The Ministry of Culture acquires Casa Gomis

Casa Gomis, an icon of modernist and rationalist architecture, has recently become part of the public heritage. This acquisition, announced by the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun , represents a significant milestone in the preservation of this space located in La Ricarda, a protected natural landscape near the Prat de Llobregat airport.

The purchase project is an assessment of the cultural and architectural importance of this emblematic building, the work of the architect Antoni Bonet Castellana , designed between 1949 and 1956 and built between 1957 and 1963. Initially designed for the couple formed by Ricardo Gomis and Inés Bertrand , the house became an essential space for meetings of Barcelona culture during the sixties.

Minister Urtasun, accompanied by the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernàndez , and the Mayor of El Prat, Lluís Mijoler , stressed the essential nature of this space to reflect on the relationship between culture and the environment. This initiative coincides with a time when Barcelona is preparing to be World Capital of Architecture in 2026, which further enhances the role of Casa Gomis as a reference center for cultural activities and debates on sustainable architecture. For decades, this house has witnessed the tension between infrastructural progress and the conservation of natural heritage. La Ricarda, which is part of the Natura 2000 network, has been an enclave constantly threatened by airport expansion projects, a cause for controversy and debate. However, this acquisition reinforces the commitment to protecting a space that masterfully combines architecture and landscape.

© Ajuntament del Prat de Llobregat.

One of the most distinctive features of Casa Gomis is the succession of Catalan vaulted ceilings, which form an undulating roof, evoking the dunes and the rounded tops of the pine trees. This roof is covered with glazed ceramic pieces. The single-storey construction under the treetops is integrated with its surroundings through a large horizontal platform that houses a garden, rectilinear paths and a pond that reflects the image of the building. This perfect integration between the building and the landscape makes Casa Gomis a paradigmatic example of architectural adaptation to a specific natural environment.

Inside, Casa Gomis preserves pieces of great artistic value, such as a mural by Magda Bolumar, engravings by Tàpies and photographs by Carlos Pérez Siquier. This artistic legacy reinforces its potential as a cultural space. In fact, it has recently hosted activities such as Manifesta 15, the European biennial of nomadic art, and is now expected to become a cultural center with a regular program. This commitment is reinforced by the declaration of Casa Gomis as a Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN) in the category of Historical Monument on March 23, 2021, the highest figure of heritage protection in Catalonia.

The project will be managed jointly by the Ministry of Culture, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the El Prat City Council, thus ensuring shared management, in order to guarantee its preservation and consolidate it as a relevant cultural reference.

© José Hevia