Commonly known as La Pedrera (¨quarry¨  in  catalan)  Casa Mila was built between  1906 and 1912.  This building was designed for Pere Mila  and Roser Segimon.

Casa Mila is a true reflection of Antoni Gaudi  artistic prime.

This building is a wonderful example of his most naturalist approach. A period in which the architect finds a great deal of inspiration  in nature manifesting  a strong fixation in organic free-flowing lines, feature which is skillfully achieved  thanks to his thorough structural analysis.

Like in the rest of his works in Casa Mila Gaudi frees himself from classic and rationalist rigidity exploiting ornamental creation and creative freedom.

The six-storey building is formed by two independent structures each with its own access and patio de luces. Nonetheless the façade presents one structure which is common to both buildings. The function of the facade is not structural therefore its design is charged with marked creative freedom and ornament. Gaudi was inspired by the sea waves to create the curved exterior of the building which generates interesting light effects along the different parts of the day. The balconies are made of wrought iron with phytomorphic and abstract motif. Gaudí even designed  the  hexagonal tiles that would be placed on the sidewalk of Casa Mila using marine motif such as octopus, stars and snails. These tiles would be later chosen to pave the sidewalk in Paseo de Gracia.

All throughout Casa Mila we see a celebration of nature from its limestone façade which reminds us of a snowy mountain to its marvelous chimneys covered by ceramic that resemble helmet-covered warriors and the outstanding beauty of its wrought –iron balconies that simulate rambling plants. No wonder the building has been praised by figures such as Le Corbusier and Nicolas Pevsner. It has also been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage building in 1984. A definitely must-gawk building in Barcelona

Casa Batllo is one of Gaudí´s  most recognized masterpieces.

Behind its modernist, dragon-like façade, lies a world of surprises and refined architectural details. Casa Batllo is one of the most important landmarks originated during the  catalan modernist movement.

The architectural works of Gaudi are known for its extreme care for detail and design and the large repertoire of visual games and solutions conveyed. Casa Batllo is no exception .

The visit to the building includes the legendary floor where the Batllo family lived, the loft with the former storage rooms, the rooftop with its mythical chimneys resembling the spine of the famous dragon defeated by Sant Jordi, and the magnificent  patio de luces ( the old neighbour staircase) . The visit concludes with the splendid foyer and main staircase.

The guided visit walks us through Gaudi´s fondness of metaphors, and nature representations, his way to stimulate the user´s senses and emotions. Catalan modernist movement flourished during the splendor of decorative arts and Gaudi´s architecture makes this strikingly evident  by combining the use of enigmatic forms with vibrant colors  and innovative new concepts.

Casa Batllo was opened to the public in 2002 to commemorate Gaudí´s international year. The wonderful restoration works that allow us to see it today as it was originally constructed were completed over the previous years.

Casa Batllo was awarded the Europa Nostra Prize for the best preservation of architectural heritage in 2004. Subsequently Casa Batlló was included in the Unesco World Heritage list in 2005.

Casa Batllo was built between 1904 and 1906 . It was a project destined for the textile industry entrepreneur Josep Batlló . The building was designed during a period of great artistic maturity of the brilliant architect . Among the many appeals of this building are the creative use of materials and colour , the refined artistic details and the sharp mastery of form and light

The architecture and design of  Casa Batllo is a sample of the technical, structural and ornamental feats that still influence modern architecture today. Examples range from gaudinian hiperbolic paraboloids in the Oscar Neimeyer’s Brasilia Cathedral or in the light absorbing needle window  in the Marcel Breuer New York Whitney Museum. Casa Batllo presents concepts of ventilation, large skylights of wrought iron which are of a hitherto unknown modernity.

As a whole, Casa Batllo expresses the great evocative power of the sea, naturalism, theatricality, carnival and magic. Gaudi’s creative freedom coincides with the emerging individuality principles of the 20th century which synchronizes perfectly with the values of modern Barcelona.