Awarded
Cataloged
Disappeared
All works
-
1897
-
Viladomiu Nou Colony
All the industrial colonies in the upper Llobregat are similar: a tower, the church, the school and the workers' housing in three-storey blocks organised in parallel streets close to the factory. The factory was founded in 1870 and the Viladomiu Nou colony in 1874 by Tomàs Viladomiu i Bertran, who also owned the neighbouring industrial complex Viladomiu Vell. He had acquired the land of ‘Grau de Sant Marc’ and began work on a new factory and its annexed services, which, together with Viladomiu Vell, obtained the status of Agricultural and Industrial Colony in 1882. In 1907, the two companies were separated: the new production centre was given to Jacint Viladomiu and the old one to his heir, Josep Viladomiu. In 1929, the family bought the neighbouring Guixaró Colony and began a period of expansion that continued until the 1980s, when the textile crisis forced the company to close its doors.1880 - 1902
-
1899 - 1902
-
1903
-
Torre de l'Amo de Can Bassacs
It is a large four-sided building made up of various structures that form a monumental architecture; a synthesis, stylistically speaking, of historicist and Catalan Art Nouveau architecture. It is structured in elevation, mainly on the ground floor and three floors, with a monumental two-coloured roof with several slopes made up of green and red ceramic tiles. With a square floor plan, it incorporates an atrium on one of the façades on the ground floor and over a tribune, a structure that is reproduced in the rest of the elevations, giving the complex the appearance of an attached tower, which enhances the castle-like appearance of the complex. In addition, in the central part of the building there is a rectangular-shaped building with a tile-covered lantern, of which the crenellated structure and the decoration with arcatures imitating Lombard Romanesque style stand out, decoration that is also found in the friezes of the roofs and in the attached tower. In short, the use of structural elements associated with medieval architecture is a constant throughout the building. An example of this medievalism are the groups of trigeminate windows topped with semicircular arches and separated by columns that are located throughout the top floor, or the decorations on the imposts of the opening sills, which in some cases reproduce floral motifs. In terms of Catalan Art Nouveau decoration, the roof of the building is decorated with a number of chimneys covered with coloured ceramic tiles forming a mosaic or frieze which, together with other decorative motifs, reinforces the Catalan Art Nouveau character of the building. Also noteworthy are the decorations on the fronts of the balcony slabs, made with glazed ceramic tiles that reproduce floral motifs. Above the main doorway there is a balcony with a unique railing made up of quadrilobed oculi with a slab made of iron beams and flat brick vaults covered and painted with geometric motifs. On this same main façade, at the height of the lintel of the first floor, there is a coat of arms with the letter B, the initial letter of the original owner of the tower. The entire work is covered with a rendering that imitates irregular rows of stone ashlars. In short, a monumental building that reproduces the character of a medieval castle with decorations that recall the Art Nouveau style. The country house of the owners of Cal Bassacs, as in most of the textile colonies, was built as a home for the owners, generally temporary; it is a large stately building that also serves as a place of dominion. Its monumentality favours the symbolism of the building, showing that the entrepreneur is the master and externalising his social and economic status. The founding owners of the Cal Bassacs factory and colony were the married couple Joan Teixidor i Ballús and Raimunda Bassacs i Fornell, from Berga and Gironella respectively. Both families were linked to the spinning and/or textile industry prior to the construction of the Cal Bassacs factory, at least since the 18th century. The first news related to the factory begins at the beginning of the sixties of the 19th century, first with the purchase of the land and then with the beginning of the works of the factory, which would finally end up with the construction of two factories. The Teixidor-Bassacs family also had a workshop in their usual residence, located in what is now the Plaça de la Vila de Gironella. The business with the Cal Bassacs factories was basically to rent them, although some of the successors also founded a company dedicated to spinning and weaving. The tower was built around 1900, in the area of the garden that was used as the factory's warehouse. The tower had a chapel located at ground floor level, on the east side of the main entrance door, and which had direct access – this was used for some years to celebrate masses until the parish church of Santa Maria de Cal Bassacs was built. In the last years of the textile factory, part of the tower was also used as a factory warehouse.1900 - 1905
