The interior of the Sagrada Familia

The stunning interior of the basilica Sagrada Familia was consecrated by Pope

The Sagrada Familia is the most famous symbol of Barcelona and certainly one of its most impressive sights. The
church is huge in its dimensions, so it is often called the "cathedral", although it is without a bishop's
headquarters. On 11/07/2010, the Sagrada Familia was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI and elevated to the
status of a basilica.

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 Looking up in the apse of the Sagrada Familia.

The completion of the interior and consecration was a great moment for Barcelona. Now, finally, the imposing,
yet ingenious design of the brilliant Antoni Gaud could be admired. And all this without scaffolding and
machinery noise.

Interesting facts about the Sagrada Familia

Gallery of the interior of the basilica

Sagrada Familia on the map
Reduced admission with the Barcelona Card
The church of the Sagrada Familia is a five-naved basilica. The central nave rises above the others significantly.
Each nave is a door that is assigned to the unfinished glory facade. There are also two side portals that lead to
the penance chapel and baptistery. Behind the nave, in the apse, is the altar, in the light of the many windows of
the apse.

In the same way that the faades carry a rich symbology, the layout of the church is also full of symbols. Every
door, every column, and almost every area has its own concrete or symbolic significance. This symbolism refers
to the individual Catalan dioceses and Spanish dioceses, to every church in Latin America, on each of the five
continents, to the apostles, to the great religious founders and most revered saints, the theological virtues, the
sacraments, and more.

The vault-and-pillar system inside the basilica

The first drafts of the naves were similar in their basic features to the Gothic style, but without additional
support and buttress. In this original design, the walls were still the main elements of each column, and were
indispensable for the stability of the building. Gaud's studies of stability were groundbreaking: the architect
created a knotted rope construction in which the columns correspond to the ropes. He turned the construction
of the pressure points and hung small weights. In this way he was able to simulate the pressure gradients in the
columns.

The architect Antoni Gaud

Barcelona's most famous modernist architect, Anton Gaudi worked on the Sagrada Familia until his death.
The Life of Antoni Gaud
Modernism in Barcelona

The result of his research is a tree-like column structure. The columns are inclined and branched-like trees. The
weight will be routed directly over the pillars in the ground - all this without bearing facade or exterior
buttresses. The result of this ingenious solution is spectacular: the pillars and arches supported by them
transform the interior of the temple into a stone forest of palm trees, lots of light streaming in through large
windows and the vault.

The vertical and partly inclined pillars are decorated with grooves. It creates the impression that the material
constituting the pillars has been stretched. At the top the pillars branch out so that each can support multiple
points of the ceiling. All sections of the roof are supported by such branched columns.

The columns are made of materials of different hardness. The longest and thickest columns are made of red
porphyry, a very hard volcanic rock. The dark, somewhat smaller pillars are made of basalt, granite columns
supporting the lighter and the outermost row of pillars in the church building consist of a relatively soft rock
from the mountain of Barcelona, Montjuic. The "smallest" pillars support the chancel.

The interior of the Sagrada Familia constitutes the essence of Gauds architecture: there is no model within
architecture for the vault-and-pillar system.

The Sagrada Familia's five naves

The layout of the church has the shape of a Latin cross - with enormous dimensions. The Sagrada Familia is one
of the world's largest Church buildings: from the entrance to the apse is 90 metres, the five naves are limited by
a 60 metre long and 45 metre wide transept. The four side naves are 7.5 metres wide each, the main nave is 15
metres - exactly twice as wide. The vault of the main nave is 45 metres high, and the side aisles are 30 metres
high.

Construction of the naves was started in 1987, based on models that were created by Antoni Gaud, and which
were not destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.

In the outermost naves, the chancels are both situated in a gallery. These provide space for over 1,500 singers.

In contrast to the Gothic style Gauds design requires no supporting side walls, and heavy vault: he used this
freedom to incorporate numerous windows that allow plenty of natural light inside.

The apse of the Sagrada Familia

Within architecture an Apse is known as one half of a dome roofed area. In a church, it is usually the area where
the altar stands.

Immediately after the completion of the crypt Gaud had the apse built above. The Gothic-style apse is
surrounded by seven chapels and two side stairs to the left and right.

