Was Gaudi a Genius or Mad Man
Last Thursday, 3rd February, we were enthralled by Peter Atkinson’s talk about the life and buildings of Antoni Gaudi, the non-conformist Catalan modernism architect. Gaudi was born in Reus, near Tarragona, in 1852 and when he graduated from the Barcelona School of Architecture in 1878 his Professor asked the question “Genius or Mad Man”, as he was unwilling to comply with the architectural standards of the time. His principle objections were to the adoption of ‘flying buttresses’, to provide structural support, and a reliance on gothic and circular arches, arguing that ‘parabolic arches’, the shape of a hanging chain necklace, gave an opportunity for more slender structures. He was also not keen on the standard form of design presentation, plans/elevations/sections, and preferred 3D drawing formats and constant changes as works progressed.
