Gaudí Door Knobs

 Here we see design emerging from the direct action of the human hand on a malleable material which in turn requires the same action to be repeated once the material has set. It is a process that defines the extent of a physical action in space. In the whole panorama of European design at the beginning of the 20th century it is impossible to find instances in which such a high degree of sculptural  appearance also displays such conceptual functionalism.

It is well known that gaudí was a perfectionist right down to the finest details in his works. Although this was the custom for architects of the day,no others had such a high degree of technological knowledge or knowledge about art and craft technique. His father’s activity as a boiler maker and his early contacts with a variety of craftsmen would later lead to mastery of the materials used in architecture.

To this we should add the academic mastery of the subject that characterizes all his work and his inspired resourcefulness in finding solutions to certain aspects of design. This is the only way to explain how the unusual artistic richness of his brass fittings –so well suited to techniques for casting this metal– is so closely bonded to his intuitive eye for functionality.