These lead to spiral staircases from the crypt and continue up into the facades. As an indication of the spiral
staircase you see two big stone snails crawling down the wall on the outer walls of the apse. The inside walls of
the apse are decorated with angels' heads and tears that should remind one of the suffering of Jesus.

The apse was completed in 1893 by a huge crowned dome dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which are supported by
massive columns. The entire apse and dome are flooded with light; it is very bright for Gothic Architecture.

In the centre is the raised altar, crowned by the Latin cross with a canopy, decorated with vines and grapes of a
vine, as Gaud's only concession to the traditional church design. Behind the altar are the organ pipes, which,
although they have very large dimensions, represent very delicate work.

Aureole i mandorle: spaiul sacru miniat n icoane

Augustin Ioan
13.04.2010

Nu demult, am citit cteva lucrri de master n spaiul sacru, printre ultimele ale acestui program care s-a nchis
din 2009. Una dintre colege, teolog, ne-a adus spre judecare o lucrare foarte decent despre aureolele sfinilor,
n care a tratat i chestiunea aureolelor negre, dar i pe aceea a mandorlelor (ca reprezentare bidimensional a
sferelor de glorie i slav n centrul crora este Iisus). Pentru c tema m-a interesat la un moment dat, adaug aici
cteva comentarii ceva mai vechi pe aceast tem. Spre pild, ntre sintagma Iisus in Chora (de altfel, hramul
unei biserici bizantine celebre de la Constantinopol, despre care a scris elegant i emoionant Anca Manolescu),
pntecul marial coninndu-l pe Iisus (care este, de asemenea, tem n icoanele bizantine) i mandorl (mai
degrab de regsit n iconografia occidental, sculptat deasupra intrrilor n catedrale, n basorelief sau
altorelief) cred c exist legturi insuficient cercetate din perspectiv iconografic, mai cu seam, repet, din
perspectiva redrii multiplelor dimensiuni spaiale n dou dimensiuni ale planului pictural. ntre timp, am dat i
peste comentariile despre aureol i mandorl din volumul colectiv Manolescu, Pleu, Patapievici i Liiceanu:
Sensuri metafizice ale crucii, Bucureti, Seria Boltzman volumul I, Ed.Humanitas 2007, pp. 147. Este o carte
uluitoare, despre care nu mi amintesc s fi citit comentarii nici din partea teologilor, nici din partea filosofilor,
nici din partea iniiailor ntr-ale esoterismelor de toate felurile, dei, cumva, cele discutate n seminarul de la
Colegiul Noua Europ ntre ianuarie i mai 2002 de ctre cei patru i privete pe toi acetia. Dar, cum se
ntmpl la noi, scindarea disciplinar i autismul intra-denominaional ne mpiedic s cptm privirea de
ansamblu.

Adaug, de asemenea, i cteva ilustraii de la Sagrada Familia, pentru a ilustra cele scrise.

ntr-un tablou pictat la 1420 de Giovanni di Paolo din Siena, aflat la Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Fecioara
i pruncul ei snt pictai pe fundalul unui vortex straniu, aflat deasupr-le, n care parc i razele aurelor lor snt
absorbite (sau, poate, din care snt generate). Analogia cu turbionarea spaiului, care se curbeaz i se
prbuete n sine n proximitatea gurilor negre, era evident. i nu au fost acestea cele mai stranii aure vzute
la LACMA: ntr-o alt icoan, de Quinten Marrys, ieit dintr-un atelier din Flandra pe la 1500, Iisus are o aur
ntunecat pe fondul de aur, ca un inel de eclips, de parc s-ar fi decupat n negativ cu spaiul care i nconjura
chipul trist. Putea fi un tablou repictat, de sub care a ieit vechea culoare la suprafa, ori poate o eroare de
restaurare, pentru c aurele nu se nchipuie negre. Dimpotriv, ntr-un tablou spaniol contemporan celui de mai
sus, din Osma, aura cristic nu este circular, ci are geometria curb-octogonal generat de dou ptrate rotite
la patruzeci i cinci de grade (cu racordri ntre vrfurile ptratelor). Colurile aurei astfel generate snt
continuate cu crini ("uitai-v la crinii de pe cmpuri", a spus Iisus). Sau, ntr-o icoan castilian tot de la 1500,
aura e "buclat", dei ne nchipuim aici mai degrab vrtejuri cosmice dect crlioni, iar ngerii par a se ascunde
de asemenea furtuni n niele de alabastru de pe mormntul lui Don Garcia Osorio din biserica San Pedro, Ocana,
n Aranjuez.

