The "Block of Discord" / "La Mansana de la Discòrdia" is the name given to one of the most visited parts of Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona. Between Aragón Street and Consejo de Ciento we find five buildings by renowned Catalan architects: Casa Lleó Morera by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Casa Mulleras by Enric Sagnier, Casa Bonet by Marcel·lià Coquillat, Casa Ametller by Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí. The rivalry between the buildings designed by Domenech i Montaner, Puig i Cadafalch and Antoni Gaudí, and the striking design of the latter, gave rise to the popular name of the "block of discord".
The book was a "choral" realization by Judith Urbano, PhD in Art History, José Juan Barba, PhD in Architecture, Manuel Arenas, Architect, Mariola Borrell, Architect, Guillem Carabí, PhD in Architecture, José María Díez, Architect and Fatima López PhD in Art History, all of them GRHAD members.
This book is the result of the research work conducted by the GRHAD during the past two years, within the project "The Block of Discord, modernism disrupting the uniformity of the Eixample". The GRHAD studied the "Block of Discord" and the set of residential buildings that form it regarding different aspects: history, sociocultural context, owners, architects, facades, plans and interior layout, construction, applied arts, planning regulations, ordinances and enforcement and rehabilitation.
The first phase of the research was focused on finding out all the aspects that make up the cultural, technical and human combination that accompanied the transformation of the houses which were analyzed. The objective of this research is to demonstrate a hypothesis: the understanding of Catalan Modernism as an engine of transgression within the Eixample's original urban and aesthetic regularity.
The Group for Research in History, Architecture and Design at the School of Architecture of the UIC is an interdisciplinary group formed in 1998 at the same time as a master and doctoral programme which has formed many researchers and doctors since.
