L’Illa Raspall in La Garriga

by | Mar 28, 2024 | Architecture, La Garriga, Manuel Jaoquim Raspall i Mallol

History and general description:

Raspall built seven blocks (ensemble of houses delimited by three or more streets). This blocks (Illes, in Catalan language) where located the first one in Cardedeu (1904) including the house “Alqueria Cloèlia” and the six other in La Garriga (1906-1916) in the Vallès Oriental region. The only one who is today totally preserved is this one, the named “Illa Raspall” who is a very interesting block of four summer mansions. Another block with the houses Llorens House (1907) and Fèlix Fages House (1908) remain also in good condition.
Into a town with a long tradition as a holiday summer place, Manel Joaquim Raspall built various summer residences. Some of the most interesting are located into that block, making a magnificent ensemble.
Te block is limited by the streets Casellas, Manel Raspall i Mallol, Figueral and Passeig (Promenade).
The houses are La Bombonera, Barbey House, Iris Villa and BarraqueHouse and look together as the better example of Raspall architecture for pleasure.
The ensemble has a style cohesion aided by the enclosure with the trencadís (broken ceramic pieces) covering the top of the undulated shapes of walls and the gates and gratings with a “coup de fouet” design.
Instead of the cohesion of the ensemble, each house has specific details and its own personality.
Its present condition is different for each one, La Bombonera and Barraquer House are in good condition, Barbey House is acceptable and unfortunately Iris Villa is not at all in an acceptable condition, but together they maintain the special Art Nouveau taste of that exceptional architect.
In 1997 the government of Catalonia declared the Illa Raspall a “National Interest Good”.

Art Nouveau Houses:

Reig House “La Bombonera”

Location: Passeig, 3 – Illa Raspall – La Garriga (Vallès Oriental)
Built in 1910 by the architect Manel Joaquim Raspall i Mallol.

This is a summer house with gardens both in front and back façades. North façade has a typically Art Nouveau small tower crowned with a ceramic adorned gable-end.

The house base is made of stone with a border in green ceramic. The house is supported by pillars. The top of that pillars and the cornice are adorned also with mosaics.

The façade ornamentation is based in green geometric graffito’s. Green and white are the dominant colors.
The terrace in front of tower is limited by an interesting balustrade in forged iron also present in the enclosure.

The interior is embellished by an ensemble of decorated crystal doors opening on back garden and in other areas of the house.

Private owned house, visits not allowed.

Barbey House xx (2 on 5)

Location: Passeig, 5 – Carrer Figueral, 48 – Illa Raspall – La Garriga (Vallès Oriental)
This is the bigger house and the first to be built in 1910 by Manel Joaquim Raspall i Mallol in the Illa Raspall.

The building is an impressive ensemble showing the richness of its first owner the businessman Juli Barvey i Poinsard. The building groups, in a unit around the main body, various different dependencies, under a roof with various levels covered with ceramic tiles designing geometric shapes, and a tower on the north side.
The exteriors are supported by stone socles limited by ceramic Greek borders encircling also the windows.
As remarkable adorning elements, it is a sun clock made in trencadís (broken ceramic pieces) and a ceramic panel representing Saint George (Catalonia patron) both designed by Joan Triadó and manufactured by the ceramist Lluís Bru.

The interior has a beautiful hall, various fireplaces and ceramic panels.

The garden is very interesting with different decorative elements as a waterspout, ceramic panels and artistic flowerpots making an harmonic ensemble with the façade columns. This is probably the most important Art Nouveau building in La Garriga.

The house is private owned and visits are not allowed.

Iris Villa xx (2 on 5)

Location: Passeig, 1 – Carrer Figueral, 50 – Illa Raspall – La Garriga (Vallès Oriental)

Built in 1910 by the architect Manel Joaquim Raspall i Mallol.

Her owner Cecilia Reig i Argelagós was also the owner of another house of that Illa Raspall “La Bombonera”.
The building is in fact composed by three different houses built to be rented separately, but it look as a unit.

The very beautiful façades graffito’s showing geometric vegetal designs, are unfortunately in bad condition having lost all its colors. The different iron forged pieces as the balustrade of main balcony are other elements to embellish the street façade.

The interior is adorned with various decorated crystal doors and a fireplace.

Private owned house, visits are not allowed.

Barraquer House

Location: Passeig, 7 – Carrer Caselles – Illa Raspall – La Garriga (Vallès Oriental)

Built in 1912 by the architect Manel Joaquim Raspall i Mallol.

This is the last of four summer houses built by Raspall in the Illa Raspall and is perhaps the most conventional.

The central tower is crowned by an iron forged element. Façades are adorned with white and blue graffito’s and also with ceramic pieces specially under windows.

The interior is adorned with decorative crystal on stairs door and other parts basically on ground floor.

The garden is protected by an enclosure crowned also by white and blue ceramic and iron forged gratings.

Private owned house. Visits are not allowed.

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