I recently spent four weeks in Spain, including a week in Barcelona studying the architecture of Antonio Gaudi. From this field trip, I developed a unit of work for Year 5, in which the students were immersed in the life, ideas and architecture of this amazing and eccentric artist.

Aims of this Unit

• to provide students with an overview of Gaudi's life
  
• to allow them to gain an understanding of the development of his work and the inspiration for his ideas
  
• to extend the students' ideas on architecture, incorporating Gaudi's techniques
  
• to use Gaudi's work as inspiration for 2D designs and to develop ceramic sculptures from them

Stage One: Research

Students research Gaudi, presenting five facts about his life and work. They can use the library or internet sites such as www.cyberspain.com/passion /gaudi.htm

During each lesson, one chapter of a short biography of Gaudi is read in order to build up an understanding of how his ideas and style have developed and what influences them.

Watch a DVD on Gaudi in order to gain more knowledge, and sketch different ideas from his work while viewing it on the screen.

Stage Two: 2D designs

Students design their own building by drawing it, keeping in mind the organic forms that inspired Gaudi, the lack of straight lines, and his creative use of mosaic and colour. They are reminded that their final design will be constructed in clay.

Stage Three: Major 3D work

Students construct a 3D clay model of a building based on their 2D images. At this stage it is important to re-visit clay techniques, such as emphasis on slab thickness and joining methods. Encourage them to develop their own techniques to create the form they want, eg. twist clay to create a curved surface. Allow experimentation with the use of glass in clay – it drips down when pressed in vertically and creates glass lakes when pressed horizontally.

Stage Four:

Help students realise the importance of colour and pattern in decoration. Paint their form with Chromacryl Paint.

Materials:
cartridge, Artline liquid crayons, white earthenware,
glass mosaics, Chromacryl paints, P.V.A., Resources

Books:
"Barcelona Tell us about Gaudi"
My name is Antonio Gaudi"
M. a Victoria Molins, stj
Fantasy Worlds
Deidi von Schaewen
John Maizels

Susan Clarke
Art Teacher

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