| The magical world of Casa Battló
- designed by Antoni Gaudí for the Battló family. More
than a building, it is a legend of art and the masterpiece of Antoni Gaudí.
The Modernist facade represents the waves of a calm sea - the roof tiles
look like fanciful scales. The attics
and chimneys never fail to delight and fascinate. As Gaudí
was known to say ".. the only straight line is the horizon..." |
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| Originally the architect was asked
by the textile magnate Josep Batlló to demolish a nondescript building
designed in the 1870s by Emilio Sala Cortés and create a new house.
But Gaudí convinced Batlló that he could keep the existing
structural framework and remodel it into a masterpiece that would both
shock and delight fin de siècle Barcelona. Casa Batlló is
situated on the Paseo de Gracia in L'Eixample, one of Barcelona's most
exclusive neighborhoods. Also on this so-called "block of discord" are
the houses of other prominent industrialist families such as the Amattlers
and the Lleós. At the turn of the century these families were engaged
in a battle to "keep up with the Joneses." If one house featured tile,
the next house would incorporate more elaborate tile. If one family hired
a particular architect, the next family to build would hire a more prominent
one. Gaudí was the last architect in this competitive
sequence to build in the notorious block of discord. By the time he arrived,
the stakes were high, and he needed to produce something spectacular. His
success is evident; the Batlló house represents a creative tour
de force. It is one of Gaudí's last private commissions before he
grew more reclusive and dedicated his energies to the Sagrada Familia. |
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