Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens was the first work designed by Gaudí and is also recognized by the art world as the starting point for all his whimsy. This building is located in the lively Grace District of Barcelona. It started construction in 1883, using a large number of different kinds of materials in the construction process, such as iron, glazed bricks, colored concrete, mosaic tiles, rough red bricks, etc. Gaudí combines and combines these different types of elements with unique skills, so that they appear in the state, people can deeply feel the precious value of the material itself in architecture in the Visens House. In terms of design, Gaudí is a naturalist, and the decoration of the entire building is inspired by the natural plants near the Grace District at that time, such as palm leaves, marigolds, ivy, daisies, blackberries, etc. Gaudí carefully placed what he saw in this house, and observed the painted walls, roof decorations, and balcony patterns at close range, which are all natural extensions. Such an alternation of virtual and real dilutes the concept of indoor and outdoor, intentionally or unintentionally. No matter where you are, you can feel the balance of nature. As early as 1878, in the book "La Casa Pairal" written by Gaudí, he elaborated on his understanding of the private residence and the definition of the concept of "home". These valuable ideas were made possible by the start of the construction of the House of Vicens. It can be said that the Casa Vicens is Gaudi's first attempt to integrate concept and reality, and it is also the foundation of his design style. It succeeds in showing people the beauty and power of design. Since then, with the advent of Parc Güell, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and Sagrada Familia, the names of Barcelona and Gaudí are closely linked. As one of the outstanding architects of the early twentieth century, it was the city that gave him the creativity of his genius and imagination, and at the same time he provided the city with a source of beauty with exquisite design. The House of Vicens was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. It was a private residence until 2014, and was gradually transformed into a museum after it was acquired by Andorra's Morabanc Bank in 2015. After two years of renovation and improvement, this architectural art treasure officially opened to the public in November 2017 after a hundred years of dust.