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God s architect: Gaudi s ravishing symbiosis between built environment and natural world From the towering Sagrada Familia to the shimmering, textured facade of Casa Batllo and the enchanting landscape of Park Guell, it s easy to see whyAntoni Gaudi (1852 1926)gained the epithet God s architect . With fluid forms and mathematical precision, his work extols the wonder of natural creation: columns soar like tree trunks, window frames curve like flowering branches, and ceramic tiling shimmers like scaly, reptilian skin.With this outstanding attention to natural detail, his inspirations from both neo-Gothic and Orientalist aesthetics, and a lifelong commitment to Catalan identity, Gaudi created aunique brand of the Modernista movementwhich transformed, and defines, Barcelona s cityscape.With seven of Gaudi s projects listed asUNESCO World Heritage Sites, this book introduces the architect s extraordinary vision and unique legacy, exploring the influences and the details which allow his buildings to impress, inspire, and amaze, one century after their construction. About the Series: Each book in TASCHEN s Basic Architecture Series features: an introduction to the life and work of the architect the major works in chronological order information about the clients, architectural preconditions as well as construction problems and resolutions a list of all the selected works and a map indicating the locations of the best and most famous buildings approximately 120 illustrations (photographs, sketches, drafts and plans) "

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

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Maria Antonietta Crippa

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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for  Irma Sincera.
202 reviews111 followers
January 18, 2022
Įprastai šios Taschen serijos knygose autoriams pavyksta glaustai ir aiškiai pristatyti tam tikrą kūrėją. Ši knyga pirmoji, kuri jautėsi truputį chaotiškesnė. Šios knygos skirtos tokiam pirmam susipažinimui su kažkieno kūryba, tačiau vis įsivaizdavau šią knygą skaitant žmogų apie Gaudi nežinant nieko ir sunkiai įsivaizdavau, kad pabaigus, galėtų susigaudyti ir susisteminti sau galvoje informaciją.
Man tai buvo jau n-toji knyga apie jį, skaičiau dėl malonumo ir nostalgijos ir tai paskirčiai puikiai tiko.
Profile Image for Sérgio.
111 reviews31 followers
January 29, 2019
Antoni Gaudí, 1852-1926: Da Natureza à Arquitectura é fruto de uma parceria, decorrida em 2004, entre o jornal Público e a editora alemã de arte Taschen, que consistiu na publicação de um vasto leque de obras da reputada série monográfica Basic Art.

Mais do que uma biografia - apenas nos são apresentados dados muito esparsos sobre a vida de Gaudí, tal como o nascimento na província de Reus, no meio de uma família de artesãos caldeireiros, a sua formação em Barcelona, na Escola de Belas-Artes, o seu arreigado catolicismo, uma crise de fé em 1893 e a menção a uma vida recatada, quase celibatária, que levou - o livro trata da genealogia e interpretação da obra do arquitecto catalão.

Maria Antonietta Crippa começa por fazer uma introdução abrangente do período histórico, económico e social, entre meados do século XIX e os anos 1920, atravessado pela Europa da segunda revolução industrial, das inovações tecnológicas galopantes e do fervilhar de novos movimentos artísticos e da Espanha, em crise identitária e nacionalista, de afirmação de regiões autónomas independentes, particularizando a realidade da Catalunha. O cerne da obra é dedicado aos projectos de Gaudí, com um capítulo para cada um, num total de dezasseis: a residência de férias em Santander do marquês de Comillas, El Capricho; o parque da residência de Eusebi Güell, patrono de Gaudí, contendo um picadeiro, estábulos e uma casa do guarda, a Finca Güell, nos arredores de Barcelona; a Casa Vicens, na Carrer de Les Carolines, do corretor da bolsa Manuel Vicens i Montaner; o Palau Güell, a mansão do industrial nas Ramblas no centro de Barcelona; o Col.legi de les Teresianes, o convento da Companhia de Santa Teresa de Jesus; o Palácio Episcopal de Astorga; a casa comercial Fernández y Andrés em Leão; a Casa Calvet, na Carrer Casp, para os filhos do industrial têxtil Pere Màrtir Calvet; a cripta da Igreja da Colónia Güell, da cidade operária de Santa Coloma de Cervelló; a Villa Bellesguard, nos arredores de Barcelona, de Maria Sagués; o Park Güell, projecto inovador de cidade-jardim empreendido conjuntamente por Eusebi e Gaudí, do qual apenas ficaram concluídos os jardins e duas residências; melhoramentos na Catedral de Mallorca, a pedido do bispo Pere Campins i Barceló; a remodelação da Casa Batló, no Passeig de Gràcia, propriedade da família homónima; a inovadora e ondulante Casa Milà, popularmente conhecida como La Pedrera, também no Passeig de Gràcia, no outro lado da rua; o pequeno edifício das salas de aula da Sagrada Família, uma súmula das suas inovações arquitectónicas; e, por fim, a sua magnum opus, a Sagrada Família, projecto da Associació Espiritual de Devots de Sant Josep que o incunbiu da direcção em 1883, a que tudo devotou, ao ponto de abandonar todos os projectos em que estava envolvido, em 1914, para se dedicar em exclusivo à edificação da catedral. A rematar, uma cronologia da vida e obra de Gaudí, mapas para situar a localização das suas obras, em Espanha, e em Barcelona, e uma bibliografia indicativa de posteriores leituras mais aprofundadas.

