Gaudí’s Models and Methods at La Pedrera

The attic of La Pedrera reveals catenary arches — a gravity‑respecting form. Gaudí’s team used string models, plaster casts, and full‑scale mock‑ups to validate geometry before carving stone.

Toolkit

• Inverted Chain Models: visualize pure compression.
• Plaster Trials: test curvature and surface.
• On‑Site Iteration: adjust details as light and users demand.

Models are thinking tools — a loop of imagination and reality.

Method Steps

1. Define loads and spans.
2. Build chain model; record geometry.
3. Translate to arches; test with plaster.
4. Mock‑up critical joints; refine craft.
5. Execute in stone and iron.

See It Yourself

• Explore the attic museum: displays decode forms, forces, and fabrication.

[^catenary]: A catenary is the curve a chain assumes under its own weight.