Amidst construction work and rubble, two elegant modernist buildings stand isolated on Carrer del Consell de Cent. Their ornate facades starkly contrast the surrounding demolition. These twin structures, at numbers 600 and 602, are the latest pieces of Barcelona’s architectural past now set for demolition, making way for the ambitious park expansion at Plaça de les Glòries.

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This multi-million euro transformation of the city’s northern gateway claims the buildings as casualties. This project phase, which began late last year, aims to clear three blocks of old low-rise houses, workshops, and industrial units, creating nearly 26,400 square metres of new green space. This work forms part of a decades-long effort to convert the once-congested traffic hub into a sprawling urban lung, connecting the neighbourhoods of El Clot, Camp de l’Arpa, Eixample, and Poblenou.

A Glimpse of a Bygone Era

Walking between Carrer de la Independència and Carrer dels Castillejos, the two five-storey buildings appear as mirror images. Both share a cream-coloured palette and a wealth of decorative details, characteristic of the Modernisme movement that defined Barcelona at the turn of the 20th century. Intricate balconies, floral motifs, and sculpted female busts adorn their facades, crowned by ornamental false arches.

Research by the website Barcelona Modernista i Singular indicates the structures are not identical twins but contemporaries. A plaque on number 602, identified as Casa Sebastián Bosch Elías, bears the year 1916 and attributes it to architect Ramon Freixe i Mallofré. Its neighbour at number 600, named Casa Frederic Sanés, is the work of master builder Josep Graner i Prat. Reportedly, both interiors were equally elaborate, featuring glazed floral ceramic tiles and incised plasterwork, known as esgrafiats.

Today, their doors and ground-floor units are bricked up. Most shutters are drawn, signalling long inactivity, though a few resilient plants still cling to a second-floor balcony. They stand as silent holdouts, surrounded by demolition fences and the skeletons of already-razed structures, awaiting their turn.

Unlisted and Unprotected

Despite their clear architectural value and good conservation, the buildings’ fate was sealed: neither holds official protection. A search of the City Council’s Urban Information Portal (PIU) confirms they are not catalogued as heritage sites, leaving them vulnerable to urban planning objectives.

This omission is particularly striking. A recent heritage plan, approved in late 2025 for the surrounding El Clot and Camp de l’Arpa districts, granted protection to 839 other properties, or one in every three buildings in the area. However, the twin buildings fell outside its scope.

Tot Barcelona reported that the Clot-Camp de l’Arpa Neighbours’ Association considered preserving the two buildings. Ultimately, however, the idea was dismissed to prioritise the park’s original completion plan.

“It would make sense to preserve them, but it would be difficult to integrate them into the park afterwards,” the association stated, noting that conservation would mean once again modifying the urban plan and causing further delays to a project already decades in the making.

The Path to Progress

The demolition culminates a long process of expropriation and rehousing. City Hall sources confirmed former residents with relocation rights moved to a new social housing block across Plaça de les Glòries some time ago. Other families received financial compensation, and social services assisted vulnerable individuals in finding alternative housing. Those not meeting the criteria faced eviction with judicial authorisation.

The current demolition phase affects around 80 properties, budgeted at nearly €2.3 million. Before wrecking balls approach the modernist twins, contractors must first delicately remove over 440 square metres of asbestos from the affected buildings. The entire demolition process is expected to conclude by May, paving the way for Barcelona’s great urban transformation’s next landscaping stage.