Antoni+Gaudi

=Park Guell= Designed by [|Antoni Gaudí i Cornet] and built from 1900 to 1914.

Gaudí’s main new project at the beginning of the 20th century was the [|Park Güell] (1900–1914), commissioned by Eusebi Güell. It was intended to be a residential estate in the style of anEnglish [|garden city]. The project was unsuccessful: of the 60 plots into which the site was divided only one was sold. Despite this, the park entrances and service areas were built, displaying Gaudi's genius and putting into practise many of his innovative structural solutions. The Park Güell is situated in Barcelona’s Càrmel district, a rugged area, with steep slopes that Gaudí negotiated with a system of viaducts integrated into the. The main entrance to the park has a building on each side, intended as a porter’s lodge and an office, and the site is surrounded by a stone and glazed-ceramic wall. These entrance buildings are an example of Gaudí at the height of his powers, with Catalan vaults that form a parabolic hyperboloid. After passing through the gate, steps lead to higher levels, decorated with sculpted fountains, notably the dragon fountain, which has become a symbol of the park and one of Gaudí’s most recognised emblems.

These steps lead to the Hypostyle Hall, which was to have been the residents’ market, constructed with large [|Doric] columns. Above this chamber is a large plaza in the form of a Greek theatre, with the famous undulating bench covered in broken ceramics (" [|trencadís] "), the work of [|Josep Maria Jujol]. The park’s show home, the work of Francesc Berenguer, was Gaudí’s residence from 1906 to 1926, and currently houses the [|Casa-Museu Gaudí].

The Undulating or Serpentine Bench
"The bench at the Guell Park snakes its way around the edge of a large open-air square. The park was originally designed as an idealistic housing complex, and was built between 1900 and 1914. Construction of the bench was in the later stages (1910 to 1913). Gaudì is said to have used seated workmen as actual models for the form of the seat. Jujol carried out the decoration, using tiles as trencadis, with handmade ceramics, including hand-painted discs. He added colour and graffiti (such as crosses, prayers to the Virgin Mary and his own signature) to tiles and fired them again. Much of his unique input remained undiscovered until 1964." extract from: http://www.thejoyofshards.co.uk/ The Big Square is placed directly above the colonnade and limited on the city side by the famous undulating bench. This bench is a marvel of shape, color and contrasts. To develop that work, [|Gaudí] was assisted by the architect [|Josep María Jujol], a specialist in the design of **trencadis** (decoration with broken ceramic). "http://www.gaudiallgaudi.com/ADc02Mosaic.htm#El_trencadís:|trencadis". It seems that the concepts, structures, materials, content and ideas were from Gaudi, assisted by certain craftsmen, while Jujol was responsible for matching of colours and shapes. He used pieces of all sorts, including from his own dinner service (with cherubs) or from the Trias family china to acheive more striking effects. Some of the ceramic pieces were stuck on the bench and then struck with a mallet to break them and adapt them to the shape of the module. Unfortunately some parts of the bench were destroyed because of vandalism and are now substituted by white ceramics, following a conscientious renovation.

 //Trencadís// differed from the more traditional types of mosaic since it required a relatively new technique of laying fragments that was not used until the Art Nouveau period. It was advocated as a decorative technique by [|Gaudí] and his disciples, [|Jujol] in particular. For //trencadís//, the irregular-sized tesserae were ceramic or made of other easily fragmented materials. This irregularity allowed for the creation of magnificent works of art using merely broken painted tiles (hence the name, from the Catalan //trencat//, broken) that otherwise would have no practical use. //Trencadís// was usually applied to exterior vertical surfaces; because of its polychromatic nature, especially when lustrous metallic tiles were incorporated, decorative effects of great variety and richness resulted. In what was known as the direct application method, tesserae were placed face up directly into wet mortar, normally without any pre-planned design. The resulting unevenness produced unique reflective qualities. //Trencadís// had the distinct advantage of quick application and the potential for very spontaneous design.

[|Josep Maria JUJOL]
The architect **Josep Maria Jujol i Gilbert** collaborated closely with [|Antoni Gaudí] with the design and creation of the mosaics at Parl Guell, (and many of Gaudi's other famous works) but is often not given credit for his input. Jujol's wide field of activity ranged from furniture designs and painting, to sculpture and [|architecture]. Born in [|Tarragona], in [|Catalonia] (Spain). He was a professor of the Escola Superior d'Arquitectura de Barcelona from 1910. Died in 1949 in [|Barcelona]. In 1904 he started to work with [|Gaudí], and he never stopped his close collaboration with him till the death of the big architect in 1927, helping him in the construction of [|La Pedrera], [|Park Güell] and other works.
 * Josep Maria Jujol Gibert** ([|16 September] 1879 to []–[|1 May] [|1949]) was a [|Catalan] [|architect].