Gaudí's unbuilt projects come to life in new Barcelona exhibition

Espai Imagina, a new exhibition space in Barcelona, opened its first major exhibition, 'Gaudí Code: The Unprecedented Experience,' in September.

The exhibition invites visitors to explore Antoni Gaudí's creative vision, including projects the Catalan architect designed but never built. 

This is thanks to years of research into original blueprints and historical documentation conducted by the UPC's Gaudí Chair, Galdric Santana.

Visitors can explore the Hotel Attraction in New York, the Monumental Fountain in Plaça de Catalunya, the Franciscan Missions in Tangier, and the Great Hall (Paranimf) of the University of Barcelona.

Using virtual reality and immersive installations, the tour also seeks to showcase the many facets of Gaudí, including as a researcher, inventor, and innovator. It will be open until January 31, 2027.

Research by Santana has shown that the skyscraper Gaudí was to build in New York, the Hotel Attraction, was also conceived as a major cultural center featuring an auditorium, exhibition halls, and event spaces.

Santana reveals that, in an era before computers, Gaudí used an innovative type of skylight that allowed him to hang scale models, study their shadows, and achieve complex, otherwise impossible geometries.

The original blueprints for the Franciscan Missions in Tangier were lost when Gaudí’s workshop burned down during the Civil War. Using a photograph of the blueprint, the UPC was able to determine the building's shape and height.

Following its debut in Barcelona, ​​the exhibition is scheduled to tour Madrid, Hong Kong, Montreal, and Shanghai starting in 2027. The display is part of the official activities commemorating the Year of Gaudí.

The fountain in Plaça de Catalunya

The exhibition also recounts how, in 1877, a younger Gaudí was at risk of failing an Architecture course. His professor commissioned him to design a monumental fountain for Barcelona's Plaça de Catalunya. 

Gaudí proposed an ambitious project featuring a 24 meters tall fountain with water jets, grand staircases, symbolic animal figures, and a statue of Neptune crowning the top. 

According to Santana, this project not only saved him from failing the course but also marked the birth of his signature artistic style.

The Gaudí expert explained that, based on existing documentation, it would be possible to build this fountain in Plaça de Catalunya. He noted that they are currently working with the Barcelona City Council to analyze whether the project could become a reality.