Barcelona Weekend Break

Casa Calvet

Casa Calvet is possibly less well known than the likes of the casas Milla and Batllo, but it is still a significant Barcelona building in the Gaudi portfolio. It was built between the years of 1898 and 1899.

The Casa Calvet is unusual in a number of respects. Firstly, it is tall, narrow and, on the face of it, fairly geometrical. Many say that it is the most “normal” of the Gaudi buildings and that its design may have been restricted by that fact that it had to fit between two other existing buildings.

The Casa Calvet was also constructed to double up as both a home and business premises and therefore had "function and utility" as its primary requirements.

Even so, most of the typical Gaudi features can be seen and this turn of the century design still has fanciful balconies of varying sizes supported on extravagant carved stonework. The roof detailing also incorporates curves and surprises and the structure dominates the street on which it sits.

An interesting and clever touch is the use of stacked bobbin (or cotton reel) like shapes for the ground floor columns – the building’s original commercial application being one of textile manufacture.

Tourist information

At present the Casa Calvet building is not open to tourism, but can of course be seen and enjoyed from the street.