Casa Milà

Barcelona, Spain

Casa Milà popularly known as La Pedrera or "open quarry", a reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a modernist building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the last private residence designed by architect Antoni Gaudí and was built between 1906 and 1910. The building was commissioned in 1906 by businessman and his wife . At the time, it was controversial because of its undulating stone facade, twisting wrought iron balconies and windows designed by Josep Maria Jujol. Several structural innovations include a self-supporting stone front, columns and floors free of load-bearing walls, an underground garage and sculptural elements on the roof. In 1984, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is currently the headquarters of the which manages exhibitions and other activities at Casa Milà.