Summary:
- A new study commissioned by the Government of Catalonia proves Antoni Gaudi designed the Xalet del Catllaras.
- The mountain refuge originally housed engineers working at the nearby Asland cement factory.
- The building features specific arches and vaults only Gaudi used during the early twentieth century.
The Government of Catalonia confirms Antoni Gaudi as the architect of Xalet del Catllaras. Located in the municipality of La Pobla de Lillet, the mountain refuge previously sparked debate among architectural historians. Professor Galdric Santana Roma conducted a scientific study to prove Gaudi designed the site. The Catalan department of culture commissioned the research to settle the authorship dispute. Professor Santana Roma serves as the director of the Gaudi Chair at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. His report presents geometric and structural evidence. The research establishes visual comparisons with other confirmed Gaudi buildings.
Eusebi Guell ordered the construction between 1901 and 1908 to house industrial engineers and technical staff. Eusebi Guell acted as a patron for the architect and famously commissioned Park Guell. The engineers needed accommodation while setting up mining facilities to supply coal to the nearby Asland cement factory in Castellar de n'Hug. The geographic demands of the mountainous mining environment directly influenced the logistical planning of the structure. The building design features a pointed parabolic arch structure and interior walls placed at a forty-five-degree angle. Gaudi frequently applied these structural details during the early twentieth century. Other European architects only adopted these vaulted ceilings and arches ten or fifteen years later. The building spans three floors and contains six apartments designed with a rational layout. The internal structure allowed for easy changes to the interior compartmentalization. This flexibility represented a modern solution for early twentieth-century housing. A spiral staircase defines the center of the main facade. A chimney rises directly from the roof section to serve the heating needs of the residents.
Gaudi never publicly claimed the chalet as his own project. Historical records indicate he did not directly supervise the construction process on site. Third-party builders modified the original plans during the execution phase. Historical reports suggest the builders struggled with the complexity of the original proposal and altered the structural execution. Because the final built result deviated from his initial drawings, the architect chose to distance himself from the property. Juli Batllevell, a known collaborator, likely oversaw the physical execution of the work. This situation explains why historians lacked prior documentary evidence of his involvement and why the property remained uncredited for over a century. Over the following decades, additional alterations further transformed the structure and contributed to the ambiguity surrounding the origin of the building.
Today, the local municipality owns the site and plans restoration efforts to return the building to the original state. You will find the chalet located deep within the forested Bergueda region north of Barcelona. When you visit the area, you observe how the building integrates directly into the mountainous environment. The rural setting contrasts sharply with his famous urban projects like Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. Historians note Gaudi worked on Casa Batllo at the exact same time he designed the miners' chalet. This overlapping timeline initially caused some experts to doubt his involvement in a remote industrial project.
The structural choices reflect a functional approach to industrial housing. You see evidence of his geometric experimentation throughout the interior spaces. The recent scientific research analyzed cross-sections and traced the geometries of the main parabolic arch. This proof resolves decades of speculation regarding the designer. Experts confirm no other architect possessed the technical knowledge to design such a complex vaulting system at the time.
The structure currently stands empty and unused. Local authorities plan to repurpose the site to serve the hiking and mountaineering community in the future. Your understanding of his legacy expands when examining these remote utilitarian projects. These specific buildings demonstrate how he adapted his methods to serve distinct industrial requirements. The recent announcement forms part of the official 2026 commemorations marking one hundred years since his death. The regional government recently declared the site an Asset of National Cultural Interest to ensure future preservation. You gain insight into his architectural evolution by studying his lesser-known functional works outside the main city centers.