-
1908
-
Torre de l'Amo de Viladomiu Vell
autoria desconeguda
It is an isolated stately tower, with a rectangular floor plan made up of four bodies distributed in such a way as to form an interior courtyard, the four of them organised in elevation on the ground floor, two floors and attic, and with tile roofs forming two slopes with the ridges running parallel to each of the four sides. In the body of the building facing Carrer de Puig Llançada, there is a tower that stands out from the rest of the constructions, covered with hip tile roofs, which gives the complex the character of a stately tower. Each façade has a different treatment in terms of the typology and layout of the openings; however, all of them are framed by exposed brickwork that stands out from the white walls made with a common wall covered with a simple plaster, except for the ground floor where the cladding imitates a masonry of large ashlars arranged in an irregular manner. Attached to the tower there is a single flight of external stairs, with a brick railing, which leads to the first floor, where there is a unique brickwork belvedere with a hexagonal base, with four green ceramic columns and green ceramic floral capitals supporting false stepped arches on which is a second uncovered belvedere with an exposed brickwork cantilevered railing supported by corbels, also in exposed brickwork. On each side of the main entrance we see the atriums formed by three pointed corner arches, above which is a small flat roof terrace with simple balustraded balustrades of exposed brickwork. Two of the lower arches start from an exposed brick pillar built according to a helical structure. The cladding of the whole is in rather poor condition, with undercuts that reveal the common masonry work of the walls. The cladding of all the corner pieces imitates large squared ashlars that give the whole a medieval castle character. The tower of the owner of Viladomiu Vell is recorded as having been built in 1910 (CASALS:2002, 49). As is the case in all the colonies, the tower was built as a residence for the owners of the factory and the colony for the owners. These were usually monumental buildings, in historicist or Catalan Art Nouveau styles, which became a symbol of the social and economic power of the lords. The first steps for the construction of the Viladomiu Vell factory were taken on 2 May 1868, when Tomàs Viladomiu i Bertran and his sons, Josep, Jacint and Marc Viladomiu i Montañà, bought a piece of land, called la Plana de Sant Marc, from Josep Feliu i Subirà and Martí Feliu Farriols, father and son. In 1871, the factory was already registered. Initially, housing was built on the first floor of the factory for the workers and also for Mr. Viladomiu, who lived there until 1878. This was the year when the owners' residence tower began to be built – it is recorded that the factory's carpentry shop was located on the ground floor.1910
-
Colònia de Cal Bassacs
autoria desconeguda
La colònia tèxtil de Cal Bassacs està conformada per el recinte fabril o industrial, el conjunt de diferents naus que es disposen alineades una a continuació de l'altra, junt amb magatzems, espais destinats a oficines, al davant de la fàbrica es localitzen els edificis destinats a allotjar treballadors, i en una gran parcel·la, delimitada per un mur de tancament, la torre, la residència dels senyors que incloïa una petita capella, al voltant de la torre hi ha uns jardins i també una construcció més moderna. La majestuositat de la torre, a més de trobar-se emplaçada presidint el conjunt també destaca per les seves dimensions, les característiques constructives i el treball ornamental dels seus acabats. Pel que fa als habitatges per els treballadors, aquests estan situats al davant de la fàbrica per el costat de ponent conformant un carrer, anomenat carrer indústria; el conjunt està format per edificis de planta baixa, i dues plantes pis, amb coberta a dues vessants amb el carener paral·lel a l'eix del carrer. Mostren un total de quatre portals d'accés a les respectives escales interiors; sembla que es tracta d'edificis construïts en diferents etapes, a grans trets les façanes, excepte l'edifici de més al nord, la resta disposen d'obertures que a planta baixa disposen d'emmarcaments de maó massís (porta d'accés a l'escala interior, portal d'accés a la planta baixa i alguna finestra) amb llindes d'arc rebaixat, la resta d'obertures són simples, de línies rectes; destacar que l'edifici que afronta amb el situat a l'extrem nord, disposa d'obertures a balcons amb voladís. Pel que fa a l'edifici de l'extrem nord del conjunt, aquest destaca per tenir una distribució regular de les seves obertures, tots amb emmarcament de maó massís, de les que destaca la finestra central de la planta primera amb una col·locació dels maons