Casa Vicens is the first masterpiece of Antoni Gaudí and sowed the seeds of later works.
Built between 1883 and 1885 as a summer house for the Vicens family, here he showcased his unparalleled talent. Declared Unesco World Heritage in 2005.
Casa Vicens is considered an important historical prelude to Catalan modernism
Work began on the house in 1883 when Gaudí was just 31 years old and it was completed in 1885. The building is considered an important historical prelude to Catalan modernism.
In 2014 Casa Vicens was bought by MoraBanc & Amura Capital investing €4 million to bring the building back to its former glory. The restoration process began in 2015 and fully conserves all the original features and rooms. The figure for the actual purchase of the building is undisclosed.
Neo-Mudéjar architecture is a type of Moorish revival architecture that Gaudí incorporated into Casa Vicens. The years 1883-1888 are described as Gaudí’s orientalist period. Casa Vicens incorporates Catalan, Islamic, Japanese and English inspirations and techniques. To build it Gaudi used red earth brick, plaster applications, works made out of wood and wrought iron, decorative paintings, and an abundance of tiled surfaces. Both inside and outside the building and especially in the coloring we can see Arab influences.
Nature is the most important source of inspiration for all of Gaudí’s works and the Vicens House is one of the first examples of this, with different natural elements represented and integrated within the whole. Standing out are the fan palm fronds on the wrought iron grille of the entrance, and the marigolds on the tiles of the façade. With the integration of various decorative arts such as wrought iron, painting, ceramics, and sgrafitto, nature is also present in the interior of the dwelling. This creates a continuity between the exterior space and the interior.
Photography by David Cardelús
