The origins of the building: the plans for La Pedrera, 1906

In June 1905, Mrs Rosario Segimon, wife of Pere Milà, purchased a plot of land on the prestigious Passeig de Gràcia, at the corner of Carrer de Provença. At the time of purchase, the plot was partially occupied by a three-storey villa with an additional basement and terrace, surrounded by a garden and enclosed by a perimeter wall, totalling 1,835  square metres. Like many similar villas in the area, this property was to be demolished to make way for the new Barcelona emerging with the development of the Eixample district.

From the outset, the Milà-Segimon couple envisioned constructing a residential building on the site. Just months after the purchase, Pere Milà applied to the Barcelona City Council for the necessary permits to demolish the existing structure. Within five months, Gaudí’s plans (dated 2 February 1906) were submitted, and permission to begin construction was requested. The surviving drawings include floor plans and elevations.

Gaudí’s original plans

Mireia Freixa, Professor of Art History at the University of Barcelona, provides insight into the collection of building plans in an excellent article on Gaudí’s drawings, projects and models, featured in the publication Gaudí en primer plano (Artika, 2020). This remarkable art book highlights 48 of Gaudí’s drawings. The publication enables readers to appreciate the original dimensions of the plans and the exceptional quality of the drawings, made possible by its meticulous and thoughtfully curated edition.

Regarding Casa Milà’s plans and drawings, Freixa notes that two sets of original plans are preserved: the official copies housed in the archives of the Barcelona City Council and another set held at the Gaudí Chair of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. In the fold-out elevation plan of the façade, rendered in black and red India ink, Freixa highlights the exquisite calligraphy, written in early Catalan orthography: “Fatxade” (Façade), “passeig de Gràcia, xamfrà i carrer de Provença” (Passeig de Gràcia, chamfered corner and Carrer de Provença) and “Escale de 0,01 mtr per metre” (Scale of 0.01 metres per metre). At the bottom of the document, the signatures of the architect, Gaudí, and the property owners, Rosario Segimon and Pere Milà, can be seen.

Antoni Gaudí. Fatxade [Casa Milà], 1906. Plan: India ink on fabric paper. Dimensions: 49.5 cm x 93.5 cm ©Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · Barcelona Tech (UPC). Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona. Cátedra Gaudí. CG-00222.

A detailed analysis of the plan reveals that the design and definition of La Pedrera’s façade were the result of a lengthy evolution and considerable dedication by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí’s core ideas for the façade starkly contrast with the historicist reinterpretations he had employed in earlier projects.

Nevertheless, the proposed façade still shares similarities with solutions used in Casa Batlló. such as the interplay of balconies and bay windows arranged in rhythmic patterns, though these remain tied to the classical scheme of windows and balconies.

The plans show how Gaudí maximised the plot’s use, designing a building with a basement, semi-basement, six residential floors, a mezzanine, an attic and a rooftop. The proposed volume far exceeded municipal regulations. The building also surpassed the permitted height limits, an issue that was not corrected during construction but rather accentuated. In August 1908, when the building reached its final height and volume, the Barcelona City Council notified Milà that the structure exceeded the permitted volume by 4,000 cubic metres. They also highlighted that part of the fifth floor and everything above it flagrantly violated legal regulations.

Changes in the final design of La Pedrera

According to Mireia Freixa, as was typical of Gaudí, the original façade design did not match what was ultimately built. In one corner of the façade drawing, Gaudí included a large four-armed cross that was never constructed. Similarly, the profiles of the stairwell towers and chimneys—now among the building’s most distinctive features—were absent from the original plans. Conversely, the upper section of the drawing includes a sketch of the sculpture of the Virgin of the Roser, which was also never realised.

Freixa also examines the plan of the third floor, referred to as “Plante de 3ª estade” in Gaudí’s terminology. This plan highlights the flexibility of the spatial arrangement in the two building blocks surrounding the central courtyards, allowing for a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. The plan is particularly notable for detailing the names of all the rooms: “Entrade, Cambre, Sale, Menjador, Salete, Saló, Recambre, Recambró, Corredor, Serveis”. These labels help deduce the layout and intended use of the residence. The service staircases are also identified at the ends of the building, although the plan omits one of the construction’s most innovative features: the lifts.

Antoni Gaudí. Plante de 3re estade [Casa Milà], 1906. Plan: India ink on fabric paper. ©Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · Barcelona Tech (UPC). Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona. Cátedra Gaudí. CG-000225.

Gaudí en primer plano (Artika, 2020) offers an excellent opportunity to explore Gaudí’s work as a draughtsman, showcasing his distinctive style and characteristics. Unique and unparalleled, like his architecture, exemplified in the extraordinary plans for Casa Milà.