É interessante notar a evolução de Gaudí, as suas múltiplas influências e engajamentos. Contemporâneo do movimento da Art Nouveau, Gaudí partilha com ele diversas afinidades programáticas, particularmente a preferência pela experimentação, pelas linhas curvas e a reinvenção de estilos antigos, sobretudo o barroco e o rococó com um novo sentido prático e funcional. Não obstante, a obra de Gaudí destaca-se da norma precisamente pelo seu génio inventivo e pelas influências que foi beber à tradição catalã: o arco catenário, os sótãos com arcos parabólicos e hiperbólicos em padrões serpenteantes, os motivos de inspiração marítima. A natureza, e o plasmar das suas formas na pedra e no ferro forjado, são o grande motivo aglutinador do seu estilo. Filho de artesãos, o artesanato e a qualidade do produto manufacturado por um mestre, ora carpinteiro, ora ferreiro, ora soldador, são uma constante nas suas opções de acabamentos. A temática religiosa orienta, pelo seu lado, até os pormenores mais inusitados, como a recorrência de pináculos, a relembrar campanários de Igreja, o formato de saídas de ventilação em forma de cruz, a simbologia bíblica e as inscrições latinas, como na Casa Batló ou na Casa Fernández y Andrés. Por último, e não menos importante, a sua filiação junto do emergente nacionalismo catalão, cujas obras pretendem ser uma expressão e exaltação desse mesmo nacionalismo. Não é por acaso que, hoje em dia, Gaudí é tão reverenciado na Catalunha, há uma clara apropriação do seu génio em prol das tendências independentistas locais, que o próprio, provavelmente, não veria com maus olhos.
Profile Image for Bruno Laschet.
693 reviews21 followers
August 21, 2023
Eine Zusammenfassung der schönsten Bauwerke von Antoni Gaudi. Teilweise hätte ich gerne etwas mehr Infos gehabt. Aber für einen groben Überblick passend.
Profile Image for Hugo Demets.
Author 1 book4 followers
August 5, 2019
Elk boekje in de serie Taschen Basic Architecture kun je in twee uur uitlezen. Elk boekje is op dezelfde manier opgebouwd: eerst een beschrijving van het leven van de architect, gevolgd door beschrijvingen van de belangrijkste bouwwerken. Dit allemaal vergezeld met mooie foto's en grondplannen. Aan het eind staat dan nog een puntsgewijze opsomming van de belangrijkste zaken uit het leven van de architect, een soort van tijdlijn. De beschrijvingen zijn geschreven in een technisch-zweverig taaltje dat architectuurcritici gebruiken, en zijn niet zo vlot leesbaar voor niet-ingewijden, wat dan direct ook het grootste minpuntje van deze boeken is.

In het deel van Gaudí wordt ruim aandacht geschonken aan het brede en immense vernuft van de Catalaanse architect, die zowel bouwtechnisch geniaal was, interesse had in de oud-ambachtelijke manier van bouwen, creatief was met ornamenten, en ook op botanisch gebied enorm onderlegd was. Om dit te staven worden zestien van de belangrijkste werken van de architect in het boek getoond en beschreven.