diferenciada. En l'edifici de l'extrem més sud, es pot veure que està bastit en part amb murs de pedra en algunes parts i la resta de toves, i a les cantoneres carreus de pedra ben tallada. i en part de toves A la part posterior, trobem diferents tipus d'obertures, en un cas, el de més al sud, només disposa de finestres senzilles, les dues següents són amb galeries a cada planta, aquestes de línies rectes i la resta disposen de galeries amb obertures formades per arcs de mig punt tot i que d'acabats diferents, i combinades amb finestres. El matrimoni format per Raimunda Bassacs i Joan Teixidor i Ballús van ser els fundadors de la fàbrica de Cal Bassacs. La nissaga Bassacs era originària de Prats de Lluçanès, on feien de paraires, es van traslladar a Gironella, on ja hi consten al 1717. A finals del segle XVIII i primera meitat del segle XIX, van formar part de diverses companyies de filatura i teixit de cotó. Pel que fa a la família Teixidor, era originària de Berga i també es documenta la seva dedicació als filats i teixits de cotó durant molts anys, al segle XVII consten la seva participació en una societat berguedana. El 1861 el matrimoni resideix a Gironella, més concretament a la que actualment s'anomena plaça de la Vila, llavors plaça de l'església, on consta que tenien un taller amb 10 telers de mà, un ordidor i una màquina de fer bitlles, es té constància que el 1896 aquest taller encara funcionava. A l'abril de 1861 el matrimoni va comprar una peça de terra a Maria i Ramon Fígols de Gironella, al peu del Llobregat a toca del pont de Sant Marc i per tant a peu del camí. El 30 de maig de 1862, Joan Teixidor va demanar permís a l'Ajuntament de Gironella per construir un molí fariner de dues moles i una fàbrica als terres adquirits. L'inici de les obres s'iniciaren el 1869, amb les obres de la resclosa i l'obtenció del permís per construir un molí amb dues moles i una rúbrica. Sembla que el model inicial es modificar, ja que el molí no es va construir i van bastir dues rúbriques. Al 1871 van comprar un nou tros de terra, moment en el que costa que la fàbrica ja tenia 158 pams de llarg per 14 d'ample. L'any 1872 van obtenir permís per extreure pedra del llit del riu amb la recomanació que no s'afectés les restes del pont de Sant Marc. Per tal de fer front, a les necessitats de capital per la fàbrica de Cal Bassacs, el matrimoni també comprà una casa a Avià amb 11 telers, una màquina de bitlles i un ordidor. Una altra font de finançament, va ser externa, concretament arran d'una hipoteca feta amb Antoni Manent Llonch, qui fou fundador de la colònia Manent de Puig-reig entre altres negocis; el deute es tancar el 1884. Consta que a mesura que anaven construir naus, les llogaven a petits empresaris. El 1880 Miquel i Josep Santesteban hi tenien 12 i 10 telers respectivament. El 1884 una de les dues fàbriques devia estar totalment acabada, ja que consta que la van llogar a l'empresa de Manresa "Antoni Torra e Hijos y Cía", passava a acollir més de 4000 fusos i 94 telers mecànics. Una altra part fou llogada a "Estapé Camps" que hi instal·lar 12 telers mecànics. Una de les rúbriques va ser donada en vida al fill Antoni, qui la posà en funcionament, la donació fou confirmada en el testament de Joan Teixidor Ballús, que morí al 1891. En el moment de la seva mort consta que les dues fàbriques ja estaven acabades, també els magatzems i les cases per els treballadors. Els hereus dels seus béns vans ser la seva filla Concepció Teixidor Bassacs i el seu gendre Josep Fusté Teixidor. Els fills continuaren el negoci amb línies diferents. Antoni, malalt, va acabar llogant la fàbrica a altres industrials; a la seva mort, la fàbrica va recaure, part en mans de la seva dona Carme Vila Marces, i part a la seva filla i hereva, Carme Teixidor Vila. L'hereva va continuar llogant la fàbrica, un dels empresaris que l'arrendà va ser Josep Sanglàs i Alsina de Manlleu, que es dedicà a la fabricació de maquinaria destinada a la filatura de cotó, essent considerada la primera empresa catalana d'aquestes característiques, va arribar a tenir una plantilla de 300 treballadors als anys XX. Amb la mort prematura de l'hereva, la mare, Carme Vila rebé la fàbrica, qui la va llogar a l'empresa "Josep Fusté i Cia.", els familiars que feien anar l'altra part de la fàbrica de Cal Bassacs, la que havia rebut Concepció Teixidor (muller de Josep Fusté). (segueix a observacions). Destacar que a la façana principal dels habitatges destaca un dels edificis que compten amb dos balcons amb voladís, un sobre de l'altre, el de la planta baixa és de voladís de fusta suportat per biguetes de fusta, a manera de permòdols, i el del pis de sobre és de biguetes metàl·liques amb rajols i també caps de bigues de fusta a manera de permòdols i tirant de ferro. Les baranes en un i altre són de barrocs senzills amb decoració de volutes al sòcol i sota el passamà. Cal Bassacs està inclòs en el "Pla director urbanístic de les colònies