Everything about BarcelonaA city in Spain's Catalonia region, known for its architecture and art. 's Sagrada Familia basilicaAn ancient Roman public building. is exceptional. It will cost £314m to build. It will take 144 years. And, on completion, it will be the tallest church in the world.

Now this unique building might set another record. Its designer - the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi - has been made "venerable" by the Church, the first step towards becoming a saint. According to the Archbishop of Barcelona, "It is a recognition not only of his architectural work, but something more important."¹

Gaudi lived "the life of an exemplary Christian," claims his biographer Josep Maria Tarragona.² While building the Sagrada Familia, he returned to the Catholic faith, regularly fasting and praying. He devoted 40 years to building the basilica and, after his death, left all his money to the Church.

For Gaudi, the next stage to becoming a saint is beatificationWhen the Pope declares a deceased person is in a state of bliss. It is the first step towards sainthood. . This is normally reserved for martyrsSomeone who is killed because of their religious beliefs., but the architect was killed by a tram on his way to confession. Otherwise, the candidate needs to have caused a miraculous cure. "If you do not have a miracle, everything goes slowly," his biographer adds. ³

Visitors to the Sagrada Familia are often filled with a sense of wonder when they enter the basilica. According to Lourdes Cirlot, an art historian at the local university, "It creates a state close to mystical ecstasy."⁴

Designers of religious buildings have always known that architecture can change how people feel. Now, a growing number of scientific studies appear to confirm this fact. Research by psychologists, architects and urban planners shows that people's surroundings influence their mood, behaviour and even outcomes in life.

For example, offices with lower ceilings make workers feel more focused. Patients in poorly lit hospital rooms have higher mortality rates. Schools with poor layouts can slow children's cognitive development by as much as 25%.⁵

Research also shows that living in a high-rise apartment building causes less sociable behaviour and more crime. According to one study, crime rates were 604% higher in the public spaces of high rises, compared with the surrounding neighbourhood. The higher people live, the greater their levels of stress, depression, mental illness and marital discord.⁶

But not all architects build for wellbeing. In some cases, a lack of money places limits on their designs. In other cases, if they want to create buildings that attract attention, they might ignore research into mental health outcomes. According to one writer, celebrity architects care more about making eye-catching structures than "building efficiency, environmental performance and local context".⁷

Critics might say the same about Gaudi. However, his basilica is one of the most-visited churches in the world. In 2026 the Sagrada Familia will finally be completed, one hundred years since the architect's death. Even if Gaudi never becomes a saint, he will always be remembered for this unique building.

Can a building make us better people?

Yes: People's surroundings influence their mood, their mental health, their productivity and even their life outcomes. Architects have always known that buildings shape behaviour.

No: Most architects are limited by money, materials, and the demands of a space. They cannot be made responsible for personal morality and human wellbeing, too.

Or... The majority of buildings are designed to serve practical functions. However, there will always be special works of architecture that lift people's spirits.

Barcelona - A city in Spain's Catalonia region, known for its architecture and art.

Basilica - An ancient Roman public building.

Beatification - When the Pope declares a deceased person is in a state of bliss. It is the first step towards sainthood.

Martyrs - Someone who is killed because of their religious beliefs.