A century after the death of Antoni Gaudí, new artificial intelligence-generated images are providing a visualization of a skyscraper hotel the celebrated architect designed for New York City in 1908, but which was never constructed.

The proposed structure, named Hotel Attraction, was commissioned by two American businessmen who visited Gaudí in Barcelona. The design envisioned a 360-meter (1,181-foot) tower that would have surpassed the Eiffel Tower in height, predating the Empire State Building by more than two decades.

Design and Features

The hypothetical skyscraper was conceived as a blend of a luxury hotel, monument, and cathedral. Its design incorporates many of Gaudí's signature elements, such as trencadís, his distinctive broken ceramic mosaic technique, which would have adorned the façade. Academic research and virtual reconstruction efforts from the Technical University of Madrid informed the AI renderings, drawing inspiration from Gaudí's existing works like Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Colònia Güell, and the Sagrada Família.

The structure featured a tapering main tower and was described as potentially using materials like iron, concrete, aluminum, brick, stone, and marble. The color palette was envisioned to transition from earthy tones near the base to warmer reds, with silver and gold accents at the top. Neo-Gothic turrets, glazed domes, and stained glass windows were also part of the design.

The Hotel Attraction was planned with four main entrances, including a primary one topped with an American imperial eagle. Inside, a grand reception hall would have stood 17 meters high. The design also included five underground levels for services, kitchens, and garages. Lower sections of the tower were designated for suites and residences.

Interior spaces were planned to be elaborate. Europa Hall was intended as a restaurant and event space, featuring an ornate ceiling with mythological figures and European plant emblems. The Europa Hall interiors would have been impressive, with mythological figures on the ceiling The Orient Room was envisioned as Gaudí's homage to Asia, with massive, temple-like columns. A culminating space, the Tribute to America Hall, was planned as a large, light-filled chamber rising approximately 125 meters. This hall would have included a 10-meter replica of the Statue of Liberty and statues of the Founding Fathers, among other tributes to the U.S. An observation deck was also slated for the upper levels.

Legacy and Uncertainty

The project remains a subject of fascination, with some proposing it as a memorial skyscraper for the World Trade Center site after the September 11 attacks. The design also inspired the 2026 Attraction watch collection by luxury watchmaker Lebond.

Details about the Hotel Attraction largely come from Joan Matamala, the son of one of Gaudí's sculptors, who claimed to have encountered information about the project in Gaudí's workshop in 1908. However, doubts persist regarding the authenticity of the surviving designs and the lack of extensive supporting documentation.

Very few original Gaudí sketches remain, but one shows the outline of the skyscraper

Despite the uncertainties, the Hotel Attraction continues to captivate architects and enthusiasts, seen by some as a project too significant and symbolically aligned with Gaudí's style to be dismissed.