Casa Batllo is one of Gaudi's masterpieces. It is located on the Passeig de Gracia in the Eixample district and forms part of a row of houses known as the Illa de la Discordia, (the Block of Discord), which consists of four buildings by noted Modernista architects of Barcelona.
I love this building and it's certainly my favourite of all of Gaudi's work. During our first visit we came with friends. Every evening after our meal, our friends would go back to the hotel and Ken and I would walk up to Casa Batllo, sit on a bench and just admire this wonderful structure.
The local name for the building is Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones) as it has a visceral, skeletal organic quality. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudi and has been refurbished several times since. Gaudi focused on the facade, the main floor, the patio and the roof, and built a fifth floor for the staff - and these were the parts of the house that we were allowed to see, the rest is apartments that people live in.
It seems that the goal of the designer was to avoid straight lines completely. Much of the facade is decorated with a mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles (trencadis) that starts in shades of golden orange moving into greenish blues. The facade has three distinct sections which are harmoniously integrated. The lower ground floor with the main floor and two first-floor galleries are contained in a structure of Montjuic sandstone with undulating lines. The central part, which reaches the last floor, is a multicoloured section with protruding balconies
The roof is arched and was likened to the back of a dragon or dinosaur. A common theory about the building is that the rounded feature to the left of centre, terminating at the top in a turret and cross, represents the lance of Saint George (patron saint of Catalonia) which has been plunged into the back of the dragon.
The facade is of Montjuic sandstone cut to create warped ruled surfaces; the columns are bone-shaped with vegetable decoration. Gaudi kept the rectangular shape of the old building's balconies - with iron railings in the shape of masks - giving the rest of the facade an ascending undulating form. He also faced the facade with trencadis (broken mosaic), which Gaudi obtained from the waste material of the Pelegri glass works.
The facade culminates in catenary vaults covered with two layers of brick and faced with glazed ceramic tiles in the form of scales (in shades of yellow, green and blue) which resemble a dragon's back. For this reason the house is also known as the House of the Dragon.
One of the highlights of the facade is the tower topped with a cross of four arms oriented to the cardinal directions. It is a bulbous, root-like structure that evokes plant life. There is a second bulb-shaped structure similarly reminiscent of a flower, which is represented by a cross with arms that are actually buds announcing the next flowering. The tower is decorated with monograms of Jesus (JHS), Maria (M with a ducal crown) and Joseph (JHP), made of ceramic pieces that stand out golden on the green background that covers the facade. These symbols show the deep religiosity of Gaudi, who was inspired by the contemporaneous construction of his basilica to choose the theme of the holy family.
The bulb was broken when it was delivered. Although the manufacturer committed to re-do the broken parts, Gaudi liked the aesthetic of the broken masonry and asked that the pieces be stuck to the main structure with lime mortar and held in with a brass ring.
The central part of the facade evokes the surface of a lake with water lilies, reminiscent of Monet's Nympheas, with gentle ripples and reflections caused by the glass and ceramic mosaic. It is a great undulating surface covered with plaster fragments of coloured glass discs combined with 330 rounds of polychrome pottery. The discs were designed by Gaudi and Jujol between tests during their stay in Majorca, while working on the restoration of the Cathedral of Palma.
Furthermore, the facade of the main floor, made entirely in sandstone is supported by two columns. The design is complemented by joinery windows set with the multicoloured stained glass. In front of the large windows, as if they were pillars that support the complex stone structure, there are six fine columns that seem to simulate the bones of a limb, with an apparent central articulation; in fact, this is a floral decoration. The rounded shapes of the gaps and the lip-like edges carved into the stone surrounding them create a semblance of a fully open mouth, for which Casa Batllo has been nicknames the 'House of Yawns'. The structure repeats on the first floor and in the design of two windows at the ends forming galleries, but on the large central window there are two balconies.
