Edifici Modernista JUJOL

History is a cruel mistress, and in Barcelona, she usually has a crush on Antoni Gaudí. But if you want to understand the soul of the city’s curves—the actual sweat and grit behind the trencadís mosaics and the wrought iron that looks like it’s screaming—you need to look at Josep Maria Jujol. For years, he was the 'collaborator,' the guy in the shadow, the one who made Gaudí’s visions actually pop. But here, at the corner of Carrer de Sicília and Avinguda Diagonal, Jujol finally takes the mic for a solo.

Casa Planells, or the Edifici Modernista Jujol, is a middle finger to the rigid geometry of the Eixample district. While the rest of the neighborhood was playing by the rules of Ildefons Cerdà’s grid, Jujol was handed a plot of land so small and awkwardly shaped it would make a modern developer weep. We’re talking about a tiny, triangular sliver of earth. Most architects would have built a boring box and called it a day. Jujol? He built something that defies the physics of the plot.

Standing on the sidewalk, you see the building doesn’t just sit there; it flows. It’s one of the best Modernista buildings in Barcelona precisely because it’s so restrained yet so radical. Built in 1924, it’s the last gasp of the movement, leaning into something almost Art Deco or Expressionist. The balconies don’t just hang; they undulate like waves hitting the shore of the Diagonal. The wrought iron is delicate, almost fragile-looking, a stark contrast to the heavy stone of the surrounding blocks. It’s a concentrated hit of design, a reminder that architecture isn't about how much marble you can buy, but how you manipulate the air.

Inside—if you’re lucky enough to catch it during a rare open house or if you know someone with an office there—the magic continues. Jujol used a series of mezzanines and winding staircases to trick the eye into thinking the 120-square-meter floor plan is a palace. It’s a masterclass in urban density. He used materials that were cheap at the time—plaster, wood, iron—and turned them into something that feels expensive because of the thought behind it.

Let’s be honest: this isn't the Sagrada Família. There are no queues, no audio guides narrated by B-list celebrities, and no gift shops selling overpriced magnets. It’s a private building. Most of the time, you’re just standing on a busy street corner with cars buzzing past, looking up at a facade. To the casual tourist, it’s just another old building. To the person who actually gives a damn about how cities are built, it’s a pilgrimage site.

Is it worth the trek? If you’re the type of person who checks boxes off a 'Top 10' list, probably not. You’ll be bored in five minutes. But if you want to see what happens when a genius is backed into a corner—literally—and forced to innovate his way out, Casa Planells is essential. It’s raw, it’s clever, and it’s a testament to the guy who did the heavy lifting while Gaudí got the statues. It’s a quiet, beautiful rebellion in stone and iron, standing right in the middle of the Eixample traffic.