Building history Casa Milà

1 building history

1.1 building owners
1.2 construction process
1.3 critics , controversies

1.3.1 catholic symbols


1.4 change of ownership
1.5 restoration

building history
building owners

casa milà built roser segimón , husband pere milà. roser segimon wealthy widow of josep guardiola, indiano or americano, or former colonist returned south america, had made fortune coffee plantation in guatemala. second husband, pere milà developer known flamboyant lifestyle.

construction process

la casa milà being built

in 1905, milà , segimón married , on june 9, roser segimón bought house garden occupied area of 1,835 square meters, located on paseo de gracia, 92. in september, commissioned gaudí building them new house idea of living in main floor , renting out rest of apartments. on february 2, 1906, project presented barcelona city council , works began, demolishing pre-existing building instead of reforming it, in case of casa batlló.

the building completed in december 1910 , owner asked gaudí make certificate inhabit main floor, city council authorized in october 1911, , couple moved in. on october 31, 1912, gaudí issued certificate stating that, in accordance plans , direction, work had been completed , whole house ready rented.

critics , controversies

the building did not respect rules of conventional style, gaudí received criticism. begin with, name la pedrera in fact nickname assigned citizens censored heterodoxy. unique structure of building , relationship between building’s architect , pere milà became object of ridicule people of barcelona , many humorous publications of time .

catholic symbols

a fragment first drafts of architectural plans 1906, showing sculptures mounted on upper facade.

gaudí, catholic , devotee of virgin mary, planned casa milà spiritual symbol. overt religious elements include excerpt rosary on cornice , planned statues of mary, our lady of rosary, , 2 archangels, st. michael , st. gabriel.

however, casa milà not built entirely gaudí s specifications. local government ordered demolition of elements exceeded height standard city, , fined milàs many infractions of building codes. after semana trágica, outbreak of anticlericalism in city, milà prudently decided forgo religious statues. gaudí contemplated abandoning project priest persuaded him continue.

change of ownership

interior of casa milà in 1910

in 1940, milà died. segimon sold property in 1946 18 million pesetas josep ballvé pellisé, known department stores on ronda de sant antoni (ca), in partnership family of pío rubert laporta. compañía inmobiliaria provenza, sa (cipsa) founded administer building. roser segimon continued live on main floor until death in 1964.

casa milà in 1914

the new owners divided first floor facing carrer de provença (ca) 5 apartments instead of original two. in 1953, commissioned francisco juan barba corsini (es) convert 13 rubbish-filled attic laundry rooms street-facing apartments, leaving communal hallway on side facing courtyards. of these 2 or 3 room apartments had loft , designed , furnished in typical 1950s style using brick, ceramic , wood. items of furniture, such pedrera chair (ca), reminiscent of eero saarinen s work.

the insurance company northern took on main floor in 1966. then, casa milà had housed bingo hall, academy , offices of cementos molins , inoxcrom among others. maintenance costs high , owners had allowed building become dilapidated, causing stones loosen in 1971. josep anton comas made emergency repairs, paintings in courtyards, while respecting original design.

restoration

after being re-painted dreary brown, building s colors restored in 1980s

gaudí s work designated historic , artistic monument on july 24, 1969. casa milà in poor condition in 1980s. had been painted dreary brown , many of interior color schemes had been abandoned or allowed deteriorate, has been restored since , many of original colors revived.

in 1984 building became part of world heritage site encompassing of gaudí s works. barcelonan city council tried rent main floor office 1992 olympic bid. finally, day before christmas 1986, caixa catalunya bought la pedrera 900 million pesetas. on february 19, 1987, urgently needed work began on restoration , cleaning of façade. work done architects joseph emilio hernández-cross , rafael vila. renovated main floor opened in 1990 part of cultural olympiad of barcelona. floor became exhibition room example of modernism in eixample.