Gaudi's Casa Batllo, La Pedrera
On any holiday or city break trip to Barcelona, Spain you must visit to this amazing Gaudi designed building Casa Batllo in English the 'House of Batllo'. Again like some of Gaudi's other buildings it was designed with a lack of straight lines to emulate nature.
The Casa Batllo is famous for not having a straight edge. It is located in Passeig de Gracia. This Spanish masterpiece was the property of textile industralist Josep Batllo. This apartment building was already standing when Gaudi signed the contract. It was totally renovated by Gaudi from 1904 to 1906.
The house is built around a central open space that acts as a tunnel to keep the whole house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The open space is decorated in blue tiles that are lighter on the ground floors but darker near the top levels as the light improves. You will also notice that the size of the windows decrease as you get near the top levels and the sky.
The ventilation is regulated by wooden shutters that look like the gills of a shark. Take the audio tour. Do not rush around this building. You have to have it explained to you. Walk past it again at night as it is attractively flood lit.
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