BI OG RAP HY I LDEFONS CERDÀ Anengi neerf orr oads,channel sandpor t s,I l def ons Cer dàwasbor nont he23r dofDecember1815i nt he Cat al oni anmanorElCer dàdeCent el l es.Thef our t hof si xsi bl i ngs,hef oundhi msel ff or cedt or ebelagai nstt he f ut ur er eser vedf orhi m asapr i est .Af t erst udyi ngLat i n andPhi l osophyatt heVi cSemi nar y ,hebeganst udi es Ar chi t ect ur eandmat hemat i csi nBar cel ona.I n1835,he movedt oMadr i dt ost udyatt heEngi neer i ngSchoolf or Roads,Channel sandPor t s,wher eher ecei vedhi st i t l e si xyear sl at er . Oncehehadbecomeanengi neer ,heent er edt heSt at e Roadwor kCor psandwast askedwi t hconst r uct i ngpubl i c wor ks.Overt hecour seofei ghtyear s,hewassentt o var i ousSpani shpr ovi nceswher ehegai nedval uabl e pr of essi onalex per i encecol l abor at i ngi nt heconst r uct i on ofr oads,ser vi cei nf r ast r uct ur esandt r anspor t at i on. Thedeat hofhi st wool derbr ot her sandhi sf at her conver t edhi mi nt ot hehei rt ot hef ami l yf or t une.Af t er mar r yi ngCl ot i l deBosch,wi t hwhom hehadf ourchi l dr en, hemadet hedeci si ont hatwoul dbedef i ni ngf act ori nhi s l i f e:hest eppeddownf r om hi sposi t i onasagover nment of f i ci ali n1849t odedi cat ehi msel fex cl usi vel yt owhathe cal l ed“ t heur bani dea” .Hi sef f or t swoul dcr yst al l i sei n 1859wi t hapr oj ectt hatwoul dbekeyi nt hebi r t hof moder nur bani sm:t hePl anf orRef or m andDevel opment i nBar cel ona.Theenor moust heor et i calout putt hat per manent l yaccompani edhi swor kwassynt hesi sedi n hi s1867wor kt i t l edGener al Theor yofUr bani sat i on. I naddi t i ont obei ngapi oneeri nur bani sm,I l def ons Cer dàwasal soapol i t i ci anwi t hpr ogr essi vei deal s:a memberoft heCor t esofMadr i d,anal der manatt he Bar cel onaCi t yHal li ndi ver sest agesandevenpr esi dent oft heBar cel onaPr ovi nci alCounci li n1873. Hewasst r uckbysuddendeat hi nt hesummerof1876 whi l eonr espi t ei nt hespat ownofCal dasdeBesaya ( Cant abr i a) .Li t t l er emai nedoft hef or t unehehad i nher i t ed.Theyear shehaddedi cat edt ost udyi ngand t hewor kf orwhi cht hepubl i cadmi ni st r at i onwasi ndebt ed t ohi m hadbeenf at alf orhi sf i nances.Al t houghscor ned bysomeofhi scont empor ar i es,t hef undament alr ol ehe pl ayedi nBar cel ona’ st r ansf or mat i onappear st obe i ndi sput abl et oday .
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