Construction of six new immense towers to Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia Basilica is under way, the Associated Press reports, closing off the last phase of architect Antoni Gaudi’s ambitious vision of a church that has taken more than a century to complete.
Chief architect Jordi Fauli told the press earlier this month that the central “Tower of Jesus Christ” will be the tallest of the six, and will earn the whole basilica the title of Europe’s tallest religious building. The current holder of that title is Ulm Minster in Germany. St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City will still hold the record for the tallest interior.
"The central tower of 172.5 meters (566 feet) will make it the tallest cathedral in Europe, because the tallest tower in Europe is Ulm, at 162 meters (531.5 feet)," Fauli told the press.
Completion is projected for 2026, in time for the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death.
Related Stories
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Oct 9, 2014
Steven Holl's 'intersecting spheres' scheme for Taipei necropolis gets green light
The schematic design has been approved for the 50 000-sm Arrival Hall and Oceanic Pavilion for the Taiwan ChinPaoSan Necropolis.
| Oct 1, 2014
Philip Johnson's iconic Crystal Cathedral to be modernized, made 'intrinsically Catholic'
Johnson Fain and Rios Clementi Hale Studios have been commissioned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange to upgrade the all-glass church in Garden Grove, Calif. The church acquired the property in 2012.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
| Sep 22, 2014
4 keys to effective post-occupancy evaluations
Perkins+Will's Janice Barnes covers the four steps that designers should take to create POEs that provide design direction and measure design effectiveness.
| Sep 22, 2014
Sound selections: 12 great choices for ceilings and acoustical walls
From metal mesh panels to concealed-suspension ceilings, here's our roundup of the latest acoustical ceiling and wall products.
| Sep 9, 2014
Using Facebook to transform workplace design
As part of our ongoing studies of how building design influences human behavior in today’s social media-driven world, HOK’s workplace strategists had an idea: Leverage the power of social media to collect data about how people feel about their workplaces and the type of spaces they need to succeed.
| Sep 9, 2014
Ranked: Top religious sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Brasfield & Gorrie, Gensler, and Jacobs top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest religious sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 9, 2014
Frank Lloyd Wright's Annie Pfeiffer Chapel brought back to life using 3D printing
Restoration of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed chapel was made possible (and affordable) thanks to 3D printing.
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
