Innovations in Casa Milà: the courtyards

The structure of Casa Milà is organised around spacious courtyards, with entrances on the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer de Provença.

The building is supported by columns instead of load-bearing walls, allowing Antoni Gaudí to create two large openings in the heart of this emblematic Eixample structure. Gaudí introduced an innovative design: two large courtyards created primarily to bring light and ventilation to every room. At the time, buildings typically included small interior courtyards to ventilate kitchens and bathrooms, but Gaudí took this concept a step further. As with all his designs, the courtyards of Casa Milà follow three key principles: functionality, ventilation and lighting, as mentioned, and aesthetics.

The courtyards of La Pedrera

Entering from Carrer de Provença, you encounter the larger elliptical courtyard, which features a striking bridge staircase. This staircase connects the mezzanine and the main floor, the two levels inhabited by the Milà family, the building’s owners. While the staircase is traditional between the ground floor and mezzanine, it crosses the courtyard midway between the mezzanine and the main floor. Supported by an iron structure, the staircase appears to “float” in the middle of the courtyard, optimising interior space to allow for additional rooms on the floor.

Entering through the door on Passeig de Gràcia, or via the Provença courtyard, you arrive at the circular courtyard. A ramp connects the two courtyards, providing access to the garages located in the Passeig de Gràcia courtyard from either entrance of La Pedrera.

The courtyards of La Pedrera are the building’s internal axes, and Gaudí gave them the same level of importance as the façade. As a result, they share certain characteristics with the main façade visible from the street. Both spaces feature large windows and ornamental elements. In the courtyards, this ornamentation includes window grilles and oil paintings that decorate the interior walls of the house.

Gazing upward from the base of the courtyards or downward from the rooftop offers an inspiring perspective, illustrating how Gaudí conceived architecture as a cohesive whole, not merely as an exterior structure. Ultimately, this architecture surprises with every detail and remains unparalleled for its time: Gaudí was a true innovator, always seeking the most advanced structures for his buildings.