RASPALL, Manuel Joaquim
Manuel Joaquim Raspall i Mayol, Spanish Catalan architect. He graduated from the Escuela de Arquitectura, Barcelona, in 1905 and then worked in the Vallès Oriental area, where he was municipal architect to La Garriga, Cardedeu, L’Ametlla, Granollers, Llinàs, Caldes de Montbuy and La Roca. His output was prodigious. From the start, his works were characterized by their highly decorated nature, derived from Modernisme, the Catalan interpretation of Art Nouveau, and visible in his use of vertical motifs on the finishes of façades, borders of glazed tiles, sgraffito and curved lintels.
His most important works include the renovation of the Palau Nadal (1908) in the Carrer Ancha, Barcelona, and the Torre Iris and the Casa Barbey (both 1910) in La Garriga, which are remarkable for their exuberant but elegant polychrome decoration and their spaciousness. In later works, decorative features are simplified and limited to vertical strips and brick details, a notable example being the Granja Viader (1925) in Cardedeu. Other late works, such as the Casa Mallol in the Carrer Llerona and the Casa Roselló in Carrer Ranys (both 1924) in La Garriga, or the Casa Bossy (1927) in Carrer Esperanza, Granollers, use ornamental forms inspired by Baroque decoration and some classical stylistic elements, showing the influence of Noucentisme (a Catalan cultural movement of the early 20th century).
