La Pedrera

La Pedrera, the quarry, was the nickname that stuck to Casa Milà, a rough surfaced stone wave of a building. Just down the street from Casa Batlló, for the Milàs it was a matter of keeping up with the Jones in 1912.  La Pedrera was another primary residence with apartments, but this time Gaudí was able to start from scratch.  Underground parking, ventilation shafts, chimneys, light flow, catenary arches and columns were Gaudí 's to create.  And create he did, with flowing, functional organic forms.  We also had tickets to the nighttime rooftop light show, where your imagination could run wild.     George Lucas was said to have visited the roof of La Pedrera before creating the Star Wars storm troopers.  And the dean of his architecture school said, I don't know whether we have graduated a genius or a mad man. Time has surely decided.