Antonio Gaudí: Master Architect

By Juan Bassegoda Nonell

Book Overview

In this enlightening volume, a concise, knowledgeable text by the director of the Royal Gaud? Chair at the Polytechnical University of Catalonia (Barcelona) combines with striking images by a well-known architectural photographer to provide a new perspective on Gaud?'s remarkable career. The text covers the full range of his oeuvre, describing early assignments in the 1870s as a draftsman for leading architects in Barcelona, the innovative buildings he created for the G?ell Palace and Estate, daring new structural solutions at Bellesguard, architecture inspired by nature at the Casa Calvet and in the Park G?ell, and the construction of his unfinished masterpiece, the Church of the Sagrada Familia, which occupied him until his death. The author traces all the influences that led to his definitive style, from his fascination with the Orient and neogothicism to his affinity for naturalism and specific geometric forms.

Brilliantly illustrated, this incisive overview of Gaud?'s visionary work is ideal for those who delight in his architecture as well as those who look forward to traveling to Spain to see his monumental legacy.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0789202204
• ISBN13: 9780789202208
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Abbeville Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 2.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 9.1" x 10.6"

Customer Reviews

Tiny book, tiny pictures

Pictures are good, with well written history, but 4" by 4" book was so tiny.

Gaudi Triumphantes!

Essentially this is a picture book, but what pictures! The photography has used the extraordinary architecture and added a new dimension to it in vision and lighting. If you would know Gaudi, look at his work: and this is one of the best ways to do it if you cannot readily get to Catalunya. In addition, the production and design of the book, in a relatively small format, has been very carefully thought out, resulting in one of those rare volumes which is delightful to handle and admire in its own right, quite apart from its content. An absolute little gem.

Great book for anybody interested in Gaudi and his works

As a student in architecture I spent some time looking for a good book on the works of Antonio Gaudi. I wasn't happy with any of the subject materials that were out there until I stumbled into this book. The clarity of the pictures are amazing and could make anyone feel as though they were right in front of La Sagrada Familia. This book also includes some of Gaudi's sketches, as well as a few floor plans, elevations, and sections of some of his well known buildings. If you are a fan of Antonio Gaudi then this book would defenitely be a good investment. Even if you're not a student in architecture this book will make you appreciate the creativity of Antonio Gaudi, and his use of symbolism (in La Sagrada Familia)

Impressive survey of an influential, innovative architect.

Juan Bassegoda Nonell's Antonio Gaudi excels in fine photos by Melba Levick as it outlines the unique works of architect Gaudi. Color photos provide full coverage of his innovative buildings and inspirations.

Gaudi-nature's authentic architect

After visiting Barcelona and being captivated by the work of an architect I had never heard of, I found this terrific book. The commentary is by a native scholar from Catalonia who writes with directness and clarity. Gaudi used nature's forms to inspire, and was uninterested in artistic intellectualization. Mostly photos here, but the text has depth. There's a chronology of Gaudi's work and background on what little we know of his upbringing. It is more thorough than tourist-geared materials available in Barcelona, and priced better than encyclopedia-like scholarly volumes.