Barcelona's Casa Batlló has begun a year of events marking the centenary of the iconic architect Antoni Gaudi's death by staging a a stunning audiovisual experience to inaugurate a new contemporary art exhibition space within the walls of the famous art nouveau building.
Antoni Gaudí's Casa Batlló is a shining example of complimentary contrasts.
It's a permanent celebration of the legendary Spanish architect's creative genius, from his pioneering designs, mix of construction materials and obsession with nature.
Playing host to nearly two million visitors annually, it's often described as a "milestone for architecture." Cutting edge augmented reality digital devices let young and old discover fine details about its stained glass coloured windows or its innovative art nouveau modulable interior.
On the other hand, Casa Batlló's Mapping project is an ephemeral audiovisual experience performed only over two nights.
Now marking its fifth edition, and fast becoming one of Barcelona's major attractions that's free to the public, Casa Batlló invites artists to create a show to temporarily transform the façade of Gaudi's masterpiece.
There's a significant difference this year however with Hidden Order, a spectacular loud, bright and vibrant artwork by Matt Clark, co-founder of the London-based United Visual Artists.
To help breathe life into the project, Clark engaged international dance artist and choreographer Fukiko Takase. He recorded her movement using motion-capture technology, integrating the dancer’s body as a central visual element on the façade.
The title of the work reflects with “L’ordre invisible”, the official motto of ‘Gaudí Year 2026,’ which highlights the architect’s ability to combine imagination with scientific rigor through the observation of nature.
“Gaudí once said that the straight line belongs to man, and the curve to God. He believed that nature is governed by deeper geometric principles. As an artist, I’ve always been drawn to the hidden systems beneath the surface—those structures that quietly shape the world around us,” said Clark.
The experience was further heightened by Takase's live performance inside the façade, creating a direct connection between the iconic building and people gathered below.
“We see the mapping as a gift to the city—an open moment of encounter with a living World Heritage site,” explained Gary Gautier, General Director of Casa Batlló
For the first time, the mapping is continuing its life after its weekend projections as Beyond the Façade, an exhibition inside Casa Batlló, that inaugurates the historic building's new second-floor exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art.
Contemporary celebrations
Maria Bernat, Director of Casa Batlló Contemporary said: “United Visual Artists’ work perfectly embodies the spirit of Casa Batlló Contemporary: openness, risk-taking, research, and the ambition to create experiences that cannot exist anywhere else.”
Extra focus will be on Gaudí's legacy this year given Barcelona's designation as a World Capital of Architecture. All of the city's ten districts will stage events, open houses, workshops and installations with the aim of showing that architecture can and should involve all.
For Gautier, Gaudí has never been more relevant to architecture, engineering and urban planning than he is now.
"Most of the innovations that Gaudí brought, into his projects to solve architectural challenges are now being understood from a different perspective. They no longer, decorative approaches, but solutions that solve today's problems in most of the buildings. Buildings that are alive, buildings that are able to breathe, that are sustainable, many things that architects are looking for now. During the last century, and, back in time, Gaudi was already building with this consciousness."
The exhibition Beyond the Façade by Matt Clark (United Visual Artists) is on at Casa Batlló until 17 May 2026