Cum altfel dect ca aure ale unor sfini abseni, ori poate doar invizibili ochilor notri, pot fi nchipuite structurile
rotite ale bolilor abia montate ale catedralei Sagrada Familia, a lui Antoni Gaud y Cornet, de la Barcelona, mi
spuneam n faa acestor icoane singure, mai deloc vizitate, pe care le-am vzut pe coasta Pacificului? Cci bolta
acelei biserici catalane ce e? Un cer gol, plin de efecte din care, ns, lipsete chiar cauza. Sau nu ni se mai arat?
Sau nu noi se cade s vedem cauzele, ori Cauza Prim, ci doar furitorul lor, arhitectul - nebun ntru Hristos Gaud? nceput dup 1880, catedrala va fi terminat, cum se terminau odinioar catedralele fcute pentru
totdeauna, o sut patruzeci de ani mai trziu, adic n 2020. Acum, ns, biserica este nchis i are, deci, spaiu
interior. Acum putem nelege gndul ascuns al arhitectului. Absorbit spre naltul cerurilor prin aceste turbioane
monumentale cu o geometrie deloc euclidian, spaiul interior, la configurarea cruia lucreaz o echip
urieeasc de arhiteci i constructori, este n ascensiune perpetu. Arborii-flori-axe ale lumii-stlpi ai bolii l
susin. Iisus se nate, propvduiete, moare i nvie pe diferitele faete ale cristalului de piatr care e Sagrada
Familia.

Gaud a lsat desene i machete pentru ntreaga construcie, apoi s-a dus s se odihneasc la rdcina stlpilor
acestei ne-umane nchipuiri ale sale. Dup el, nu vom mai putea gndi aurele sfinilor altfel dect aa cum ni le-a
artat el. i lumea descris - parte pentru ntreg - de Gaud ni se prezint i ne reprezint n acelai timp: literal
i figurativ, real i simbolic, fizic i metafizic deopotriv, sus ca i jos, imanen i transcenden
contopindu-se pe axa hristic. Este creaia nsi n dinamica devenirii ei perpetue, sus ca i jos: nfricotor de
frumoas, straniu familiar, ca nsi povestea fondatoare a cretintii.

The room is the beginning of architecture.

Louis I. Kahn

One of the architects fundamental tasks is formulating the structure, or arrangement of forms, that the building
will assume. Each architect has an individual approach to developing that initial concept. Kahn is often quoted as
first asking, What does this building want to be? He believed that the essence of the structure started with the
room, and thinking about how that space would be used and how it should feel. From that point, the building
evolved as a family of rooms with a simple plan based on classical proportion, repetition, and variation.

In the case of the Kimbell, director Richard Brown provided an initial list of important considerations for
generating ideas for the structure. In that Pre-Architectural Program, Brown specifically stated that natural
light should play a vital part in illumination. This stipulation, along with Kahns own strong interest in the use of
natural light, resulted in Kahns early concept of a room with a vaulted ceiling that would allow natural light to
enter the space from above. The vault also appealed to Kahns admiration for ancient structuresfrom Roman
arches and storage warehouses to Egyptian granaries.

Kahn determined the exact shape of the vault through his collaboration with a structural engineer, Dr. August E.
Komendant. As opposed to semicircular vaults, the cycloid vault has gently rising sides that give the impression
of monumentality without overpowering the visitor. By mathematical definition, the cycloid is the curve traced
by a point on the circumference of a circle that rolls on a straight line without slipping. This geometric form is
capable of supporting its own weight and has been likened to an eggshell for its ability to withstand heavy
pressure. At the Kimbell, the weight for each vault is directed through four corner columns measuring two

square feet. Unlike classical precedents, Kahns vaults are interrupted at the top by skylights and require
concrete struts that connect the shells at ten-foot intervals. Additionally, Kahn and his engineers placed long
steel cables inside along the length of each vault. After the concrete had hardened for a week, hydraulic jacks
were used tighten the cables to create a system of post-tensioning that distributes and supports the weight of
the roofsimilar to a suspension bridge.

