Restoring the Güell Park entrance lodges

Abstract

In 1984 Güell Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, since when Barcelona Town Council has been carrying out a continuous and thorough process of rehabilitation of all the architectural features, as well as improving access, reforestation of the surrounding hills and putting an end to peripheral uses. The article focuses on the restoration of the lodges on each side of the entrance, the left, hand one is used as the porters lodge and administrative offices, and the one on the right as the porter living quarters. They are two outstanding Gaudi buildings, which are in a bad state of repair since they have been used as private residences from the Twenties lo the Eighties, and, as such, have been modified and butchered. The article outlines the architectural restoration {highlighting the repairs lo the one-way ceiling in the porters lodge, and the consolidation of the interior and the trencadís (Gaudi´ s distinctive decorative effect using pieces of tile) which covered roofs, battlements, cornice, etc, recovering original elements or reproducing the faithfully, following detailed studies of the history and materials.