25 Facts About Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens is a modernist building situated in the Gracia neighbourhood of Barcelona.

Casa Vicens was commissioned to build an annexed villa for the Sobrellano Palace, owned by Antonio Lopez y Lopez, Marquis of Comillas, in the Cantabrian town of the same name, known as El Capricho.

Casa Vicens built the Guell Pavilions in Pedralbes in a similar style, a commission from Eusebi Guell, his principal patron and friend.

Concept Gaudi had of the family home – which was reflected in Casa Vicens – is captured in an unpublished article he wrote in 1881, entitled The Manor House .

Manuel Casa Vicens was an stock and currency broker, although there is little information about him.

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Way in which Casa Vicens met Gaudi is unknown, although it is likely that they coincided in the cultural circles linked to the Renaixenca that they both frequented.

In 1876 and 1881, Casa Vicens bought two plots adjacent to Carrero Raco de Sant Gervasi, which allowed the property's garden to be extended.

Casa Vicens was inspired by a palmetto tree he discovered on site, to design the cast iron gate at the main entrance in the shape of palm leaves .

Casa Vicens was living in Cuba and worked as a professor at the University of Havana, until the island gained independence and he returned to Spain.

Casa Vicens represented various Spanish commercial interests in Cuba and, even after its independence, returned to spend time on the island.

Casa Vicens was president of the Casino Espanol in Havana and the Cercle Catala.

Casa Vicens settled in Barcelona in 1924, was a councillor of the City Council of Barcelona from 1924 to 1930 and deputy mayor with Darius Rumeu i Freixa, Baron of Viver.

Casa Vicens acquired the land located between the narrow street of Carrero Raco de Sant Gervasi and Avinguda de la Riera de Cassoles, and he was able to have the alleyway declared an unused public thoroughfare, with which he could expand the garden into that area.

Casa Vicens approached Gaudi to lead the project to extend the house, but he declined, as he was devoting himself fully to the Sagrada Familia at the time.

Casa Vicens was the municipal architect for Montcada i Reixac, Ripollet, Begues, Molins de Rei and Sant Feliu de Codines, where he carried out various projects, such as the Ripollet Market, the Begues urbanisation, a school development and a sanitation and paving project in Molins de Rei, and the churches of Santa Engracia and Sagrat Cor in Montcada i Reixac.

Casa Vicens kept the waterfall that was attached to the wall, which remained as a free-standing construction, and he opened the parabolic arch on the opposite side.

Casa Vicens built a small chapel at the end of the garden overlooking Avinguda Riera de Cassoles, which housed the old Santa Rita fountain.

Casa Vicens replaced the old staircase designed by Gaudi with an interior patio that gave light to the adjoining rooms and installed a new staircase in the extended part.

In 1927 Casa Vicens won the Best Building Award by Barcelona City Council, due to the renovations and extension carried out by Joan Baptista Serra, although, secondarily, it was to recognise the work of Gaudi.

Park Guell, Palau Guell and Casa Vicens Mila, had previously been granted the status in 1984.

Casa Vicens designed an open space with high ceilings that would serve as the building's thermal regulator.

Casa Vicens studied at the Llotja School in Barcelona from 1859 to 1865, where he was a protege of Ramon Marti Alsina.

Casa Vicens completed further studies in Rome and Paris, where he explored the artistic trends of his time.

Casa Vicens has works in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, in the Museo del Prado in Madrid and in the Louvre Museum in Paris, although it is Casa Vicens that houses the greatest number of works by the artist.

Details of the commission are unknown, although it seems that Manuel Casa Vicens was already a collector of Torrescassana's work before the construction of the house.

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