Abstract
The ‘masía’ or farmhouse is a type of traditional Catalan residence that has become a mainstay of the rural landscape. It has a significant relationship with its location, the genius loci: the natural characteristics, the topography, the climate and the materials are reflected in its architecture and they have not changed significantly over time. The orientation depends on the land where it is located, and the building materials are extracted from the surrounding area: stone, wood, brick, clay, etc. Its construction is therefore closely linked to its location. It should not be understood as a historical architectonic ‘style’, but rather a ‘cultural composite’ that has reflected a way of life for hundreds of years and has influenced later architectures. This traditional nature has been adapted to the new needs and uses, so this article starts with the analysis of restorations that opened up new channels of experimentation, bringing modernist elements to farmhouses, including such interesting work as Can Negre and Casa Bofarull by Jujol. These analyses establish a stimulating starting point to evaluate the rich Catalan patrimony that is the farmhouse. Our Department has carried out numerous surveys of farmhouses in Montseny and the Collsacabra, for possible subsequent restoration, through a collective agreement for collaboration with various entities.
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Notes
- 1.
‘Cabanya’ and ‘pallissa’ are the terms for the space for keeping livestock and storing straw. Codina 1981, pp. 78–80).
- 2.
The academic analysis of the Farmhouse was carried out for the first time by Josep Danés from 1923 to 1936. ‘Elements’ were used to investigate the morphology such as the orientation of the building, the characteristics of the floor plan, construction, structure, etc. (Centre Excursionista de Catalunya).
- 3.
“Throughout history, there has been a constant relationship between the architecture of the urban and rural worlds.” (Codina 1981, p. 61). This will be the reason for the generation of the architectonic styles, together with the new sociological and urban concepts. This trend has been stronger since the modern period.
- 4.
“The stages of the refurbishment of Can Negre can be sensed: the refurbishment (1915–1917), the extension (1917–1921) and the decorations (1920–1926)” Diputació Barcelona, https://museuslocals.diba.cat/museu/43.
- 5.
The ‘Gesamtkunstwerk (Complete work of art)’ theory by Wagner influenced the formation of Modernism. (Ibid, p. 48).
- 6.
Floral (1982, pp. 286–293) understands the architectonic language of Jujol as the surreal message materialised. And Rodrigues (2006, p. 25) deems the motif of the carriage as the attribute of ‘movement’ to make the design of the house exceptional.
- 7.
“The ceiling comprises eight radial beams, each resting on one side rest on a bracket in the wall, and on the other side supporting one another, as in the well-known 'knife trick'.” Ligtelijn, Vincent. Saariste, Rein. Josep M. Jujol, 1996, Rotterdam:010 Publishers, p. 80.
- 8.
Roselló, O. Intervenir en les masies avui. Llibre actes primer congrés masia-territori. 2015. p. 587
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Escoda Pastor, C., Xiqués Triquell, J., Park, J. (2020). The Catalan Farmhouse: Evolution and Adaption. In: Agustín-Hernández, L., Vallespín Muniesa, A., Fernández-Morales, A. (eds) Graphical Heritage. EGA 2020. Springer Series in Design and Innovation , vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47979-4_32
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