Guia Arquitectura Catalonia



Barcelona is capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain. It is Spain's major Mediterranean port and famous for Gaudi, Dali, Miro and Picasso. The city is strong commercially compared to the rest of Spain in an similar way to say Milan and the rest of Italy. The Olympics were staged in Barcelona in 1992 and left many interesting buildings by famous architects.

The most famous Barcelona building is surely Sagrada Familia by Spanish architect Gaudi. Still under construction, we feature photos of this iconic piece of architecture further down the page. The centre of the city - Barri Gothic - is formed from a Roman village, tight-knit alleys, squares and charming cheek-by-jowl buildings. Located outwith is a civilised grid of avenues, Eixample, cut through by the Diagonal. This order is terminated by the hills that ring Barcelona, and of course the Mediterranean Sea.

Enjoy your visit!



Barcelona Architecture : listed by architect

Barcelona Architecture : listed alphabetically by building

All Barcelona buildings are listed using a standard format:

- Title in English / Title in Catalan or Spanish
- Key date of building completion; key dates of subsequent work
- Architect or Architects
- A short description of the architecture & personal evaluation

Classic Barcelona building : Barcelona Pavilion


Ten Key Barcelona buildings (chronological):

1. Barcelona Cathedral
1448

2. Sagrada Familia
1884
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

3a. Casa Batllo
1906
3b. Casa Mila - La Pedrera
1910
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

4. Park Guell
1914
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

5. Barcelona Pavilion
1986
Mies van der Rohe, Architect

6. Communications Tower, Montjuic
1991
Santiago Calatrava, Architect

7. Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
1995
Richard Meier & Partners, Architects

8. Forum Building
2004
Herzog & de Meuron Architects

9. Santa Caterina Market
2004
Enric Miralles / Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT

10. Agbar Tower
2005
Jean Nouvel Architects

Barcelona Buildings - complete alphabetical listing

Key Barcelona Buildings (chronological):
1. Barcelona Cathedral / Seu de Barcelona
Barri Gotic, Ciutat Vella
1448

Barcelona building

2. Sagrada Familia - Church of the Holy Family / Sagrada Familia
northeast Barcelona
1884
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

Literally 'Sacred Family' this church is the most striking and largest of all Antoni Gaudi buildings.
Barcelona building

3a. Casa Batlo / Casa Batlló
Passeig de Gracia, Eixample
1906
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

Barcelona building

3b. Casa Mila - The Quarry / Casa Milà - La Pedrera
Passeig de Gracia, Eixample
1910
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

Barcelona building

4. Park Guell / Park Güell
north Barcelona
1914
Antoni Gaudi, Architect

Incl. home of Antoni Gaudi for around 20 years
Barcelona architecture

5. Barcelona Pavilion / El Pavelló Alemany
Reconstrucció del Pavelló de Representació d’Alemanya a l’Exposició de Barcelona
Hill of Montjuic, southwest Barcelona
1929; reconstructed 1986
Mies van der Rohe, Architect

This Barcelona building is for many architects their favourite building in the World
Barcelona architecture

6. Communications Tower, Montjuic / Torre de Comunicacions, Montjuïc
Hill of Montjuic, southwest Barcelona
1991
Santiago Calatrava, Architect

Santiago Calatrava's Montjuïc Tower is 136m high
Barcelona building

7. Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art / Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona [MACBA]
Plaça des Angels, Ciutat Vella
1995
Richard Meier & Partners, Architects; Associate Architect - F.J. Ramos i Associats

Typical Richard Meier building
Barcelona building

8. Forum Building / Edifici Fòrum
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum
2004
Herzog & de Meuron Architects

Barcelona Buildings

9. Santa Caterina Market, Redevelopment / Reforma Mercat de Santa Caterina
Barri Gotic, Ciutat Vella
2004
Enric Miralles / Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT

Barcelona Building

10. Agbar Tower / Torre Agbar
Avinguda Diagonal
2004
Jean Nouvel Architects

This skyscraper is 142m high, the third highest in Barcelona in 2005.
Barcelona skyscraper



Barcelona Architecture (alphabetical):

Amatller House / Casa Amatller
Passeig de Gracia 41, Eixample
1900
Puig i Cadafalch, Architect

Adjacent to Casa Batllo by Anton Gaudi this is a beautiful, florid building that contains the Institut d´Art Amatller.

