Although the much-feted Year of Gaudí ended last
year, the Catalan architectural genius continues to make news. On January 23, the Generalitat will present a project for a
hotel and recreational center designed by Antoni Gaudí
for New
York City. And what's more, the presentation has an ambitious aspiration: to build it
on 'Ground Zero', the area of Manhattan
razed by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The project, named Hotel Attraction, was
conceived by the architect from Reus (Baix Camp) between 1908 and 1911 at the request of a
North American businessman. The architectural design consists of seven diminutive sketches
on writing paper. Had it been built, it would have been the tallest structure in this city
of skyscrapers.
The proposed structure ? 300 meters
high ? would consist of one extremely tall tower surrounded by towers of lesser height,
much in the same style as the Sacred Family Temple. The plan includes ample rooms on all
facades as well as immense interiors housing five dining facilities representing the
cuisines of each continent.
The plans were unpublished until
1956, when they were recovered by Gaudí's disciple, Llorenç Matamala i Piñol, who
redrafted the drawings by the end of the 50's.
The design Gaudí conceived over a
century ago will be presented by Marc Mascrot at the Graduate Center of City University of New York (CUNY) during an event
organized by the Catalan Consortium for the External Promotion of Culture (COPEC).
Espai
de pares i mestres | Tornar
a la portada
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+ Més notícies: Secció de
Nosaltres.Com: Antoni
Gaudí
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New York, City of Welcome |
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New York is the most
cosmopolitan of cities. Historically housing peoples from all over the world, the most
diverse cultures coexist in the Big Apple. So much so, that it has become a genuine melting pot: regardless
of his or her origins, everyone feels at home. New York epitomizes nothing less than the
'American Dream', the promised land where everyone has a chance. Since its occupation by
Dutch merchants in 1626, New York has always been a city of self-confident entrepreneurs.
Nonetheless, the tragedy of 9-11 hit hard. For the first time, the city along with
the rest of the U.S. experienced what it meant to be vulnerable. It will be some
time before New York completely recovers its characteristic optimism.
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+ New York is the
most cosmopolitan of cities.
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Gaudí and Masonry |
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Gaudí's biographers
have long debated whether this architectural genius had Mason sympathies, a movement originated with the medieval guilds of
stonemasons that built cathedrals, palaces, and other edifices. Over the centuries,
freemasons formed societies that promoted liberty and universal fraternity, and espoused
the basic belief that one 'architect' had created the universe. Masons gathered in lodges
where they practiced their own series of rituals. Biographers point to the Masonic symbols
that turn up in signature Gaudí works ranging from Güell Park
to the Sacred
Family Temple. Others who see Gaudí as the most orthodox of Catholics, and an
unlikely subscriber to such heterodox doctrines, roundly reject this idea.
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+ Biographers point
to the Masonic symbols that turn up in signature Gaudí works
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Originality consists in
returning to the origin |
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This Gaudí aphorism
summarizes the beauty of his artistic philosophy. Born in Reus in 1852, he was a
keen observer of nature from his earliest years, and his works
replicated its forms and colors in a way that was completely unique and unprecedented. The
son of a Riudoms copper
maker, he always maintained his links to the artisan trades. He was immersed in the ideas
of the Catalan
Renaissance, a movement that idealized the nations historical origins. It was
the sum of these factors that drove Gaudí's search for what was original, authentic and
completely devoid of pretense. He defied the laws of gravity with structures replete with
every expression of the natural world: curves, angled columns, paraboloids, simple
geometric lines. As he said himself, Everything comes from the great book of
nature.
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+ Gaudí built
structures replete with every expression of the natural world
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MATERIALS... |
Titol: The Graduate Center
Format: Web
# Centre de la
Universitat de Nova York on es fa la presentació del projecte Hotel Attraction de Gaudí.
Titol: Antoni Gaudí
Format: Web
# Pàgina web
de l'ajuntament de Barcelona feta amb motiu de l'Any Gaudí. Conté informació de tot
tipus sobre la figura del genial arquitecte.
Titol: Gaudí i la maçoneria
Format: Web
# Pàgina web
que analitza el pensament de Gaudí, amb informació sobre la polèmica al voltant de les
possibles relacions de l'arquitecte amb la maçoneria.
Titol: Nova York, ciutat d'immigrants
Format: Web
# Web de
l'American Family Immigration History Center, que conté un registre de totes les persones
que en diferents períodes històrics han arribat a la ciutat dels gratacels.
Titol: El Modernisme
Format: Web
# Divertida,
completa i didàctica pàgina sobre el moviment artístic i cultural conegut amb el nom de
Modernisme.
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HO SABIES? |
# At the end of
the 19th century, the Catalan bourgeoisie, having made their fortunes in manufacturing and
trade were intent upon setting themselves apart by building grand houses to reflect the
elevated status they had won. Gaudí was commissioned by many of these people, but his
longest and most fruitful association was with the businessman and patron, Eusebi
Güell, as is evidenced by Güell
Palace, the Colony of Cervelló and Güell Park.
# There is
universal agreement when it comes to presenting Gaudí as a true genius. However, less
consensus exists as to the source of this genius. There are countless theories, including
some truly peculiar notions, such as the contention that Gaudís inspiration came
from ingesting hallucinogenic mushrooms during one of his many hikes in the mountains.
# Before
winning its independence, New
York was under British dominion. Before that it belonged to the Low Countries as New
Amsterdam. But the Dutch lost the island to the British, who retained their control until
the conclusion of the Revolutionary War in 1783.
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PARES I MESTRES |
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# La pretensió que
el projecte Hotel Attraction fet per Gaudí acabi omplint el buit deixat per les Torres
Bessones pot semblar a molta gent excessivament ambiciós, tenint en compte que va ésser
realitzat fa gairebé una centúria, entre els anys 1908 i 1911, i el fet que seran
igualment molts altres els dissenys que seran finalment presentats.
Més
informació
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