Casa Milà, better known as "La Pedrera", had its origins in 1905, the year in which Pere Milà and Roser Segimon got married, at which time they acquired a plot of land measuring 1,835 square meters on a chamfer formed by Calle Provenza with the central Passeig de Gràcia, the main scene of the new Barcelona bourgeoisie. The environment was characterized by the achievements of the "mansana de la discordia", among them the Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí, who received the commission for the construction of the new residence on the opposite side of the street, a building destined to be the family residence on the main floor, renting the rest of the houses (something common at the time).
During the construction of Casa Milà (1906-1910-1912) the latent interest in the buildings in the area was increased by the complexity and structural innovation that Gaudí was implementing in the project; such as the elimination of load-bearing walls by structural pillars that allowed greater light in the rooms.
During the construction of Casa Milà (1906-1910-1912) the latent interest in the buildings in the area was increased by the complexity and structural innovation that Gaudí was implementing in the project; such as the elimination of load-bearing walls by structural pillars that allowed greater light in the rooms.
"Without the nature of the materials or their resistance conditions being an obstacle that limits their freedom of action." (1)
The construction of the façade followed a very traditional process. The stone blocks brought from the El Garraf and Vilafranca del Penedès quarries were deposited as they arrived on a plot in front of the work. Each ashlar was carved according to a scale model, to later be placed on the façade, the final finish was carried out once installed until Gaudí gave the go-ahead. In parallel, the numerous forging elements, especially the innovative beams, were prepared in the workshops of the Port of Barcelona, following techniques typical of naval engineering.
La Pedrera by Antoni Gaudi. Photography by Glob@l Comunicació; Helena Encinas and Pepe Encinas
During its construction, a series of financial problems and mismatches with the City Council's urban regulations occurred. The project exceeded the maximum built volume and alignments. The part of the attic and the roof terrace exceeded the maximum heights and volumes allowed and one of the pillars of the façade occupied part of the sidewalk of Passeig de Gràcia, which caused the work to stop in 1907.
Finally, the Eixample Commission certified, surprisingly for a civil work, that the building had a monumental character and should not strictly comply with municipal ordinances, although the Milàs had to pay a fine of 100,000 pesetas to legalize it.
It was not the only incident as the Milá couple argued with Gaudí over his fees until they went to court. Gaudí won the lawsuit and Roser Segimon had to mortgage Casa Milà to pay the 105,000 pesetas to the architect, which was reportedly donated to a nunnery. It would be Gaudí's last civil work before dedicating himself entirely to the Sagrada Familia.
Workers on the deck installing the railings. Photographic archive of Barcelona.
La Pedrera architecture
Casa Milá has constructive and functional innovations that break with the architectural style of the moment. Among its architectural elements, some are especially relevant, such as the curtain walls that it uses on the façade.
The facade of La Pedrera is not structural, it loses the traditional function of transmitting load and becomes a curtain wall, where the supporting structure is made of pillars. The stone blocks are joined to the structure by a metal substructure, allowing the opening of large windows.
On this main façade, there are 32 wrought iron balconies made with scrap remains, combining plates, bars, chains, in an unusual but effective accumulation, generating ornamental elements based on recycling and reuse.
On this main façade, there are 32 wrought iron balconies made with scrap remains, combining plates, bars, chains, in an unusual but effective accumulation, generating ornamental elements based on recycling and reuse.
The access doors are designed to link the interior with the exterior, generate a set of irregular shapes that create a frame of glass, small and protected in the lower part (where there is more risk of breakage), and larger and brighter in the upper part.
The basement was part of the innovation incorporated into the project by reflecting on the needs of modern life, building in Casa Milá a garage for carriages and cars, being the pioneer in projecting it in a residential building.
The interior courtyards were also innovative to the buildings that were built at the time. These large patios allowed to ventilate and facilitate the lighting of the interior rooms.
The structural system of stone, brick, or iron pillars allows the interior spaces of the house to be freely distributed without the need to use load-bearing walls. The interior distribution stands out for its irregular geometry and the optimization of the main façade, dividing each floor into four floors so that all of them have views of the façade.
Another characteristic element is the loft, located on the upper floor. In order not to increase the weight of the building, he resorted to 270 brick catenary arches on which the terrace rests. Later they were rehabilitated by the architect Barba Corsini to take advantage of space.
The catenary arches are light and easy to build, they allow a perfect distribution of the loads, they do not have stress points and they make the bricks work under compression, without the need for buttresses.
On the roof of La Pedrera, which also acts as an enclosure for the building, we find order, aesthetic quality, and great functionality of the built elements: stairwells, ventilation towers, and chimneys.
Apartments in the attic of the "Casa Milá". Joaquim Ruiz Millet. (2002). "Barba Corsini: Architecture 1953-1994". Barcelona: H2O Gallery.
Barba Corsini Apartments (1955-1996)
The architect Barba Corsini carried out a project to make the loft space of the "Casa Milá" profitable, destined from its construction to storage rooms and laundry rooms, dividing the space into 13 apartments with undulating partitions, following Gaudí's constructive solution of parabolic arches.
The apartments solve the lack of space with the creation of duplexes with a mezzanine, experimenting with the combination of materials in the development of the partitions on the floor. Thanks to the project, an interesting collection of furniture designed by the architect himself was developed, the design of the metal staircase with perforated sheet metal being especially representative.
Recent history
After many years of neglect, Casa Milà "La Pedrera" was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, it was restored and opened to the public as a cultural center in 1996.
Currently, since January 2013, the building is the headquarters of the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation and houses an important cultural center of reference in the city of Barcelona for the set of activities it organizes and for the different museums and public use spaces that it houses.
NOTES.-
(1). Gabriel Borrell.«Las obras del arquitecto Don Antonio Gaudí». Num. 9 of the monthly magazine "La Edificación Moderna". Barcelona: Centro de Contratistas Generales de Obras y Maestros Albañiles de Barcelona, March, 1908, p. 26.
![Main elevation plan. Antoni Gaudí. Fatxade [Casa Milà], 1906. Plan: India ink on canvas. Measurements: 49.5 cm. x 93.5 cm. © Polytechnic University of Catalonia · Barcelona Tech (UPC). Barcelona School of Architecture. Gaudí Chair. CG-00222. Courtesy of La Pedrera](/sites/default/files/metalocus_gaudi_la-pedrera_37.jpg "Main elevation plan. Antoni Gaudí. Fatxade [Casa Milà], 1906. Plan: India ink on canvas. Measurements: 49.5 cm. x 93.5 cm. © Polytechnic University of Catalonia · Barcelona Tech (UPC). Barcelona School of Architecture. Gaudí Chair. CG-00222. Courtesy of La Pedrera")
