48. Gaudí, Park Güell and Barcelona: urban planning and nature

48. Gaudí, el Park Güell i Barcelona: urbanisme i natura

In 1900 work began on Park Güell, a joint scheme between Eusebi Güell and Antoni Gaudí, the developer and the architect, designed as a residential condominium for sixty well-heeled families in the purest British style (hence its name with a ‘k’ rather than a ‘c’ as it would be spelt in Catalan). Gaudí’s idea was a perfect symbiosis between urban planning, architecture and nature which crafted the park as an outstanding enclave in the great metropolis. However, its middle-class feel contrasted with the artisan soul of its surroundings.

Barcelona City Council bought the park in 1922 and turned it into a public space in 1926, a real gift to the city. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.