Abstract
There was an overshadowing effect of great modernist and nineteenth-century and rationalist architects in the same way as other important architects of our history have been neglected. This thesis examines and analyzes the work of the architect Xavier Turull Ventosa (1896-1920-1934), to make an inventory of his work and to make both his architectural production and his personal trajectory known to the public; an architect who, in addition to his extensive work -over two hundred pieces of work-, participates in GATCPAC and in rationalist projects. He works in several towns, both in Catalonia and beyond. Many of his works no longer exist and that is why it is necessary to make an inventory of all his production. To this date, some of his works are included in the Heritage, Patronat Parroquial, Ramos House, Joan Font Houses, the Casino, the Sant Lluis de Gonçaga School, Can Creixell House and Esteve Fernandez House and Hangar, all of them in La Garriga, Avel·lí Montenegro House in Sitges and the Santa Clara store in Vic. He participates in the nineteenth-century and rationalist movements. His early works include industrial buildings followed by some nineteenth-century sytle summer resorts (in La Garriga, Cerdanyola, Sitges and El Masnou), and some other cosmopolitan work (in Barcelona) However some “English style houses” characterized by eclecticism can be found in Sabadell. The vast majority of his work is, therefore, of nineteenth-century style, but in his later years he made some interesting rationalist projects: the House and Hangar Esteve Fernandez in La Garriga, the Valon House in El Masnou and some stores in Vic. This is the reason why he is included in the stream so called “marginal rationalism”, as these works are a good example of modern architecture. The work of Xavier Turull is always characterized by the adaptation to local architectural culture and the assimilation of technological innovations. As for typology, his work is framed in the social context of the time. His ability to adapt to different movements shows that he would have been a great rationalist. His independent character and openness to modernity are worthy of note. Rather than adapt to a particular style he was always open to new architectural trends and movements, advancing the concept of an innovative and evolving architecture. His work is based on three aspects: a high production capability with assimilation of technological innovations, an artistic personality sensitive to new architectural movements, and a typological openness, linked to the former, with a predominance of infill buildings. It is worth noting that Xavier Turull’s transition towards rationalism was not a sudden one. -A clear transitional period can be felt through the analysis of his production with interrelationship and combinations of architectural languages-. It could be argued that his architecture has nineteenth-century foundations with an air of modernism.
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