Profile Image for 7on.
110 reviews1 follower
May 3, 2020
это первая и единственная книга, что я прочитал по архитектуре. очевидно, она о гении, но больше о его творениях. о человеке стиль и почерк которого не смог повторить никто до сих пор. я не знаю, как он это делал, но в его работах какая-то гармония, баланс, сочетание природного и искусственного, человеческого и божественного. модерн Гауди отличается от всего привычного модерна, хоть я и специально поинтересовался темой, я не смог найти ничего подобного. обязательно постараюсь побывать в Барселоне и увидеть вживую его творения.
Profile Image for Louise.
1,848 reviews383 followers
October 26, 2020

This book presents the highly individualist work of Antoni Gaudi. His work incorporates so many styles it is hard to pin down. There is the influence of the castle, the modernist, the Arabic-style mosaics.

All the works presented are worthy of note. I like the simple (for him) ones the best.

The text is good, particularly for those not acquainted with his work. It piqued my interest in this architect.

Some of the photos have washed out color and poor focus.
Profile Image for Sandra.
412 reviews51 followers
July 21, 2011
Because there is little known about Gaudí's personal life, you can see this book as a quick overview of Gaudí's work. I wasn't familiar with his work at all, but after reading the book I have fallen in love with his use of lightning, colour and shapes. His metal work is also very impressive. I must say I'm very much looking forward to seeing the actual buildings and not just the photographs when I'm in Barcelona!
Profile Image for C.
2,398 reviews
May 8, 2008
My favorite thing about Barcelona was Gaudi-I still cherish this.
Profile Image for joana .
12 reviews
Read
March 24, 2024
não acredito que a sagrada família foi feita para uma religião que parecia uma seita de ricos. odeio aqui
Profile Image for d.
209 reviews
May 27, 2023
"Gaudí's masterly genius in the use of traditional building techniques combined with highly plastic geometric-structural solutions." - Crippa

I am heady with dreams thinking about going to Barcelona, which is perhaps what Gaudí felt all the time.

Gaudí is in the truest sense a master of his craft. The seemingly superfluous and organic qualities of his architecture imply an arbitrary wildness to the layman, but upon learning more one realizes he thought everything through. He could only accomplish what he did because he was so adept at the technical and engineering realities of it all (astounding to me, and the only factoid that motivates me to study my basic-ass calculus) given his background as the son of a boilermaker as well as his education. The more imaginary he got the more realistic he had to be, and he did it. His architecture is enamored with metaphor and Catholicism and you have to respect how strong-willed and faithful he was in executing his vision. No post-modernist theories fazed him, clearly. There is so much humanity in this man that it makes his architecture magic. I loved the tiny stories about him picking out wildflowers from the site and asking his workers to model the towers out of that, as well as the one where they were cleaning a dragon that had been mounted on the entrance of a Gaudí building they found all his signed and original drawings in a copper roll.

There is a romantic quality in his architecture that is so generous, especially now in contrast to all our post-modern bullshit. I'd love to be that. Clearly, though, his career was aligned with the stars: nothing but meteoric rise with the most limitless conditions: extensive time, money, and land, due to generous patrons. Also wonderful how he utilized and learned traditional Catalonian techniques (like trencadis).

My favorite building in this book is the simplest one, actually: the Colegio de las Teresianas It is the most beautiful form of austerity I have ever seen. I love even more the fact that it is "believed to be a metaphor for Il castello interiore, a mystical work by Teresa of Avila in which the saint compares the sould to a castle whose centre radiates the light of the divine presence." Hence a beautiful glass-enclosed courtyard, extending into catenary arches.

I want to note Crippa's architectural writing too: in obvious adoration of Gaudí (a positive), spatially descriptive and comprehensive, provided historical and environmental context, provided provenance and collaborators, all interwoven to be a clear and beautiful web of a story. Need to learn from that.

