Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Green Trencadís Bubble Chimney of the Palau Güell by Antoni Gaudí

2077

Early Catalan Modernisme, 1886–1890

A trencadís mosaic chimney cap from the rooftop terrace of the Palau Güell in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí and completed 1886–1890. The chimney cap is shaped as a bulbous parabolic form densely encrusted with irregular fragments of deep viridian and emerald green glazed ceramic tile. The curved surface follows a complex compound curvature, the green mosaic surface wrapping continuously around the three-dimensional form. The recessed mortar joints between ceramic fragments produce a fine network of lines across the green field, creating a cellular visual texture analogous to biological surfaces — the cells of plant tissue, the scales of reptiles, the segmented surfaces of arthropods. Under direct sunlight, the varied angles of the projecting ceramic fragments cause the green surface to shimmer with differential light intensities.