Park Guell Architecture & Design | Gaudi's Modernisme Marvel

Spread across 19 hectares of land, Park Guell, Barcelona, is a lush natural park featuring numerous architectural elements. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most famous landmarks by Antoni Gaudi and is known for his eclectic and unique style of Trencadis, a mosaic created by broken pieces of ceramic. Park Guell is inspired by curved lines, nature, and motifs of Catalan nationalism, making the historic park apart from the rest.

Who designed Park Guell?

Park Guell was designed by Antoni Gaudi, a prominent visual artist of the 19th and 20th centuries from Spain. Known for his intricate work across Spain, Gaudi follows a distinctive architectural style and most of his work was inspired by Modernisme, Neo-Gothic styles, and Art Nouveau.

As he worked on Park Guell, he developed the style of Trencadis, an art form where mosaic structures were built by blending broken vivid tiles. You will find influences of religion and nature in his work. Animals such as octopuses, snakes, salamanders, and lions were built at various junctures by using Trencadis, and flowers are introduced from various motifs spread across the park. The most famous of the Trencadis mosaic creations in the park is the El Drac, which can be spotted at the entrance. Park Guell also has motifs from Catalan nationalism and religious mysticism.

Antoni Gaudi believed that there were no straight lines or sharp edges when it came to nature, and hence the whole park features curved lines and fluid structures.

Stages of Construction of Park Guell

The Catalan industrialist Eusebi Guell I Bacigalupi had acquired land on the outskirts of Barcelona with the aim of building a housing area for well-to-do families. In 1854, due to political pressure, the city walls were dismantled, preventing Barcelona from expanding into the adjacent plain. This level of urbanisation meant that the city would get closer to villages within the region, thus expanding all the way to the mountain range.

Numerous initiatives were put in place to build the peripheral zones. The most original one was the one designed by the trusted architect Antoni Gaudi, who designed a housing development on the city’s hills, allowing its inhabitants to stay closer to nature.

However, due to economic circumstances, the project led to a failure in 1914, resulting in it being transformed into a municipal public park in 1922, and continues to be one of the most visited places in Barcelona.