Casa Batlló In Barcelona: A Work Of Gaudí’s Modernism
Casa Batlló was named in honor of its owner Josep Batlló. The structure of this building dates from 1875, an original work by Emili Sala i Cortés, Gaudí’s teacher at the Barcelona School of Architecture.
Gaudí captured all his naturalistic artistic essence in his work without neglecting its functionality, as is characteristic of his impeccable work. Therefore, the house has lighting and ventilation in its 4300 m². This is why it has a large patio in the center where the service rooms are, while the living rooms and bedrooms are located towards the facade.
Antoni Gaudí
The genius of architecture was chosen by Josep Batlló to tear down the building and build a new one, but on his own initiative he proposed to preserve and remodel it, achieving the ingenious and artistic work that it is today.
Gaudí was an architect with a clear sense of geometry and volume, as well as a great creative capacity that helped him to project his works before drawing up a plan.
This artist had a lot of intuition: he conceived his works as the result of the sum of functionality and aesthetics. He integrated into his architecture works of a traditional nature such as carpentry, glasswork, ceramics and iron forging. Tasks he could even do himself.
He also created new techniques such as trencadís, which consists of treating materials from pieces of discarded ceramics, such as those that remained from the previous building.
His personal style is very definite: based on the observation of nature and the use of geometry.
Gaudí’s architecture always sought new structural solutions through the synthesis of all arts and crafts, thus defining an organic style without losing the experience provided by previous styles, which resulted in tradition and innovation. His work is marked by his four great passions in life which are architecture, religion, love of Catalonia and of course nature.
The facade and the sea
The facade of Casa Batlló was built with sandstone and carved in a warped way. Its columns simulate bony shapes with plant representations. All its woodwork has curved surfaces and the windows are circular stained glass.
The balconies were kept rectangular as they were originally, but Gaudí added iron railings in the shape of a mask that gives it a theatrical appearance and gave the entire facade an overall wavy shape using plaster and pieces of glass. This to achieve the wavy effect of the waves of the Mediterranean Sea.
The upper part of the façade alludes to the back of a dragon with scales made of colored ceramic pieces and a spire tower that alludes to the spear of Saint George slaying the beast.
The interior and the cave
Its interior is decorated with white and blue ceramics reminiscent of an underwater cave.
For the interior design Gaudí combined different industrial arts such as sculpture, glass making, forging, ceramics and cabinetmaking. With which he managed to give the work an aesthetic and harmonic aspect in which curves predominated.
A complete floor of the Casa Batlló was destined as a home for the Batlló family. Its furniture was also designed by the same architect and also the decorative elements.
The terrace
It all starts with climbing a spiral staircase. For Gaudí, the roofs of the buildings should convey personality, that is why he took care of every detail of them; somehow, he compared it to hats, those accessories that reflect part of a person’s character.
On the terrace of Casa Batlló, the helicoidal chimneys lined with transparent glass and filled with sand of different colors stand out.
Casa Batlló today
It is open to the public after the Bernat family became its current owners.
Casa Batlló offers its space for events and cultural visits, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a representative icon of Barcelona, which means a must stop for tourists from all over the world.
