Interior of Casa Batlló by Kengo Kuma

FECHA

05.07.2024

The renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, whose projects were visited during his trip to Japan as part of the MArch Advanced programme in architecture, design and business administration, was commissioned to intervene in the interior of one of the most emblematic buildings in the city of Barcelona: the Batlló house, one of the most representative works of the architect Antoni Gaudí.

The project consisted of creating a new staircase and the space that the stairwell occupies in order to conceptually relate it to the iconic staircase in the central courtyard. Both staircases cross the house and organise visitor flows, establishing a visual and functional dialogue. The central courtyard distributes light vertically to all corners of the house, with a gradation of blue colours that doses the light. In the new staircase, they wanted to reflect this masterful use of light in an abstract way, focusing on light as the central concept, without the distractions of historical colours or materials. To realise this idea, they imagined the space dressed in aluminium beaded curtains that catch the light and show it in all its forms, shimmers and shadows. By arranging the aluminium shades from lighter to darker, from the roof to the basements, they replicated the gradation of light in the central courtyard, weaving a visual story without words. This approach allows for an experience that takes the visitor from sky to earth, from light to shadow, using only light as a narrative element.

Early collaboration with lighting designer Mario Nanni was crucial to achieving his vision. Architecture and lighting worked together to create a sensory experience that highlights the importance of light in Casa Batlló, through shimmers, shadows and transparencies. This project not only pays homage to the eloquence of the use of light inside, but does so in an enclosed space where natural light is minimal, enhancing its uniqueness and beauty.