Casa Mila Mosaic Works - Barcelona, Spain
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denben
N 41° 23.709 E 002° 09.706
31T E 429925 N 4582962
Some of the architectural-sculptures placed by Antoni Gaudi on Casa Mila's rooftop are covered with "trencadís" which is a mosaic technique using broken ceramic fragments.
Waymark Code: WMQK7M
Location: Cataluña, Spain
Date Posted: 02/25/2016
Views: 12
Casa Milà was constructed between 1906 and 1912 by Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926). It was commissioned in 1906 by businessman Pere Milà i Camps and his wife Roser Segimon i Artells. At the time, it was controversial because of the undulating stone facade and twisting wrought iron balconies and windows designed by Josep Maria Jujol.
This flamboyant avant-garde dwelling resembles a work of sculpture more than a functional building. Every line of the natural stone facade is curved, with rounded windows and metal balcony railings twining around in plant-like shapes.
One of the most significant parts of the building is the roof, crowned with skylights, staircase exits, fans, and chimneys. All of these elements, constructed with timbrel coated with limestone, broken marble or glass, have a specific architectural function. Nevertheless, they have become real sculptures integrated into the building.
Gaudí proposed a new technique for the facing of his works. This technique, named “trencadís” promoted recycling at the same time, and it consisted of a mosaic of ceramic shards made by hand. Using rejected pieces that the collaborating ceramic industries surrendered, Gaudí broke up the ceramic tiles into pieces and then put the fragments up with mortar. As a result, he got compositions of striking visual impact. While it is true that the most suitable materials to manage were the ceramic tiles, glass, marble and stones were also used.
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