He was born in Reus, 25th June, 1852.
He come from a family of boilermakers, a fact that allowed him to acquire a special ability to treat space an volumen while he helped his father and grandfather in the family workshop.
His ease of conceiving spaces and transforming materials prospered until he became in the genius of the creation in three dimensions.
He was a child of delicate health, which es why he was forced to spend long periods of his time in Riudoms, where his family spent the holidays. He spent very much hours comtemplating the secrets of nature which he considered his great teacher. He found the essence and sense of architecture in following his own patterns, always respecting his laws. He said “the originality consists of returning to the origin”.
In 1870 he moved to Barcelona to study architecture while taking several Jobs that allowed him topay his studies. He was an irregular student but he was already showing some signs o genius that opened de doors for him to collaborate with some of his teachers.
When he finished his studies in 1878, the director declared “I don´t know if we´re given the title to a madman or a genius, the time will tell”.
After that he obtained the title, he settled on his own in his office in Barcelona.
He was a architect who has been recognized internationally as one of the most prodigious experts of his discipline and one of the greatest exponents of modernism. Very much of architectural legacy is considered a World Heritage Site.
Some of his masterpieces are: Batlló House, La Pedrera, The Güell Park and finally The Holy Family.
He died on 10th June in 1926. He was run over by a tram while he was on his way like every night from de church of Saint Felip Neri to The Holy Family and no one suspected that his undocumented and neglected old man was the famous architect. He was taken to the Hospital of the Saint Cross where he was recognized by the priest of The Holy Family,
He was buried in The Holy Family two days later and after many of the people of Barcelona went out into the streets to say the last goodbye to him, the most universal architect the city had ever seen.
Mª Jesús Mallada
English for Fun 4B
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