Thursday 8 January 2009

LA PEDRERA - CASA MILÀ

-LA PEDRERA

This block of flats, called ‘Casa Milà’ is better known for its name in Catalan ‘La Pedrera’. It was designed by the architect Antoni Gaudí. It was built between 1906-1910 and it is located at 92 Passeig the Gràcia,a very important promenade in the centre of Barcelona.Josep Mª Jujol, an architect collaborator of Gaudí, contributed to the design.

-FAÇADE:

The façade imitates curved sea waves. Balconies are made of iron as imitating plants. They were designed by the brothers Lluís i Josep Badia i Miarnau, collaborators of Gaudí. There are many aspects in the building inspired by elements of nature as for example the sea, plants, corals, sea conches, flowers, mountains, starfishes, branches, roots, sea sponges, a skin dragon etc...

-METAL PILLARS:

La Pedrera rests on metal pillars and beams. The whole interior could be changed due to this. The same Gaudí said that if one day the Pedrera needed to be transformed into a hotel, it would be very easy to make a new distribution for the rooms.

STAIRCASE:

The staircase leads to the main floor, originally occupied by the owners, the Milá family, a very rich family of the time. Today it is an art gallery.

DECORATION:

To the rooftop terraces at the top, you can access through eight spiral staircases that are decorated externally with fragments of marble tiles. This form of decoration, which is so characteristic of Gaudí, allowed him to adapt to the curved forms product of his brilliant imagination. The chimneys on top seem warriors with helmets and are very impressive. The presence of fragments of white tiles on the roof wants to create the effect of a snowed mountain.

1 comment:

Camí said...

Have you ever seen the top place of la Pedrera? Wow!!!!!!! it is a beautiful place in Barcelona. You can have a big view of Barcelona, and if you are and adult you can drink "cava" (catalan champagne) and see beautiful people.