Forest chalet newly verified as Gaudí work

A forest chalet in the northern pre-mountainous parts of Catalonia has been verified as a work of the legendary architect Antoni Gaudí. 

The ‘Xalet del Catllaràs’, located just outside the town of la Pobla de Lillet, has been demonstrated to be "objectively and unequivocally" a Gaudí piece, according to a new study commissioned by the Department of Culture.

The study was led by Galdric Santana, director of the Gaudí faculty at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and curator of the Gaudí Year commemoration events, and was made public on Wednesday. 

Up to this point, the modernist building was rumored and presumed to be crafted by the visionary architect, but this latest study, coming 100 years on from the death of Gaudí, confirms it for the first time.

The study shows that the building, found in the middle of a remote forest and constructed between 1901 and 1908, includes "unique techniques and methodologies" that were Gaudí trademarks. 

The study also explains why Gaudí never claimed the work as his own, as he designed it but did not direct the construction works. The villa then saw various modifications with respect to the original design.

To verify the work of Gaudí, Santana carried out comparisons of plans between the Chalet and Gaudí's other buildings. It was determined that there is a "similar constructive perspective" among them. 

Among the consistencies, there is the use of a corner vault of a cloister attached to the Chalet, currently missing, and the access between rooms through the use of distributors at 45 degrees.

Another "key" element is the use of an arch in the form of a curve shaped like a “parabola, or a catenary.” This form was “so bold and so new, that those who built the building didn't trust it and added load-bearing walls,” Santana points out. 

According to the researcher, Antoni Gaudí would not have claimed authorship of the Chalet because "the result was not what he had drawn.” During this period, it was common for architects not to sign the works if they were not executed faithfully to the original project. 

The town of La Poble de Lillet also has another work attributed to Gaudí: the Artigas Gardens. The council is working to certify that they are also the work of the famous architect, but the mayor admits that this will not be possible in 2026.

"Complete freedom"

The Catllaràs Chalet project was built between 1901 and 1908, coinciding with a time when Gaudí had many commissions, prompting him to delegate many projects because he could not visit them every week. 

Santana calls the Catllaràs Chalet a "paradox": "You could say that it is a minor work, but what really synthesizes this project is Gaudí's way of thinking." 

For him, the Chalet has "a lot of value" because he built it in a place where he felt "complete freedom." The location being outside an urban environment, with no regulations or height limits, let the architect apply "his own philosophy of modern architecture."

The mayor of La Pobla de Lillet, Enric Pla, says the study brings "justice" and certifies "what the people of the town have always known."

The chalet was built to host English engineers who came to work in the area's mines, which supplied fuel to the Clot del Moro factory, owned by Eusebi Güell, a longtime patron of Antoni Gaudí.

The local council would like to convert it into a mountain refuge to "guarantee its conservation," and for some public entity to take charge of its management.

They are clear that they want the municipally-owned building to be kept in good condition and be "visitable by everyone, including the people of the town."