A prominent Barcelona architecture professor has strongly criticised the Sagrada Família‘s recently completed Jesus Tower. Carolina B. García, an associate professor at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB), states the tower fundamentally lacks natural light at its central transept. She calls this design an “involution” of Antoni Gaudí’s architectural principles.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Criticism of Natural Light

Professor García, who also serves as sub-director of the Gaudí Chair, voiced her “absolute disagreement” with the tower’s construction. She expressed an “ambivalent” feeling towards the basilica’s overall progress. “I am torn between admiration for what they are doing and, at the same time, betrayal,” García stated. Her primary concern focuses on the transept, the temple’s most crucial interior point. This area sits directly beneath the towering Jesus pinnacle.

“Natural light does not enter!” she exclaimed, highlighting the reliance on artificial illumination in this central space. García lamented that builders did not consider this crucial element during the pinnacle’s construction. She firmly believes modern 21st-century technology could have achieved a naturally lit solution. She compared it to the 13th-century Burgos Cathedral, which successfully incorporated a 60-metre-high lantern. “They will tell me that it could not be done at that height, and yes, it can be done!” García asserted.

Gaudí’s Vision and Legacy

García champions Antoni Gaudí’s architectural genius. She notes his unique ability to blend past, present, and future in his designs. She highlights Gaudí’s departure from traditional Gothic architecture. He considered Gothic designs “sick” for their reliance on external buttresses. Gaudí envisioned self-supporting structures, like living organisms, that did not require such external aids. The professor argues that the current tower’s design, with its artificial lighting, contradicts Gaudí’s fundamental vision. She believes it deviates from his principles for naturally lit interiors.

She referenced a 1957 photograph of her grandmother and newborn mother. They stood before the then-unfinished Sagrada Família. This image evokes the vision of poet Joan Maragall. He imagined the temple as “definitively unfinished, with the altar having the sky as its roof.” After Gaudí’s death in 1926, many contemporary architects viewed his incomplete work as a “ruin.” However, poet Juan Eduardo Cirlot later championed Gaudí, famously stating, “Gaudí is the ruin of our future.”

Architectural Debate and Modern Interpretations

Ricardo Bofill, a renowned Catalan architect, also praised Gaudí’s enduring influence. In 2021, Bofill declared Gaudí the most important architect in history. This occurred during his honorary doctorate investiture at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Professor García draws parallels between Gaudí’s work and other influential architects. She cites the interplay of visible and invisible elements in Enric Miralles’ drawings. She also notes the distinctive curves and interiors of Josep Antoni Coderch’s designs. For example, in Coderch’s Casa Ugalde, she notes, “you forget the house and see a horizon.”

The professor believes the Sagrada Família’s current interior lighting solution represents a significant step backward. “Is that worthy of someone who wants to overcome the Gothic? For me, it is an involution,” she stated. She consistently emphasises the importance of natural light in interior spaces. García recalls the profound emotional impact of looking up into the naturally lit interior of Burgos Cathedral. She suggests the design choice might prioritise elevator access to the cross atop the tower. However, García also questions the specific proportions of this crowning cross.

Barcelona’s Architectural Future

Despite her strong criticisms, Professor García welcomes the ongoing architectural debate surrounding the Sagrada Família. She expresses satisfaction that Barcelona, as the World Capital of Architecture, is central to this discussion. The Sagrada Família, a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracts millions of tourists annually to the city. Its completion and design choices hold significant cultural and economic implications. These affect Barcelona residents and visitors alike.

“It may generate a lot of controversy? Agreed. That the architectural solutions are perhaps not the most appropriate? Agreed. That perhaps we have gone too fast? Also, but I am happy that it is the centre of the debate and we can talk about it,” she concluded. This public discourse, she suggests, helps preserve Gaudí’s invisible legacy. It also maintains his enduring architectural vision for future generations.

Sign up for our new entrepreneurs community Bizcelona, now accepting our second wave of applicants.

Originally published by La Vanguardia Catalonia. Read original article.