La Casa Comalat

The Casa Comalat in Barcelona's Eixample district is considered the most important and most personal work of the architect Salvador Valeri i Pupurull. The building, at the corner of Avinguda Diagonal and Carrer de Còrsega, was constructed between 1909 and 1911 for the textile industrialist Joan Comalat i Alenyà, who wanted it to underscore his rising social status. The structure is a work of late Modernisme and is now listed as a local cultural asset of the city of Barcelona. The architecture is characterized by voluminous, cartilage-like forms inspired by Antoni Gaudí, combined with decoration reminiscent of the Rococo.

The façade facing Avinguda Diagonal is especially impressive. Built entirely of quartz sandstone from Montjuïc, it plays with an endless array of sweeping curves that link the openings. Particularly striking are the undulating balconies of the mezzanine level, which recall baroque carriages, as well as a central bay window supported by a fan-shaped structure. Above a small spired dome sits a coat of arms with a dove carrying an olive branch in its beak. The top of the façade is crowned by a tower clad in green glazed ceramic tiles, flanked by dragon figures and allegorical female figures. In sharp contrast stands the rear façade on Carrer de Còrsega. It feels more open and functional, defined by glazed wooden balconies and an exuberant burst of color from trencadís mosaics by the ceramic artist Lluís Bru i Salelles, which visually connect the balconies with the ground-floor portals.

The building's interior is a prime example of the concept of the total work of art in international Art Nouveau. The entrance foyer and stairwell stand out for their masterful mosaic, stucco, and joinery work. The floors are covered in white marble, while the lower portions of the walls are paneled in West Indian mahogany. Above that, gilded stucco with a gelatinous texture covers the remaining wall surfaces, embellished with glazed ceramics and fresco paintings. The living quarters on the first floor are also richly decorated, with ceramic work, sgraffiti, and colorful stained-glass windows from the studio of Antoni Rigalt i Blanch. After a restoration in the late 1990s, during which storm damage occurred to the figures on the roof, the building was restored in 2001 under the direction of Francesc Xavier Asarta i Ferraz.