Like classical buildings (such as the Parthenon), the Kimbells structure is based on a consistent mathematical
model. The basic plan is composed of sixteen cycloid vaults (100 x 20 feet) that are arranged in three parallel
units of six, four, and six in the Kimbell. Other elements are based on a ratio of 20 to 10. For example, all sixteen
vaults are 20 feet across and joined by a seven-foot soffit (the underside joint between arches). The same
measurement is repeated on the floor: wood sections measure 20 feet and travertine sections are 10 feet. The
building is based on these rules of logic, enabling the visitor to easily follow and read the structure.

Although the structure is based on a simple plan of unadorned, repeated forms, Kahn also introduced variations
on those basic forms and themes. The porticos at the Kimbells entrance on the west side of the building first
introduce the vault to the approaching visitor and demonstrate the forms versatility. Within the Museum,
visitors see that vaults cover the galleries, an auditorium, and the Buffet Restaurant. Kahn also varied the size of
the courtyards. The North courtyard is 40 square feet, while the South courtyard is 20 square feet.

The rooms were designed to relate to the visitor on an intimate level to enhance their experience of the
artworks on view. The space, in fact, was designed to be as flexible as possible within the confines of the vaulted
spaces. Moveable walls can be attached to the soffits (the underside joint between arches) in various
configurations to best suit the Museums display needs.

No space, architecturally, is a space unless it has natural light.

Louis I. Kahn

A persons experience of an architectural space is shaped by many factors, including its scale, proportions, plan,
and use of materials. In many buildings, and especially at the Kimbell Art Museum, light performs a crucial role
illuminating the space and creating a mood. In his teachings and designs, Louis Kahn constantly stressed the
importance of light in relation to structure. Natural light, dynamic, ever-changing, he preferred above all other
sources of illumination.

Most museum designs primarily rely on artificial lighting to prevent direct sunlight from damaging priceless and
delicate works of art. Kimbell director Richard Brown, however, felt that natural light should be used to
illuminate museum spaces so that visitors may be able to relate to nature and the effects of changing weather
while inside the Kimbell. This type of lighting also enables the visitor to see the work of art as it would have been
viewed by its creator (without the glare of artificial light). Kahn and Brown met well on this topic, which became
the inspiration for Kahns concept of the cycloid vault with narrow slits to the sky that allowed natural light to
enter and transform the space.

In order to allow light to enter the space without endangering precious artworks, Kahn envisioned a metal
reflector or shield that would be placed directly beneath the skylights to reflect sunlight onto the smooth,
gray, curved surface of the vault. As if by magic, the light would transform the surface, creating a silvery
luminosity that filtered down and filled the space below without harming the Museums collection. Lighting
consultants worked with Kahn to devise gull-wing shaped reflectors that are now installed in the Kimbell. These
natural light fixtures, made from pierced aluminum, were curved to simultaneously reflect and filter the Texas
sun. For works of art that require very low levels of light (drawings or Asian scroll paintings, for example), black
felt can be used to cover the skylights to further reduce the amount of light reflected into the gallery.

Kahn incorporated slender lunettes at either end of each vault for more light. The lunette also acts as an
important element that separates distinct parts of the structure and is, in turn, shaped by those parts. Its
underside echoes the cycloid, while the topside is shaped by the concrete shell that thickens at its apex.
Therefore, the topside of each lunette expands at the bottom and becomes thinner at the top. Light slots run
along the entire bottom length of the vault to allow indirect sunlight to enter Museum spaces. Kahn also
designed three courtyards, named after the kind of light that he anticipated that their proportions, foliation, or
sky reflections would give: Green, Yellow, and Blue Courts. Visitors can easily recognize the Green Court, with its
vine roofing, or the Blue Court, with a splashing fountain that reflects sky and water off its travertine enclosure.
The large Yellow Court is situated next to the Kimbells conservation studio.

Natural materials have a way of blending together.

Louis I. Kahn

To make a structure that will stand the test of time, architects choose materials that are strong and durable, as
well as pleasing to the eye. Kahn preferred simple forms and natural materials. To achieve a sense of serenity

and elegance in the Kimbell, Kahn selected materials that complemented each other in tone and surface:
travertine, concrete, white oak, metal, and glass. Simple and unadorned, each of these materials shows its
innate character by its variation of texture.