industrials del Llobregat"; el municipi de Gironella està comprès dins el Pla juntament els d'Avià, Balsareny, Berga, Casserres, Gaià, Navàs, Olvan i Puig-reig (DOGC núm. 4940 publicat el 03/08/2007). (segueix d'Història): Amb la mort de Carme Vila, la part de la fàbrica passa a Ricard Teixidor Masjuan, qui el 1946 crearia la societat "Hilados y Tejidos Fusté, S.A.". La fàbrica heretada per la Concepció Teixidor, havia anat estant destinada a fabricació directa per part de l'empresa de la família, l'esmentada "Josep Fusté Teixidor y Cia". El 31 de maig de 1914 es va cremar la fàbrica; Concepció ja vídua, va rebre l'ajuda del director Esteve Esparbé Garriga. Tot i l'aturada que implicà l'incendi, es va reprendre l'activitat i el 1919 llogà la fàbrica veïna als parents. Durant uns anys van funcionar dues raons socials a les fàbriques de Cal Bassacs. El fill de la Concepció Teixidor, Salvador Fusté va casar-se el 1920 amb Bernada de Martín i Llobet de Berga. Salvador va morir jove, va fer hereu el seu nebot, Josep M. Minoves Fusté, seria el principal accionista de la companyia "Hilados y Tejidos Fusté, S.A.". No va ser fins al finals del segle XX que les dues famílies hereves de les fàbriques de Cal Bassacs van formar una única empresa, unint les dues fàbriques en la mateixa societat anònima. -
Viladomiu Vell Colony
autoria desconeguda
The Viladomiu Vell settlement is located about one kilometre south of Cal Bassacs. It is a colony built parallel to the river, from north to south, and at the entrance to the colony we find the church on one side (together with some annexe buildings) and on the other side, the owners' tower, while a little further up is the director's chalet. Thus, firstly, the most emblematic spaces of symbolic power, the church and the tower, then the central part destined for the workers' dwellings, and in the final part, the industrial zone, the factory. The dwellings are distributed in three rows of parallel blocks that make up the urban space, streets and squares; thus, in the upper street, the westernmost one, there are two blocks arranged in a row, one next to the other. Broadly speaking, these are buildings with an elongated rectangular ground plan, consisting of three storeys (ground floor and two upper floors) and a semi-basement floor accessible from the street below, as the ground is slightly uneven, and these are basically used as garages. The main façade that opens onto calle de Puig Sacalm is the characteristic gallery façade, made up of three rows or open gallery streets with openings of segmental arches supported on pillars. On this façade we find the entrances to the ground floors and the stairwells leading to the upper floors. Three of the lateral façades of these blocks remain without cladding, allowing us to see the stone walls with solid brick reinforcement in the corners and in the framing of the openings, in the case of the northernmost block, which also forms a decorative plasterwork. In this same block, we can see the openings of the southern lateral façade at ground floor level, with the openings framed in stone ashlars. The other blocks, one on the central street or row and two on the street below, also placed one next to the other, are also elongated rectangular in plan, with three storeys (ground floor and two storeys) and a gable roof of Arabic tile with an eave decorated with a geometric combination made of solid brick. The walls show the ground floor made of stone ashlars and the rest with the surface rendered and painted. The openings in the main and side façades are straight-cut and regularly distributed; the access portals to the interior staircases all open onto Puig Llançada street; the rear façades (in the westernmost block on the west and the easternmost blocks open onto the river to the east) have openings leading to balcony galleries, most of which have now been modified and closed off. The block of flats on the east side facing the church has an inverted L-shaped plan, with a volume facing the church that housed the schools and community spaces. Between the two we find the main square of the colony, the church square. Delimited between the three rows of blocks and at the southern end by the access to the factory, there is another square - Puig Sacalm street, the street above, which is like a promenade, with benches and plane trees. The Viladomiu Vell colony was founded by Tomàs Viladomiu Bertran, a member of a lineage linked to the spinning and weaving industry since ancient times. The origins of the family are documented from the beginning of the 16th century in Vilada, from where they moved to Berga. Over the years, there are numerous reports documenting the Viladomiu family's relationship with textile manufacturing, showing the evolution and growth of their business by adapting to the new demands and needs of each period. Tomàs Viladomiu's father moved to Sallent when he married Antònia Bertran, from the Cal Rei house, a