Ellie McCann

Celebrated structural engineer Tristram Carfrae on the challenge of completing the Sagrada Familia

In-Depth

Structural design engineer Tristram Carfrae is working on the completion of Sagrada Familia, soon to be the tallest church in the world. Ellie McCann reports.

As the centenary of Gaudí’s death approaches, the Sagrada Familia is almost complete
As the centenary of Gaudí’s death approaches, the Sagrada Familia is almost complete - stock.adobe.com

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, commonly known as the Sagrada Familia, is iconic for a number of reasons – its intricate design, impressive stone exterior, and sheer height.

But perhaps its most notorious feature, particularly to engineers and architects worldwide, is that it remains unfinished, despite construction commencing almost 143 years ago.

On 19 March 1882, construction of La Sagrada Família began under Spanish architect Francisco de Paula del Villar – who, after resigning by 1883, was succeeded by Antoni Gaudí.

Gaudí completely transformed the project, employing brand-new philosophies of architecture and engineering; suggesting, for instance, to increase the column heights and to combine Gothic influence with curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. The Catalan architect dedicated  the remainder of his life to the construction, but by the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the church had actually been built.

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