Concrete, according to Kahn, was a noble material if used nobly. Revolutionizing the modern use of materials,
Kahn viewed concrete as both an aesthetic and structural choice. In the Kimbells galleries, concrete vaults
shimmer with light to create a subtle luminosity that Kahn compared to a silvery powdered moths wing.
Reinforced concrete also supports the weight of the structure in the form of vaults, walls, and piers. Creating the
right look to the concrete was a matter of serious importance to Kahn, who went to great lengths to select the
proper color (soft gray with lavender tones) determined by the mixture of sand and cement. Numerous wall
tests were poured and allowed to cure in the Texas sun until they found the right surface qualities and perfect
match for the soft tones of the travertine. Kahn believed that buildings should tell the story of how they were
made and that incidents of the construction process should be left as a visual record. Accordingly, when they
occurred, marks from plywood mold forms, bits of rubber, and air pockets remain for all to see (although the
workmen practiced to attain perfection).

Travertine, on the other hand, acts only as in-fill material. Kahn even called it wall paper. (Glass and wood are
also non-weight-bearing materials in the Museum.) The travertine (a type of colored limestone) used for the
Kimbell was imported from Bagni di Tivoli (bah-nyee/dee/tee-voh-lee) near Rome, Italy. This material is riddled
with irregularly shaped holes left by gases and pieces of vegetation trapped in hardened layers of calcium
carbonate. Despite its Swiss-cheese texture, travertine is a durable material and has been used since antiquity
for countless buildings. Kahn was deeply influenced by monuments and ancient ruins that he studied as a
student and sketched on his travels through Italy, Greece, and Egypt. In his own buildings, Kahn used such
materials as travertine to emulate the timeless and monolithic qualities he so admired in those ancient
structures. Over one million pounds of travertine sheath much of the Kimbells interior and exterior walls,
gallery floors, porches, and stairs. These thin, rough-sawn pre-cut slabs (5/8 inches thick) were shipped from
Italy in 17 boatloads over nine months. Fissures and openings were not filled. Every attempt was made to retain
the materials natural appearance.

Lead was selected for the roof cover for its color, dull sheen, and discreet, natural appearance. Because this soft
metal ages quickly, Kahn believed that it would look consistent with the travertine and concrete. In keeping with
his palette of warm and cool tonal harmonies, Kahn also selected white oak for the gallery floors, doors, and
cabinetry; anodized aluminum (a light-weight metal noted for its high reflectivity that has been covered with a
protective oxide coating) for the soffits and reflectors; and mill-finished steel for windows and door frames,
elevators, and handrails, as well as in the kitchen, conservation studio, and darkroom. The Kimbells uniquely
shaped handrails are made of folded metal, because Kahn preferred emphasizing the sheet quality of the
material instead of pretending that it was worked like a solid material, such as wood.

The Kimbell Art Museums original building, designed by Louis Kahn and opened to the public for the first time in
1972, has become a mecca of modern architecture. With the addition to the site of a second building, designed
by Renzo Piano and scheduled to open in 2013, the Kimbell Art Foundation maintains its commitment to
architectural excellence.

The Board of Directors of the Kimbell Art Foundation commissioned Louis Kahn as the Museums architect in
1966. Working closely with its first director, Richard F. Brown, who enthusiastically supported his appointment,
Kahn designed a building in which light is the theme. Natural light enters through narrow plexiglass skylights
along the top of cycloid barrel vaults and is diffused by wing-shaped pierced-aluminum reflectors that hang
below, giving a silvery gleam to the smooth concrete of the vault surfaces and providing a perfect, subtly
fluctuating illumination for the works of art.

The main (west) facade of the building consists of three 100-foot bays, each fronted by an open, barrel-vaulted
portico, with the central entrance bay recessed and glazed. The porticos express on the exterior the light-filled
vaulted spaces that are the defining feature of the interior, which are five deep behind each of the side porticos
and three deep behind the central one; three of the spaces are punctuated by courtyards. Though thoroughly
modern in its lack of ornament or revivalist detail, the building suggests the grand arches and vaults of Roman
architecture, a source of inspiration that Kahn himself acknowledged. The principal materials are concrete,
travertine, and white oak.

