I recently visited the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Its presence was simply breath-taking and the atmosphere around was stunning. You would think that the vast amounts of people who flock to witness the grand church every day would make the atmosphere less astounding, however it just adds to the beauty of the building. I think that when Gaudi designed it; he designed it knowing that it would have crowds around it, with observers looking from all directions, and so the crowds of people just add to its presence. What really took my attention was the pure beauty of the intricate stonework on the Nativity Façade which demonstrated Gaudi’s naturalistic style and I feel is what transformed it from a building, to a work of art.
One of my favourite buildings has to be the Eiffel Tower in Paris, as it is such an iconic building. It appears as such a beautiful and delicate building but is yet so resilient and grounded, and that’s what I love about it. How a building can be so much to a place just shows how Architecture has such a huge influence on a society, as it is something which everyone has connections with and means something different to everybody.
The temple ruins in Baalbek in Lebanon are a work of Architecture which I would love to visit. It bestows such a religious importance and I feel that once one has visited and been in the presence of such a city would give such an influence on one’s creative work. Ancient Architecture is so different to Architecture today and the ruins which are left of a place have so much to teach us about their past, which has such a positive influence on modern work.
