The Site

Located on Passeig de Gràcia, one of Barcelona’s most emblematic boulevards, Casa Batlló is one of the most celebrated works of Antoni Gaudí and an essential landmark of Catalan modernism. Originally, the building was built in 1877 by Emilio Sala Cortés (one of Gaudí’s architecture professors), when there was still no electric light in Barcelona. In 1903 it was purchased by Mr Josep Batlló y Casanovas, a textile industrialist who owned several factories in Barcelona and a prominent businessman.

Mr Josep Batlló granted full creative freedom to Antoni Gaudí, putting him in charge of a project that initially entailed demolishing the building. However, thanks to the courage shown by Gaudí, the demolition of the house was ruled out, and it was fully reformed between 1904 and 1906. The architect completely changed the façade, redistributing the internal partitioning, expanding the patio of lights and converting the inside into a true work of art. Besides its artistic value, the building is also extremely functional, much more characteristic of modern times than of the past. Some even see elements that herald the architectural trends of the late 20th century.

The house is today considered a masterpiece of organic architecture, where undulating forms, intricate ornamentation, and vibrant ceramic mosaics create a striking façade that makes it one of the most recognisable buildings in Barcelona. Since its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, Casa Batlló has attracted visitors from around the world, not only for its aesthetic and structural innovations but also for its pioneering approach to space, light, and functionality. Today the museum functions as a interactive and immersive-experience museum and is one of the most visited sites in the city of Barcelona.

Casa Batlló is part of the “Manzana de la Discordia” (the Block of Discord), a city block where Barcelona’s leading modernist architects, Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, competed in designing some of the most extravagant private residences of the early 20th century.

One of these is Casa Amatller, built by Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1898 – 1900 for Antoni Amatller, an industrialist and chocolate manufacturer. The house blends neo-Gothic elements with Flemish-inspired stepped gables, standing in contrast to the fluid, nature-inspired forms of Gaudí’s adjacent Casa Batlló. Today, Casa Amatller houses the Institut Amatller d’Art Hispànic, an institution founded in 1943 dedicated to the study, preservation, and promotion of Hispanic art and architecture. Its most valuable asset is a collection of thousands of photographs and their negatives, documenting historical architecture, artistic heritage, and daily life in Spain from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. These images provide invaluable visual records of Barcelona during the time of Gaudí, making them essential for research on the architectural and urban transformations of the city.

Another major research institution contributing to the documentation and study of Gaudí’s work is the Càtedra Gaudí, located at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Originally established in 1956, the Càtedra Gaudí serves as a specialised archive and research centre dedicated to Gaudí’s life and architectural innovations. It houses original drawings, blueprints, and historical documents, making it a fundamental resource for scholars, architects, and conservators engaged in the study and preservation of Gaudí’s legacy.

The Project

The European Heritage Volunteers Project in Barcelona continues a long-standing collaboration between Casa Batlló and European Heritage Volunteers, extended by collaborations with the Institut Amatller d’Art Hispànic, and the Càtedra Gaudí at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. The project focuses on archival documentation, digitalisation, and historical research, contributing to the preservation and accessibility of materials that shed light on Gaudí’s architectural heritage and the cultural landscape of early 20th-century Barcelona.

Participants will engage in practical heritage documentation at two key locations, each offering a distinct approach to archival work. At the Institut Amatller d’Art Hispànic, they will continue to contribute to the digitalisation of their vast archive, which provides invaluable visual records of Barcelona during Gaudí’s time, capturing the transformation of the city and societal as well as architectural developments. The work will involve scanning and cataloguing, historical photographs, ensuring their accessibility for research and conservation purposes. These photographic materials not only document the artistic and architectural landscape of the period but also serve as primary sources for understanding Gaudí’s influence on the city.

At the Càtedra Gaudí, the focus will shift to the documentation and cataloguing of archival materials related to Gaudí’s architectural projects and related historical circumstances of this time period. The archive houses original sketches, blueprints, written correspondence, and research materials, providing insights into Gaudí’s construction methods, spatial concepts, and experimental techniques. Participants will assist in organising documents, supporting classification efforts, and contributing to the digitalisation of selected records, ensuring that these historical resources remain accessible for future research and conservation initiatives.

The educational programme will provide a profound engagement with Gaudí’s architectural heritage and the archival processes. Participants will take part in guided visits to Gaudí’s major works in Barcelona and its surroundings, allowing them to explore his architectural innovations and their impact on the city’s modernist identity. A highlight of the programme will be an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience at Casa Batlló, where participants will gain unique insights from the site management into the challenges of preserving and interpreting a UNESCO World Heritage site that receives millions of visitors each year. In addition, participants will meet artisans working with traditional ceramic techniques, gaining an understanding of the craftsmanship behind the distinctive architectural features of Casa Batlló and other modernist landmarks.

An important part of the project will be the participants’ presentations, which will explore the role of archives in the conservation of architectural heritage. Through case studies from their home countries, participants will reflect on how archival materials contribute to heritage research, restoration processes, and public engagement with historic sites. The comparative discussions will provide valuable insights into the different ways archives support the preservation and interpretation of architectural history across cultural contexts.

This project is part of a successful multi-year collaboration that reinforces Casa Batlló’s commitment to education and the promotion of UNESCO’s values. Through their engagement in archival conservation, documentation, and digitalisation, participants will contribute to the preservation of Barcelona’s modernist heritage, ensuring that the historical records of Gaudí’s era remain accessible for future generations of researchers, conservators, and heritage professionals.

The project will take place from October 14th to October 25th, 2025, and is jointly organised by Museum Casa Batlló and European Heritage Volunteers, in collaboration with Institut Amatller d’Art Hispànic and Polytechnic University of Catalonia – UNESCO Chair on Sustainability.

The project is part of the World Heritage Volunteers campaign for 2025, a worldwide initiative taking place yearly within the framework of the World Heritage Education Programme at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.