Eixample

On one side, a neo-Gothic palazzo and, on the other, a modernista residential block, the Palau Baró de Quadras is a chocolate box bursting with imagination which changes depending on which side you view it from. Once inside, a box of surprises opens up, replete with eclectic decorative details and refined taste.

In 1900, the Baron de Quadras commissioned Josep Puig i Cadafalch to refurbish a residential block on Carrer Rosselló. The architect transformed the building completely, between 1902 and 1903, providing it with two distinct façades which make it particularly interesting. When viewed from the Avinguda Diagonal, the building is reminiscent of North-European palaces, with an intricately carved neo-plateresque style which highlights the noble character of the building. Here, the long, ornate balcony, with its busts of eminent medieval and Renaissance figures, floral motifs and heraldic shields, and the mansards on the upper floor, are fully in keeping with the medieval European style. Highlights include the sculptures by Eusebi Arnau and Alfons Juyol.

The façade on Carrer Rosselló, retains some elements of the original building, decorated in the modernista style, with elements of the Viennese Sezessionsstil. Inside the palace, which has been home to the Asia-Pacific cultural centre, the Casa Àsia, since 2003, the most eclectic modernista decorations predominate, with the clear influence of the neo-Gothic style on the main staircase and the wrought-iron entrance. Many details, such as the mosaics, sgraffito work and multi-coloured woodwork, are reminiscent of the Arabesque neo-Mudéjar style.