Casa Burés

Casa Burés is an outstanding example of Barcelona Modernisme, standing at the corner of Ausiàs Marc and Girona streets. The building was constructed between 1900 and 1905 for the textile industrialist Francisco Burés Borrás. Although the project was signed by Miquel Pascual i Tintorer, the actual design came from Francisco Berenguer, a close collaborator of Antoni Gaudí who never earned the title of architect. The architecture combines Neo-Gothic and Germanic influences with typically Modernista elements. Most striking are the two round towers at the corners of the building, though only one of them was completed with its conical roof. The façade is made of unpolished stone, decorated with sweeping curves, elaborate wrought-iron railings on the balconies, and a continuous balustrade with sculptural ornaments.

Inside, the house impresses with its rich furnishings, some of which have preserved their original condition. The entrance area is dominated by a large, pentagonal glazed section and a colorful stained-glass window. A life-size sculpture of a bear embracing a lantern marks the foot of the staircase. The ground floor, which originally served as the living quarters, features mosaic and inlaid floors as well as a dining room whose walls are adorned with sculptural reliefs depicting sports popular among the bourgeoisie of the day. Especially impressive is the so-called "nursery salon," designed with motifs from Germanic fairy tales. Here, furniture and mosaics by Gaspar Homar meet murals by Oleguer Junyent, while a fireplace with a mosaic scene of Hansel and Gretel gives the room its character.

Historically, the building first served as the residence of the client and as the headquarters of his textile business. After several changes of ownership and the closure of the factory in 1991, the house was purchased by the City of Barcelona in 2007 to be used as a center for promoting Modernisme and as the home of the Museum of Architecture and Urban Planning. It was later sold to the Generalitat de Catalunya and finally to private investors. Today the building is undergoing an extensive renovation in which historic details are being restored and the house is being converted into high-end residences, with the aim of preserving the original character of early Modernisme.