The building was built during the GATCPAC era, although the architect preferred to follow other models of the Modern Movement, such as the German expressionism led by Erich Mendelsohn. Originally it was made up of a ground floor, two floors and an attic that contained Dr. Barraquer's home. The first phase was completed in 1941, with the same layout as it currently has. In the 1950s, the second phase was built on Laforja Street and in 1971 an extension with three floors (including the existing attic) was carried out, with a mimetic conception that did not alter the general configuration of the building.
The floor plan is organised around two central patios that illuminate the meeting rooms from above, and the façades have a markedly rationalist character defined by the overlapping of continuous windows. When making the extension, the structure had to be reinforced with exterior metal pillars that introduce a vertical counterpoint in the façade. The corner is resolved with a curve that was originally topped by a circular volume tangent to the plane of the façade and that disappeared when the extension was made, which has diminished the expressionist character of the building. The interiors are art déco.
Building located on the chamfer of Muntaner and Laforja streets, designed as an ophthalmology clinic and private residence of Dr. Barraquer. The construction was carried out by the architect Joaquim Lloret i Homs during the GATPAC era, from which movement he takes his conception of the interior distribution and the formalisation of the façades, but the architect followed other models of the Modern movement such as the German expressionism led by Erich Mendelsohn.
The distribution of the building is structured in a ground floor and five floors that are organised around two central courtyards that illuminate the meeting rooms from above. However, it initially consisted of a ground floor, two floors and an attic with Dr. Barraquer’s home.
The façades show a clear rationalist character evidenced by the overlap of curved windows. When the extension was carried out, the structure was reinforced with external metal pillars that introduce a vertical counterpoint to the façade. The corner is resolved with a curved floor plan that was initially completed with a cylindrical volume tangent to the façade plane that was lost with the extension, which has left the façade with part of its initial expressionist character. The interiors have a strong relationship with decorative styles close to Art Déco.
The first phase of the building was completed in 1941, with the same layout that remains today. In the 1950s, the second phase was built on Laforja Street, and in 1971, a three-storey extension was carried out (incorporating the currently existing attic), with a mimetic idea that does not alter the overall structure of the building.
The singularity of the work lies above all in the interior decoration, as Dr. Barraquer himself collaborated, fusing his passion for the iconography of ancient Egypt with Art Déco.
Among all the currents of rationalism in Catalonia, a line of continuity and parallelism can be drawn between local architecture and German expressionism, some of which was directly inspired by the architect Erich Mendelshon.
