Gaudí’s whimsical stunner El Capricho captured in new photos

When Antoni Gaudí was 31 years old, he designed a strange and ornate villa in the Spanish coastal city of Comillas for a wealthy client. El Capricho, completed in 1885, was one of his first full-scale buildings, but it already had all the markings of a Gaudí masterpiece—lots of color, shapes, and delightful weirdness.

Photo by David Cardelús

Photo by David Cardelús

El Capricho is pure eye candy, and thanks to photographer David Cardelús, we can revel in all its colorful glory. In a new series of photos, Cardelús takes us on a detail-filled tour of El Capricho, from the carved marble pillars to the glass-walled greenhouse in the rear of the house.

Photo by David Cardelús

Photo by David Cardelús

Like Gaudí Park Güell and the Sagrada Família, El Capricho is a celebration of pattern, texture, and color. The bottom of the house is built from pale brick that’s striped with sunflower emblazoned tiles. A Persian minaret covered in the same sunflower tiles juts into the air like a Super Mario Brothers castle.

Photo by David Cardelús

The whole house feels a little like a fever dream, which is exactly the intended effect. You can get a taste of the building here, but to see Gaudí’s handiwork up close, you can always book a tour.

Via: Designboom