The Kimbell Art Museums exhibition and education programs have now grown far beyond those envisioned
when Kahns building opened. The main purpose of Renzo Pianos building is to provide extra galleriesto be
used primarily for exhibitions, allowing the Kahn building to be devoted to the permanent collectionand the
classrooms and studios that are essential to a full-scale museum education department. It also houses an
auditorium, acoustically excellent for music, and considerably larger than the one in the Kahn building, an
expanded library, and underground parking. The siting of the new building and its parking garage will correct the
tendency of most visitors to enter Kahns building by what he considered the back entrance on the east side
directing them naturally to his main entrance on the west.

Capitolul 2 Lumina natural

Nimeni nu poate nega importana istoric a luminii naturale n determinarea formei cldirilor. mpreun cu
efectele de clim i de locaie, lumina disponibil joac un rol fundamental pentru proiectarea lor. Cu toate
acestea, introducerea surselor electrice din ce n ce mai eficiente a fcut, ca pentru o bun perioad de timp ,
lumina natural s nu mai fie un factor atat de important n proiectarea cldirilor. Introducerea luminii naturale,
cu toate variaiunile sale, a fost ntotdeauna recunoscut de ctre arhiteci ca avnd avantaje pozitive, iar acum
acest punct de vedere a ctigat teren, datorit contientizrii faptului c resursele noastre sunt limitate i
trebuie s fie conservate.
Avantajele unice ale luminii naturale
2

Schimbare si varietate
Lumina natural este o surs de schimbare n mod constant, variind la ore din zi,anotimpuri i starea vremii.
Aceast varietate ofer un aspect dinamic i atrgtor pentru un interior. Modificrile vremii pot fi observate,
prin modificarea aspectului unei camera i ne ajut s reacionam la mediul extern n timpul zilei. Aprecierea
calitii, n timp, a luminii naturale nu poate fi mai bine exprimat dect a fcut-o unul dintre arhitecii lideriai
Americii, Louis Kahn, arhitectul Muzeului de Arta Kimbell din Texas: "
Eu nu pot defini un spaiu ntr-adevr ca un spaiu, dect dac am lumina natural . . . lumina naturala ofer
spaiului stare prin variaiunile din timpul zilei i de la un anotimp la altul, aa cum intr i modific spaiul
".
3
2
Phillips, D.,Daylighting Natural Light in Architecture, Architectural Press, 2004,p.40
3
Ibid., p. 42

Facultatea de Arhitectura
Arhitectura spatiului interior
Departament : Studiul formei si ambient
Prof. dr. arh. Sorin Vasilescu
Student : Cecilia Rozalia Dondera

Muzeul de arta Kimbell O arhitectura a linistii si a luminii

The sun never knew how great it was until it struck the side of a building.
Aprecierea calitii, n timp, a luminii naturale nu poate fi mai bine exprimat dect a fcut-o unul
dintre arhitecii lideri ai Americii, Louis Kahn, arhitectul Muzeului de Arta Kimbell din Texas. Lumina
natural este o surs de schimbare n mod constant, variind la ore din zi, anotimpuri i starea vremii.
Aceast varietate ofer un aspect dinamic i atrgtor pentru un interior. Modificrile vremii pot fi
observate, prin modificarea aspectului unei camera i ne ajut s reacionam la mediul extern n timpul
zilei. Nimeni nu poate nega importana istoric a luminii naturale n determinarea formei cldirilor.
mpreun cu efectele de clim i de locaie, lumina disponibil joac un rol fundamental pentru
proiectarea lor. Cu toate acestea, introducerea surselor electrice din ce n ce mai eficiente a fcut, ca
pentru o bun perioad de timp , lumina natural s nu mai fie un factor atat de important n proiectarea
cldirilor. Introducerea luminii naturale, cu toate variaiunile sale, a fost ntotdeauna recunoscut de
ctre arhiteci ca avnd avantaje pozitive, iar acum acest punct de vedere a ctigat teren, datorit
contientizrii faptului c resursele noastre sunt limitate i trebuie s fie conservate.

The room is the beginning of architecture. Louis I. Kahn