Great Figures in 20th Century Architecture in Barcelona

ARQUITECTURA_Barcelona

The splendor of post-Olympic contemporary architecture is best understood if you look at its roots: modern architecture from the past century. GATEPAC (Spanish Architects and Engineers for the Advancement of Modern Architecture), in the 1930s, and Grupo R, in the 1950s, were inspired by European maestros, importing and implementing their rationalist and functionalist ideas after adding their own Mediterranean perspective.

At THE REAL THING, we can’t let you miss out on some magnificent buildings in less-than-obvious locations throughout the city. We’ll start with two places which are beyond famous: the German pavilion, built by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition and the emblematic Fundació Miró, by Josep Lluis Sert. We’ll continue to tour the city and discover international-style rationalist treasures hidden in hotels, movie theaters and hospitals, and important creations with more local points of view, such as that of Catalan architect José Antonio Coderch and his houses. We’ll also take a look at unexplored places like the summer home La Ricarda that Antonio Bonet built on the Llobregat River delta.