Auditoria Park, Forum / Parc dels Auditoris
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum
2004
Foreign Office Architecture: Alejandro Zaera-Polo + Farshid Moussavi, Architects


Barcelona Airport / Barcelona Aeroport
Prat of Llobregat, 12km west of Barcelona
1990
Ricardo Bofill, Architect


Blanquerna Url, Faculty of Information Science / Blanquerna Url, Facultat de Ciencies de la informacio
Ciutat Vella
1996
Freixas, Miranda, Bou, Gonzalez / Various Architects


Barcelona Centre of Contemporary Culture / Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona [CCCB]
Ciutat Vella
1994
Pinon, Viaplana, Mercade, Architects


Barcelona Telecommunications Tower / Torre de Collserola
north Barcelona
1992
Foster & Partners

photograph © Thomas Boczko
288m high

Barcelona Botanic garden
Montjuic mountain
2003
Carlos Ferrater

image © Thomas Boczko

Calatrava Bridge
west Barcelona
-
Santiago Calatrava, Architect

image © Thomas Boczko

Calvet House / Casa Calvet
Eixample
1899
Antoni Gaudi, Architect


Catalan Music Palace / Palau de la Música Catalana
Sant Pere Més Alt 13, Barri Gotic, Ciutat Vella
1908; 1983; 2004
Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Architect; Oscar Tusquets, Architect


House of Convalescence, Barcelona / Casa de Convalescència
Carme 47, Barri Gotic, Ciutat Vella
1680
Architect: unknown

Historic Barcelona building

Corte Inglese Barcelona Department Store / Almacén El Corte Inglese
Plaza Catalunya, Ciutat Vella
Facade: 1994
Lapeña y Torres Arquitectos


Domenech Estapa House / Casa Domènech Estapà
Valencià 241, off Passeig de Gracia, Eixample
1902-06
Josep Domènech Estapa, Architect

Not to be confused with architect Lluis Domenech, who has buildings located nearby.

Frank Gehry Building - Fish Sculpture / Pesque Escultura
Peix Hotel d'Arts, La Marina 19, Port Olimpic
1988-92
Frank Gehry, Architect


Forum Bathing Zone / Zona de Banys
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum
2004
Beth Gali, Architect


Forum Esplanade with Solar Panels / Esplanada Forum i Pergola Fotovoltaica
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum
2004
Torres & Lapena, Architects


Free Zone Consortium Office Building / Edifici d'oficines pel Consorci de la Zone France
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum, Passeig Taulat 266, east Barcelona
2002
Josep Lluís Mateo, Architect


Hospital de Sant Pau
Carrer Sant Antoni Maria Claret / Cartagena
1930
Lluis Domenech i Montaner

image © Thomas Boczko

Arts Hotel, Barcelona / Hotel Arts Barcelona
La Marina 19, Port Olimpic
1992
Bruce Graham of SOM Architects


Joan Miro Foundation / La Fundació Joan Miró
Parc de Montjuïc
1975
Josep Lluís Sert, Architect


Lesseps Library / Biblioteca a la placa Lesseps
Placa Lesspes 21-22, Eixample
2003
Josep Llinás, Architect


Lleo Morera House / Casa Lleó Morera
Passeig de Gracia 35, Eixample
1906
Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Architect


Mapfre Tower / Edifici Mapfre
Port Olimpic
1992
Ortiz & Leon, Architects

One of a pair of Barcelona skyscrapers

Montaner i Simon Publishing House / Editorial Montaner i Simón
Carrer Aragó 255, off Passeig de Gracia, Eixample
1885; 1990
Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Architect


