Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Interior of La Sagrada Família
Maremagnum / Getty Images ©
The Book of Nature
As a young man, what most delighted Gaudí was being outdoors, and he became fas-
cinated by the plants, animals and geology beyond his door. This deep admiration for
the natural world would heavily influence his designs. 'This tree is my teacher,' he once
said. 'Everything comes from the book of nature.' Throughout his work, he sought to
emulate the harmony he observed in the natural world, eschewing the straight line and
favouring curvaceous forms and more organic shapes.
The spiral of a nautilus shell can be seen in staircases and ceiling details, tight buds
of flowers in chimney pots and roof ornamentation, while undulating arches evoke a
cavern, overlapping roof tiles mimic the scales of an armadillo and flowing walls re-
semble waves on the sea. Tree branches, spider webs, stalactites, honeycombs, starfish,
mushrooms, shimmering beetle wings and many other elements from nature - all were
part of the Gaudían vernacular.
