work as architect co-ordinator and director of the Sagrada Família construction in a lecture on Monday night at the Seymour Centre.
Gaudí's greatest masterpiece is also famous for being left unfinished. Gaudi worked on the project for over 40 years, and when he died in 1926 his successors predicted it would take 10 more years to finish the job. The Sagrada Família Church (the Church of the Holy Family) survived the Spanish Civil War, but Gaudi's workshop and many of his models were destroyed.
Eighty years later this famous façade may finally become a functioning church, with the completion of the enclosure scheduled for the end of 2008.
Using digital technologies and advanced geometrical analysis, Dr Bonet, whose father worked alongside Gaudí as his assistant, has led the team re-investigating Gaudí's original design models to unravel what he had planned for the completed church.
This eventwas part of the Sydney Ideas lecture series.
About Dr Jordi Bonet
Dr Bonet has been awarded the Medal Creu de Sant Jordi of the Catalan Government and is the Architect Coordinator and Director of the Sagrada Família construction. He is also President of the Catalan Royal Academy for Fine Arts (Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi).
Contact: Kath Kenny
Phone: +61 2 9351 2261 or M: 0434 606 100