Catalonia National Art Museum / Museum Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - Palau Montjuic:
National Palace / Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuic, southwest Barcelona
1929
Enric Català & Pedro Cendoya, with Pere Domènech i Roure, Architect
Catalonia National Art Museum (MNAC)

The Palau Nacional was built for the Expo in 1929. The Catalonia National Art Museum was refurbished by Italian architect Gae Aulenti

Gas Natural Company Tower / Torre de Gas Natural
La Barceloneta
1995; 2004
Enric Miralles / Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT


Nou Camp Stadium - FC Barcelona Stadium / Camp Nou Estadi
northwest Barcelona
1957
Francesc Mitjans Miró, Josep Soteras Mauri, with Lorenzo García Barbón


Nou Camp Stadium Barcelona : Redevelopment
2007-
Foster + Partners

image credit: Foster + Partners
Camp Nou Stadium Barcelona : Facts and Figures

Olympic Stadium Barcelona / Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Passeig Olímpic 17-19, Hill of Montjuic, southwest Barcelona
redeveloped 1990
Vittorio Gregotti Architect

Also known as Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc Lluís Companys

Palace of the Sea, Catalan History Museum / Palau de Mar, Museu d'Historia de Catalunya
La Barceloneta
1879
Rogent, Architect


Princess Hotel, Barcelona / Hotel Princess Barcelona
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum, avenue Diagonal 3, east Barcelona
2004
Oscar Tusquets, Architect


St Jordi Sports Pavilion / Palau Sant Jordi
Hill of Montjuic, southwest Barcelona
1990
Arata Isozaki & Associates, Architects



Barcelona Architecture Photos:




Key Public Spaces in the city - Barcelona Plaza + Parques:

Placa de Catalunya
Placa Sant Jaume
Placa Reial
Parc de Diagonal Mar

Place of the Catalans / Plaça de Catalunya
between Ciutat Vella and Eixample, Barcelona


Contains striking concrete memorial to former Catalan President:

On the east side is the El Corte Inglese Store by Torres & Lapena Architects

Place of St Jaume / Plaça Sant Jaume
Barri Gotic, Ciutat Vella

with Palau de Generalitat, 1596, in background

Reial Square / Plaça Reial
Barri Gotic, Ciutat Vella
1848-59

Incl. Bacardi Passage slightly seedy when we were there but a poignant setting with the palm trees randomly located like a Spanish version of a Zen Garden, continuous arcades apart from at entries.

Park at Diagonal Mar / Parc de Diagonal Mar
Diagonal Mar - Barcelona Forum
1997-2002
Enric Miralles / Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT Architects



Guide to Barcelona Architecture (alphabetical):

L`Auditori Concert Building
1996
Rafael Moneo Architects

Barcelona Concert Building

Ground Scape - Villa, Valldoreix
2005
Mangera Yvars Architects

Barcelona house

Hotel Diagonal Barcelona
2004
Capella Garcia Arquitectura

Barcelona Hotel

Hotel Omm
2003
Capella Garcia Arquitectura

Barcelona Hotel

Hotel Vapor Gran, Terrassa, nr Barcelona
2007
Capella Garcia Arquitectura

Barcelona Hotel

Torre Baro
2005
Mangera Yvars Architects

residential tower

Barcelona Architects

Barcelona Architecture News 2006:
UNESCO adds four Barcelona buildings by architect Antoni Gaudi to its list
Richard Rogers Partnership: Las Arenas - Barcelona Bull Ring Redevelopment on site
Zaha Hadid Building: Edifici Campus
Barcelona Architecture



World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe

Col.legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya: www.coac.net
Catalonian Architects' Website with links to Barcelona Architecture + Architects

Barcelona Stadium Building

Make sure your architectural structure is safe by reviewing the building defects. You can also find advice on how to follow EIFS. There is an important new home defect checklist that should be reviewed. When designed your home you want to be aware of building energy-saving codes.

Comments / photos for the Barcelona Architecture pages welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk

Barcelona Buildings: Photos © adrian welch / isabelle lomholt