Due to the reconstruction works taking place in the building next to Gaudi´s Casa Batlló at 45 P. de Gracia on the corner of Carrer Arago several groups have mounted a campaign to project this, one of Gaudi’s most outstanding works classified in 2005 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Originally the building under reconstruction was tour floors lower than at present, allowing the profiles of both the Casa Batllo and that of the adjacent Casa Amatller to fully and uninterruptedly display their extraordinary artistic qualities.
The permissiveness of our public administration has allowed the growth of the offending building to create an unacceptable visual intrusion into what is the most outstanding block of “modernist style” architecture to be found in Barcelona’s Eixample district.
Both the Casa Batllo and the Casa Ametller carry the highest level of protection bestowed by the autonomous Catalan Government by being classified as “Bens Cultural d’Interes Nacional”. Furthermore, the same authority established a protection zone around them which incorporates the offending building in question, making it inconceivable that its remodification be continued. Incredibly however, the present works include heightening the building by a further 80 cms converting it into a vulgar giant of no particular artistic merit which both upstages and obscures the profile of Gaudi’s masterpiece.
The St George’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts (RABASJ) has asked Barcelona City Council to expropriate the top four floors of the neighbouring building in order that it be reduced to the level it was when Gaudi completed the Casa batllo and thereby returning things to their original height.
We agree with and support the RABASJ request which we consider the most appropriate and responsible solution and we do not accept halfway solutions such as that which merely excludes the most offending part of the dividing wall which obscures the artistic chimney.
SOS-Monuments, Reial Academia de Belles Arts Sant Jordi.
Amics de Gaudí, Fundació La Miranda.