La Pedrera, Casa Milá, by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona, Passeig de Grácia

La Pedrera or Casa Milá by Gaudi.

La Pedrera is designed and constructed by the great architect Antoni Gaudi. It is also called Casa Milá and it is a large apartment building, situated on a corner in Barcelona on the street Passeig de Grácia, a street with many shops.

Gaudi got his inspiration from nature, the curves naturally occuring there. Various theories have been advanced as to the source of Gaudí's inspiration: from ocean waves to a variety of specific mountains.

Regardless of the springs of creation, this limestone building seems sculptural, with contrasts between curves, concavities, and voids, with pale stone contrasting with dark iron.

La Pedrera was built between 1906 and 1910 for the Milà family. It is one of the most imaginative buildings of the history, and it is more a sculpture then a building.

The façade is an impressive, varied and harmonious mass of undulating stone without straight lines where also the forged iron is present in the shapes of balconies imitating vegetal forms.

The lofts are supported by the traditional Catalan "totxo" or brick arching walls following the style developed by Gaudí in Santa Teresa school and Bellesguard also in Barcelona.

The roof show an exuberant fantasy, the chimneys designing vanguard shapes remember warriors in a forest of surprising figures.

The building was recognized by UNESCO as "World Heritage" in 1984.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• la Pedrera
• Gaudi
• Antoni
• Casa Milá
• attractions
• Barcelona
• Passeig de Gracia
• Architecture
• architects
• history
• World Heritage
• UNESCO