Casa Batlló

Casa Batlló, as it stands today, was constructed in 1877 at the request of Lluís Sala Sánchez. At the time of its construction, the building was designed in the prevalent eclectic style of the late 19th century and lacked any notable distinguishing features. It comprised a basement, ground floor, four additional levels, and a rear garden.

Josep Batlló purchased the house in 1903, despite its unappealing design to other buyers, due to its prime location in the prestigious and fashionable area of Passeig de Gràcia. The Batlló family, well-known for their contributions to the textile industry in Barcelona, owned several factories in the city. In 1906, Josep Batlló was still the owner of the house and was married to Amàlia Godó Belaunzarán, from the family that founded La Vanguardia newspaper. Seeking a unique and daring design, he chose to commission Gaudí, the architect who had previously designed Park Güell. The Batlló family wanted a home that stood out and did not resemble any other family member's homes, such as Casa Pía, designed by Josep Vilaseca. The family resided on the main floor of Casa Batlló until the mid-1950s.

In 1904, Gaudí was hired by Josep Batlló to design his home. Initially, the plan was to demolish the existing building and build a brand new one. However, Gaudí convinced Josep that a renovation would suffice and submitted the planning application the same year. The refurbishment was completed in 1906, with Gaudí completely transforming the main apartment into the Batlló family's residence. He also added new floors and expanded the central well to provide light throughout the building. Despite being nominated for the year's best building award by the Barcelona City Council, the prize was awarded to another architect that year, leaving Gaudí's design unrecognized.

Josep Batlló passed away in 1934, and his wife kept the house in order until her death in 1940. The children managed and maintained the house after their parents' passing until 1954 when an insurance company, Seguros Iberia, purchased Casa Batlló and converted it into office space. The first renovation took place in 1970, focusing mainly on the interior rooms of the house. The exterior balconies were restored to their original color in 1983, and the following year, the exterior façade was illuminated in a ceremony called La Mercè.

The present proprietors of Casa Batlló acquired the property in 1993 and initiated extensive renovations throughout the entire edifice. By 1995, the house had opened its doors for renting its facilities to host various events. With over 2,500 square meters of space available for rent, Casa Batlló's ornate rooms were highly coveted due to the building's prime location and exquisite interiors, consequently hosting numerous significant events for the city.

The building is locally known as Casa dels ossos (House of Bones) due to its organic, skeletal appearance. As with all of Gaudí's designs, it can only be identified as Modernisme or Art Nouveau in the broadest sense. The ground floor is particularly striking with its tracery, irregular oval windows, and flowing sculpted stonework.

The designer's objective was to eliminate straight lines entirely, and much of the façade is adorned with a mosaic of broken ceramic tiles (trencadís) that transitions from shades of golden orange to greenish blues. The arched roof resembles the back of a dragon or dinosaur, and it's commonly believed that the rounded feature on the left side, ending in a turret and cross at the top, represents the lance of Saint George (the patron saint of Catalonia, Gaudí's homeland) plunged into the dragon's back.

Loft

The loft, once a service area for tenants of various apartments in the building, is renowned for its distinctiveness. It featured laundry rooms and storage areas in the past, and now stands out for its simple yet striking design with Mediterranean influences reflected in the white walls. The space is distinguished by its sixty catenary arches, which create a ribcage-like structure, evoking an animal's skeletal framework. Some individuals speculate that these arches represent the spine of a dragon, culminating in the roof.

Noble floor and museum

The main floor of the building, known as the noble floor, spans over 700 square meters and features a private entrance hall with unique skylights and curved vaulted walls. It includes a spacious landing with views of the building well and various rooms, such as Mr. Batlló's study, a dining room, and a cozy spot with a mushroom-shaped fireplace for courting couples. The entire floor is decorated with elaborate and animal-inspired designs. In 2002, Casa Batlló opened to the public, receiving unexpected success and leading to the restoration and extension of the visit to the loft and well two years later. The building was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Roof

Due to its renowned dragon back design, the roof terrace is among the most sought-after features of the entire house. Gaudí creatively employs tiles of various colors on one side to mimic the spine of an animal. Additionally, the roof boasts four chimney stacks designed to prevent backdraughts.

The building's exterior is divided into three distinct sections that blend together seamlessly. The ground floor and main floor, along with two galleries on the first floor, are constructed of Montjuïc sandstone with flowing lines. The central portion of the building extends to the top floor, featuring a multicolored section with jutting balconies. The building's apex is crowned with a large gable, which aligns with the roof and conceals the area once reserved for water tanks, now vacant. The gable's trim features ceramic pieces that have sparked numerous interpretations.

Roof tiles

The roof's shape resembles a dragon's spine, with ceramic tiles mimicking scales and a triangular window as the eye. Legend has it that the Sagrada Familia was once visible through this window, as both structures were being built simultaneously. Today, the view is partially obstructed by newer buildings, but the dragon-like roof still shines with metallic tiles graded in colors from green to pink.

Tower and bulb

The façade boasts a tower crowned with a cross that has four arms pointing to the cardinal directions. Its bulbous, root-like shape is reminiscent of plant life. A second bulb-shaped structure, resembling a thalamus flower, is adorned with buds that signify the upcoming blossoming. The tower features monograms of Jesus (JHS), Maria (M with the ducal crown), and Joseph (JHP) made of ceramic pieces that contrast strikingly with the green background of the façade. These symbols demonstrate Gaudí's profound religiosity and his inspiration from the construction of his basilica. The bulb was damaged during transportation, but Gaudí found the broken masonry aesthetically pleasing and had it affixed to the structure with lime mortar and a brass ring.

Central section

The main section of the building's frontage is reminiscent of Monet's "Nymphéas," depicting a lake with water lilies, complete with gentle ripples and reflections produced by the glass and ceramic mosaic. This undulating surface is adorned with plaster fragments, colored glass discs, and 330 rounds of polychrome pottery, which were designed by Gaudí and Jujol during their time in Majorca while restoring the Palma Cathedral.

Balcony

Above the main section of the building's façade, there is a smaller balcony made of iron, which has a distinct appearance resembling the local lily. Additionally, two iron arms have been affixed to the balcony to facilitate the lifting and lowering of furniture using a pulley system.

Main floor

The main floor of Casa Batlló boasts an impressive sandstone façade held up by two sturdy columns, accented by intricate joinery windows adorned with multicolored stained glass. The windows are framed by six slim columns resembling the bones of a limb with a central articulation, which is actually a floral decoration. The rounded shapes of the gaps and the lip-like edges carved into the stone surrounding them give the impression of an open mouth, earning the nickname "house of yawns". The design repeats on the first floor with two gallery windows at the ends, and a large central window featuring two balconies as described earlier.