Casa Batlló: Gaudí Barcelona

by Juan José Lahuerta

This book Casa Batlló, takes us beyond its façade to reveal to us, with meticulous detail, the architect's great creativity. It includes an essay by Juan José Lahuerta and a study of the morphology of the building.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Architecture, Art

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Julie Capell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good little book if you're looking for photos of the house. However, if you want insights into how the building was constructed or what the Battló family's daily life was like living there, you will be disappointed. The initial essay (60 pages!) is weirdly academic and focuses on public opinions about the house and Gaudí at the time the house was constructed.

[Farmertom · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason to give this book one star is because it's not possible here to give it no stars at all. While it is true that the photographs are marvelous--and the reason I chose this book in the first place-- the diatribe by Juan Jose Lahuerta is unpleasant in the extreme, and written by someone who admittedly feels passionately about both this remarkable house and its architect: he hates them both. It is one thing to point out, in a balanced review of a building, the building's failings. But if that is all an author sees, then it makes one wonder why he bothered to write the book in the first place. For those of us coming to the building because it is so arresting, so remarkable, so unusual, even breathtaking, reading page after page of bile is nothing short of awful, a sort of prose-vomit. Juan Jose Lahuerta doesn't like Gaudi, he doesn't like Casa Battlo, he has contempt for the clients who asked for its design and construction. His political views seep into and color his bile, and what we want, we who have not spent years and years considering architecture, researching the back story of buildings and architects, what we want is simply a bit of context-- how did this building come to be? Why was it made the way it was? Who are the people responsible for its design? How was it received at the time--more than a century ago-- it was created? The building is on the World Heritage list, hundreds, sometimes thousands of people view it daily and those people do not, I assure you, recoil in horror at the imagined faults and defects of the building. It is a complete irony that this book is sold in the very pleasant store full of knicknacks and other books that celebrate the building and its architect. As for Juan Jose Lahuerta, I suspect he has IBS or a permanent case of class warfare grumps-- There is virtually nothing (not nothing, just mostly nothing) in his screed worth reading-- though the well-chosen photographs and illustrations sprinkled throughout are well worth the look.
In short: avoid this book as though you would ebola. It's just as nasty and undesirable, and there are other far more worthy books on the same subjects-- Gaudi and this building--waiting to grace your bookshelves.

[Ana Monteiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and insightful information about Gaudí’s inspiration and references (sometimes the master is quite indirect and subtle, and the author helps us decode his choices).
A small and handy format, great to take home as a memory, yet maintaining excellent quality paper and printing.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great pictures of this amazing building but fairly impenetrable English. Wonder if it is just a bad transaltion or pretentious writing in the original.

[Julia Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantastic photos but the essay is near unreadable.

[Mike Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful photos, difficult text - full review here


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