Gaudi Centre Reus: the man and his method

Took the chance of a free day off to visit Reus' excellent Gaudi Centre near Tarragona.

http://www.gaudicentre.cat/ This prosperous-looking large city (one of Catalunya's most interesting with an extensive central area to wander round) is the birthplace of one of Spain's most imaginative architects - no, wait, wrong word for this genius: try 'construction artist'?  This quality centre puts the architect into perspective, for me anyway, for the first time with, its clear-cut explanations and quality presentations. I liked the 3D type introductory film, the superb models (some interactive), the dual-TV screen area where pieces of his work were positioned next to natural objects such as trees, rocks, flowers, shorelines and waves to show visitors what inspired him.

If only I'd visited the Centre before seeing what he built in Barcelona, I might  have understood what was going through his crazy mind when he built Parc Guell, the Sagrada Familia, LaPedrera  and the rest!  I might have realised where he sourced all his magical monsters, dragons, curves, arched supports and flower shapes, turning them into iron, stone, wood and ceramic structures. It's ironic that he died almost an austere unrecognised pauper with his major project unfinished, yet now it's one of the major tourist-pullers in Europe. Ironic and sad too.

In conjuction with this exhibition, the city has laid out a Modernist Route of buildings (and there are a lot) for visitors to walk round and see. The route is shown in floor-plan, Google-map mode so you can do an architectural walk in minature and read a profile of each part while still in the Centre.

I can also recommend a restaurant very close (100m ) to the centre: Cafe Reus - not the one in the square but up the side street past it on the right. Lunch was quality food served by friendly waiters. Good local red house wine included in the reasonably priced menu del dia- unlike another behind the cathedral where they served a rip-off tourist menu of salad and paella for 18 euros (wine NOT included!) Hey, do we all look like we've arrived into Tarragona port on a banana boat!

Reus surprised me and I felt it had lot going for it: it's larger than I'd envisaged, it has lots of new buildings round the inner ring area and new industry further out, it's only just over an hour south of Barcelona on the AP7, it's close to the Costa Dorada and major Roman city of Tarragona. And it has an airport with many cheapish flights (especially in the summer) to northern Europe.