MESURA at Casa Batlló: a new life for the second floor
From January 2026, one of the most hidden corners of Casa Batlló will open to the public for the very first time: its second floor. A 230 m² space, closed for decades, will be transformed by Barcelona-based studio MESURA into a new gallery dedicated to contemporary art. Curated under the Casa Batlló Contemporary programme, this project marks a new chapter for the iconic building, coinciding with the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death in 2026.
The first exhibition in the new space will be Beyond the Façade by acclaimed British studio United Visual Artists (UVA), who will also be responsible for that year’s façade mapping. However, MESURA’s intervention goes far beyond architectural renovation: it is a dialogue with Gaudí’s legacy, approached from a contemporary and deeply respectful perspective.
A new cultural milestone for Barcelona
The opening of this floor consolidates Casa Batlló’s role not just as a modernist jewel, but as a living, evolving cultural hub. From 2026, the new level will host two exhibitions per year and can be visited either as part of the standard tour or with a separate ticket.
Maria Bernat, director of Casa Batlló Contemporary, explains:“We aim to foster a dialogue between past and future, placing Gaudí’s legacy within a contemporary framework. Through art and architecture, we explore his radical vision from today’s perspective, while remaining true to his innovative and disruptive spirit.”
MESURA’s architectural intervention
Known for its sensitive approach, contemporary aesthetics, and ability to engage with history through design, MESURA has envisioned this project as a quiet echo of Gaudí’s work. Their goal is neither imitation nor competition, but rather resonance.
The original architectural elements that have survived over time — such as woodwork and stained glass — have been preserved, while a new architectural language enriches the space without altering its identity. The most striking gesture is a curved metallic ceiling, screen-printed with concentric wave patterns that evoke the impact of a single drop of water. Produced using robotic technology, this ceiling serves both a structural and symbolic role: it is the new “sky” of contemporary art at Casa Batlló.
“Intervening in a Gaudí building is both a dream and a great responsibility. Our aim was to create a whisper that adds to his universe without disturbing it”, says Carlos Dimas, partner at MESURA.
MESURA: design with soul and purpose
At CC/magazine, we’re familiar with MESURA’s work — in fact, our latest print edition, The Unusual Barcelona, features an in-depth interview with the studio. Founded in 2010 by five partners after winning the Europan award, MESURA has established itself as a key player in Barcelona’s new design scene. Their transdisciplinary approach — spanning architecture, urban planning and furniture design — turns each project into an open-ended investigation.
Their intervention in Casa Batlló is also a declaration of intent: to reimagine heritage not through nostalgia, but through active creation and critical respect.
Beyond the façade: art, technology and perception
The inaugural exhibition could not be in better hands. United Visual Artists (UVA), the studio led by Matt Clark, will make their Barcelona debut with an immersive installation exploring the cycles of life, light and movement. UVA has previously exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts (London), YCAM (Tokyo), and the Sydney Biennale, and now bring their vision to Casa Batlló with a proposal set to surprise both locals and international visitors.
Beyond the Façade will open on 31 January 2026 and serve as a conceptual extension of the annual façade mapping, also directed by Matt Clark. The façade — one of the world’s most iconic canvases — becomes the starting point for a narrative that unfolds inside the building.
21st-Century heritage
The new gallery is part of Casa Batlló’s Master Plan, a roadmap initiated in 2015 to guide its preservation, use and future projection. Supported by Spain’s Ministry of Culture, UNESCO and local institutions, the plan views heritage as a living entity — one that can evolve with sensitivity, purpose and innovation.
Gary Gautier, General Manager of Casa Batlló, summarises the vision: “We aspire for Casa Batlló to remain a cultural beacon, both locally and globally — a reference point for how living heritage can be enriched through creativity and art”.
Casa Batlló Contemporary: a creative platform
Since its launch in 2021, Casa Batlló Contemporary has collaborated with artists such as Refik Anadol, Sofía Crespo and Quayola, producing both façade mappings and works within the building. The opening of this new gallery marks another step in that direction: providing space for contemporary voices that don’t preserve the past in amber, but instead engage with it from the present.
Artists are given access to the Casa’s private archives, curatorial support, and a privileged setting in which to develop immersive, thoughtful works that connect with Gaudí’s spirit.
A living legacy
Once used as a conservation workshop, the second floor of Casa Batlló is reborn as an exhibition space. This architectural and symbolic gesture is the perfect metaphor for what it means to care for heritage: not merely preserving it, but projecting it into the future.
As Xavier Villanueva, Chief Architect of Casa Batlló, puts it: “Something we imagined ten years ago will soon become a reality — to revive a historic space, open it up to the city and give it a new use that expands Gaudí’s legacy”.
Save the date.
(*) Façade photo by Claudia Mauriño, MESURA renders and UVA mapping.
