Gaudí's workshop at the Sagrada Familia: from ashes to a new life in 3D

BarcelonaAntoni Gaudí's workshop at the Sagrada Família was a tightly packed world of models, sculpture molds, and plans. Gaudí himself lived there during the last years of his life. The workshop was burned down by a group of anarchists at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, but starting this Thursday, it can be explored again thanks to the immersive VR experience at Barcelona Cathedral. Gaudí, the workshop of the divine, which arrives in the Catalan capital after its international tour. The exhibition begins with a bedridden Gaudí who feels he is dying and addresses the visitors as if they were his assistants, with the aim of transmitting his working method.

"Some might be surprised that this Gaudí-related experience is taking place in the cathedral, because it's not one of the spaces he created, but it's also true that the connection with the cathedral is very strong," says Father Josep Maria Turull, parish priest of the Sagrada Familia parish and canon administrator of the cathedral. "During his student years, Gaudí lived on Carrer del Call, very close to the cathedral. He also collaborated with the architect Joan Martorell on a design for the cathedral's façade. It's not what we see now, but what was ultimately built closely resembles Joan Martorell's design. And, from the 1890s onwards, he often went to the cathedral, especially on Sundays. One of his regular routes was to come to Mass at the cathedral and then go to the sea," Turull recalls. Furthermore, Gaudí had a permanent place at the cathedral's throne, and a drawing by Joan Matamala from 1924 depicts him praying in the temple. On the other hand, Gaudí asserted that Gothic was the best art for a church, but he also wanted to take "a step forward" so that it would function better structurally.

In Gaudí, the workshop of the divine, The workshop, which has been recreated thanks to fifteen existing photographs, is divided into three spaces: the workroom, the storage area, and the workshop itself. The tour is based on a flashback From Gaudí himself: you can hear him speak of the Palau Güell, austere on the outside but sumptuous on the inside, of the importance of Eusebi Güell's patronage, and of the natural inspiration behind the chimneys. Next, a model of Casa Batlló comes to life, with the "water lilies" covering the façade, the balconies like nests, and the roof like the back of a dragon. Curiously, the legend of Saint George, usually mentioned when discussing this building, is absent.

The tour culminates at the Sagrada Família, where you can see one of Gaudí's characteristic funicular models. "Man does not create, but rather discovers," the architect says about his inspiration from nature. He also speaks of the basilica as "the epic of a people," and reminds us that he doesn't want it to be taller than Montjuïc mountain. "Man does not create, he discovers," says Gaudí, before becoming light above the altar of the basilica.

Gaudí, the workshop of the divineIt's a virtual reality experience created by Gedeon Experiences, Small Creative, and NHK, with support from the French National Centre for Cinema and Animated Images. In Barcelona, ​​the studios Landscapes and Stromboli have adapted the project to a larger space. The visit, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., is conducted in groups of about 12 people and lasts approximately 45 minutes. Admission is €18.