Monday, November 3, 2008

Lidded Punch Bowl and Ladle: Casa Batlló

Casa Batlló was designed by Antoni Gaudi and is located on Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona, Spain. Designed for a specific client, Josep Batlló, to serve as an upper class apartment in which he and his family lived on the bottom two floors while the rest were rented out. The exterior appears to be like skin pealing back exposing the bone support columns. Casa Batlló sits in between two other buildings that are static and flat. This makes Casa Batlló stand out because the organic curves of the balconies that protrude out over the sidewalk. The unique shapes of each balcony and window are not only portrayed on the outside but they are flowing through to the inside as well. The texture change between the smooth concrete of the balconies to the rough texture of the upper part of the wall are like the material change that happens in the Lidded Punch Bowl and Ladle. The embellished silver metal swirls around the bowl and changes into smooth, flush, green glass. The Casa Batlló also has colored glass that stands out from the other materials. The shape of the glass on the punch bowl is very similar to the shape of the skin and bone oval shape that is around the lower windows, almost as the punch was made to be inside. The building itself is Art Nouveau as a whole, each and every room, including the dining room that holds the punch bowl is full of organic shapes and curves and over all has dynamic movement.

In comparison to the punch bowl the candlesticks that are located in the White House are something that not every household would have. Much like the punch bowl these candlesticks can be seen as a symbol of wealth or power.

Contrasting the punch bowl is the Barcarlounger. The chair is a common piece of furniture that is located in suburban homes. The punch bowl would most likely not be located in one of those homes but more in the upper class homes.


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