town where he would continue to work in the wire and fabric business, and where the founder of the Viladomiu colonies was born, who would continue the family's business trajectory. Tomàs Viladomiu Bertran decided to set up a factory and colony up the Llobregat river, seeing the possibilities offered by the area, which was still scarcely industrialised. The chosen location was the land at Plana de Santa Marc, which he bought from the Feliu brothers. The history of the colony of Viladomiu began in 1868 with the application for the use of water to build a factory. Work began with the construction of the first building, the lock and canal, and the first buildings to house the workers. Subsequently, the colony would grow and incorporate elements, the church (1885), the wall, the tower (1910), the schools, extending the blocks of flats, enlarging the factory, etc. Once production had started (1871), the company ‘Viladomiu e Hijos’ bought and began the process of building a new colony on land further south of Viladomiu Vell. In this case, the land was bought from the same family, the plot where the new project was to be built was called the Llave de San Marcos, the names of the land would be used while both colonies were under the same company. From 1896, Tomàs Viladomiu's sons split the inheritance and each colony, Viladomiu Vell and Viladomiu Nou, were managed by different companies. In 1882 the company obtained the status of agricultural and industrial colony, which allowed it to benefit from certain tax exemptions. From the foundation of the Viladomiu Nou colony until 1989 it was managed by different companies linked to the Viladomiu family. The management of the colony and factory of Viladomiu Nou was done through different companies, as they changed over the years - 1869-1887: Viladomiu and Sons, 1888-1896: Viladomiu Sons, from this point onwards each Viladomiu colony undertook its own business path, 1896-1906: José Viladomiu Montañá, 1907-1927: José and Jacinto Viladomiu; 1928-1934: José Viladomiu Senmartí; 1934-1989: Manufacturas Viladomiu S. A. The Colonia Viladomiu Vell is included in the ‘Plan director urbanístico de las colonias industriales del Llobregat’; the municipality of Gironella is included in the Pla together with the municipalities of Avià, Balsareny, Berga, Casserres, Gaià, Navàs, Olvan and Puig-reig (DOGC no. 4940 published on 03/08/2007). At the southern end of the complex is the industrial area, the factory, with access through a large open doorway in the perimeter wall delimiting the factory space; in the access area there are some buildings built in the 20th century, including offices, the weighbridge, etc. The main feature of the production complex is the large central nave with an elongated rectangular floor plan, three levels of openings and a gable roof made of Arabic tile. Surrounding it are other halls and buildings, several of the structures attached to the central nave, with different volumes and finishes, being buildings of different functionalities and chronologies. On the north side of the complex there was the chimney of the steam engine, which no longer exists. Parallel to the river and the colony runs the canal that carries the water from the lock, located a few metres upstream, to the factory. The orchard area around the canal is also worth mentioning. A few metres from the owner's tower there is also the director's chalet – a four-storey house attached to the land on the west side, with a ground floor, first floor and ground floor-roof. On the first floor, there is a balcony-like gallery that continues on the roof and a ground floor level that develops on the roof itself, showing only lateral façades between the different roof planes. The roof is made of flat ceramic tiles with eaves supported by wooden beam heads. -
1988 - 1991
-
New Access to the Historical Centre of Gironella
Carles Enrich Studio, Carles Enrich Giménez
The historic centre of Gironella is located on the east bank of the Llobregat River, 20 metres above the modern part, which has grown on the other side of the river. Difficulties of accessibility have led to the depopulation of the old town and we therefore propose to insert a new access that enhances connectivity between the two parts. Seeking to establish a dialogue with the pre-existence, we located the lift at a strategic point on the Cal Metre road, the old access to the textile colonies. We recognise the vegetal stratum of the promenade as an element of relationship with the public space and seek material continuity with the industries. The structure is made up of pillars and tubular rings. The lower 8 metres of the lift shaft are resolved with a glass enclosure, the transparency of which guarantees integration with the Cal Metre promenade. The upper 16 metres are covered by a ceramic lattice, leaving the inner face open to maintain visual contact with the vestiges of the medieval wall during the journey.2015