We entered the building through these gorgeous doors to a private entrance hall
that has skylights resembling tortoise shells
the grand staircase on our right
through another set of magnificent doors. Note the handrail of the stairs which represents the spine of a large animal.
looking up at the skylights
to the next balcony of the atrium
and now we could look down as well as up
We moved back inside. Ahh! those doors
Ah! Those skylights
admired the bannisters
now we could see all the way to the top
We walked into one of the rooms, and were greeted by a hologram of a servant ironing
the bathroom
the laundry room
another hologram
Such simplicity of form. This really is like being on a Greek island
just beautiful.
We climbed the last set of stairs
and reached the roof.
The roof's arched profile does recall the spine of a dragon with ceramic tiles for scales.
However, the real progatonists of the rooftop are the four sets of chimneys with sinuous and polychromatic shapes, designed to prevent the air from blowing back inside.
They are topped with conical caps, covered in clear glass in the centre and ceramics at the top, and surmounted by clear glass balls filled with sand of different colours.
We had a look down the Passeig de Gracia
walked down the servants' stairs
admired the skylights for the last time
joined the crowds that were admiring the building for one last look, and then moved on.
the grand staircase on our right
up a different set of stairs. Note the vaulted ceiling walls in curving shapes, and the panelling on the wall
We got to the spacious landing which has direct views of the blue tiling of the building well.
Note the gorgeous glass on those doors, a theme that is repeated throughout the house. The house was packed with people: on the website they advise to book beforehand to avoid the queues - we did not book, but then it was December, I dread to think what it's like in the summer.
The living room represents the highest expression of Modernism and tells us how the bourgeoisie of the time lived. The protagonist here is the large window that forms a viewing platform over Passeig de Gracia. Note the columns.
looking closer
Looking out of the windows we could see all of the people on the Passaseig de Gracia looking up at the house
There is a mushroom-shaped fireplace with a seat next to it
The large oak doors with organic shapes stand out, in which Gaudi integrated coloured glass. Each one is different.
We moved on to the stairs to go to the next level - look at this bannister!
The stairs wind around the atrium or inner courtyard - a feature of all the Gaudi houses I have visited.
The well has windows with wooden splits to allow them to be open and closed for ventilation.
The interior courtyard is roofed by a skylight supported by an iron structure in the shape of a double T.
We took the next flight of stairs
We entered the dining room which openes out to the back courtyard, a small oasis in the middle of the city.
Spectacular iron gates with ceramic tile planters frame the door and secure the building when necessary
the ceramic design is quite beautiful
A heath pagoda designed to provide shade in the summer dominates the couryard
looking closer at the ceramic design
The facade of the courtyard/patio was conceived by Gaudi as a vertical garden of glass, ceramics and iron. It symbolises a flowering climbing plant, like a bourgainvillea that climbs up the sides and meets at the top. Additionally, both sides are symbolically united by the iron gates, which are undulating and evoke the branches of the plant.
started climbing the stairs. Note the undulating ceiling, and the woodwork
and the window
got to the balcony
note how the blue of the ceramic is fainter
Ah! Those skylights
admired the bannisters
now we could see all the way to the top
The attic is one of the most unusual spaces
It was formerly a service area for the tenants of the different apartments in the building, which contained laundry rooms and storage areas. It is known for its simplicity of shapes and its Mediterranean influence through the use of white on the walls. It contains a series of sixty catenary arches that creates a space which represents the ribcage of an animal. Some people believe that the 'ribcage' design of the arches is the ribcage of the cragon's spine that is represented in the roof.
We walked into one of the rooms, and were greeted by a hologram of a servant ironing
another hologram
Such simplicity of form. This really is like being on a Greek island
just beautiful.
We climbed the last set of stairs
and reached the roof.
The roof's arched profile does recall the spine of a dragon with ceramic tiles for scales.
The tiles were given metallic sheen to simulate the varying scales of the monster, with the colour grading from green on the right side, where the head begins, to deep blue and violet in the center, to red and pink on the left side of the building.
We had a look down the Passeig de Gracia
walked down the servants' stairs
joined the crowds that were admiring the building for one last look, and then moved on.
