Colourful mosaics, playful flowing forms, imaginative facadesBarcelona shines with the buildings of Antoni Gaudí. How did the son of a Catalan blacksmith become a world-famous architect? The first years of Gaudí’s life were challenging. Because of an illness, young Gaudí couldnt attend school and was often alone. Many of his days were spent out in nature, which he would later call his great teacher.