Still, though, the romance, the dreams, the metaphor, the dragons, the flowers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for ?0?0?0.
727 reviews38 followers
August 21, 2019
A solid summary of some of Gaudi's work. It helped a bit for our visit to Spain. Not recommended for serious research on the topic.
Profile Image for Javier Cebreiros.
90 reviews5 followers
January 3, 2023
Es genial y precioso el libro, pero hasta en un libro increíblemente editado es imposible captar la belleza de las obras de Gaudí. Gran libro que solo es mejorado por visitar las obras in situ.
Profile Image for dani ocean..
51 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2023
casi cuatro, buena información general <3 (lo leí en francés así que me costó trabajo, pero no encuentro la versión en francés aquí).
Profile Image for Rahmadiyanti.
Author 15 books173 followers
July 10, 2012
Tadinya nggak begitu ngeh dengan Gaudi. Dua tahun lalu baca naskah buku traveling, di mana penulisnya pernah mengunjungi Barcelona dan mengunjungi La Sagrada Familia--salah satu masterpuece Gaudi, jadi tahu deh. Terus baca beberapa buku traveling yang berhubungan dengan Spanyol, selalu ketemu nama ini. Beberapa hari yang lalu ke toko buku yang lagi diskon, nemu buku ini. Entah kenapa langsung bawa ke kasir + kamus saku Indonesia-Spanyol (apakah ini tanda-tanda...? ;)

Buku ini semacam pengenalan singkat tentang kehidupan Gaudi plus karya-karyanya. Saya nggak begitu mengerti arsitektur (meski dulu cita-cita jadi asitek ;p), tapi melihat gambar-gambar karya Gaudi di buku ini, memang keren dan sangat detail pada ornamen. Disebutkan kalau Gaudi seorang tradisionalis juga inovator. "He managed to imbue his architecture with a systematic and enduring bond between statis structure and architectural form, between spatial form and decoration..."

Favorit saya Casa Mila dan Sagrada Familia. Untuk La Sagrada Familia lebih ke penasaran karena karya Gaudi satu ini belum selesai saatGaudi wafat pada tahun 1926. LSF diperkirakan baru selesai pada tahun 2026.

Well, untuk lebih membuktikan keunikan karya Gaudi, sepertinya memang harus datang langsung dan melihat sendiri. Aamin... *komat-kamit doa* :D
Profile Image for Azamat.
413 reviews22 followers
May 4, 2013
Книга хорошая. Как и следует из названия, в ней рассказывают о жизни и работе великого архитектора Антонию Гауди. О жизни написано не много, отчасти потому что жизнь у него была неочень и по сути вся жизнь сводилась к его работе. Вас познакомят с самыми известными строениями Гауди. Больше всего радует, что у книги отличный формат - она не слищком большая, но и не миниатюрная. Ровно столько, чтобы получить представление об этом архитекторе и его творениях, но при этом не уснуть в подробностях архитектурных терминов (коих, поверьте, сто тысяч миллионов). Не хватает только бОльшего количества фотографий, потому что зачастую бывает подробное описание какого-то интерьера, но слабая фантазия и недостаток архитектурных знаний не позволяют живо все это представить.

Если вы не знаете кто такой Антонио Гауди и чем он знаменит и тем более не увлекаетесь архитектурой, то книгу можно смело пропускать, потому что это не чтение для широкого круга читателей. Однако, если все не так, то издание вполне стоит своих денег.
Profile Image for Altonmann.
34 reviews9 followers
September 21, 2012
If you intend to read Gaudi: A Biography by Gijs van Hensbergenthis book, be sure to obtain a copy of:

Gaudi by Pere Vivas (Photographer) published by Triangle books.

The photos are necessary to fully understand the biography.

If you prefer only one book, make it the Pere Vivas book.
Profile Image for Sara Staggs.
20 reviews13 followers
April 7, 2016
The photographs are a stunning 5 stars and successfully capture the beauty and spirit of Gaudi's work.
The text, however, is a headache-inducing red, and the descriptions and backgrounds are kept in a section separate from photos so that each creation has two locations in the book.
Profile Image for K.
72 reviews
July 14, 2019
The introduction is very badly written. So pompous and full of useless words which only distract the reader. Also the red font is headache inducing.

Other than that wonderful photographs, great souvenir.
Profile Image for Ken Melber.
Author 1 book
May 22, 2017
Written without 'arty' flannel and makes you aware that Gaudi was far more than the architect Barcelona's cathedral
Profile Image for Ralph Zoontjens.
259 reviews3 followers
February 27, 2014
Always inspirational. It is nothing like seeing his creations yourself in Barcelona, Spain, though.
154 reviews
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December 22, 2018
Not this book but Gaudi by Marina Linares, published by Konemann (Germany) Editions Place Victoire, 2017
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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