Colònia Busquets

Introduction

Have you ever heard of the legendary Colonia Busquets? It is an emblematic group of modernist-style houses in the Vallvidrera neighborhood, on the outskirts of Barcelona. What makes it so special is its story, testimony to the heroic deeds of a man in the face of adversity.

The story begins in 1907, when the decorator Joan Busquets bought the agricultural land on the Església road and five years later the first modernist-style urbanization was built in Vallvidrera. His designs became a refuge for people fleeing the bombs that devastated Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. During the bombing of Barcelona, ​​Busquets opened the houses to evacuee children who sought refuge within its walls.

Today, his legacy lives on: Colonia Busquets has become a symbol of hope and resistance for all who visit it. In this article, we will explore how Joan Busquets changed the course of history with his Vallvidrera development.

Joan Busquets: A pioneer of the modernist style

When Joan Busquets arrived at Vallvidrera in 1907, he was a pioneer. He saw the possibility of creating a modernist enclave in the Catalan countryside and got to work. The area soon became home to some of the most impressive examples of modernist architecture in the world, including its own Colonia Busquets development - a beautiful complex of summer houses surrounded by lush gardens.

Thanks to Busquets' vision, Vallvidrera was transformed into an idyllic getaway for the wealthy citizens of Barcelona. They could come here and enjoy nature away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. No one could have imagined that Busquets' unique creation would become a refuge for those fleeing during one of the darkest periods in Spain's recent history.

During the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona suffered terrible losses as it was constantly bombed by Franco's forces. In their hour of need, many used their vacation homes as their only sanctuary, and thanks to Joan Busquets' innovative urban planning project this was possible.

The beginning of the Busquets Colony

Before the civil war, Vallvidrera was a summer resort for Barcelona residents, an opportunity to get out of the city and into nature. But in 1912, the decorator Joan Busquets changed the course of history with his urbanization of the area. He built an urbanization with modernist style houses, surrounded by gardens, and there began the Busquets Colony.

The civil war also changed Vallvidrera forever. The summer houses were transformed into refuges for those fleeing a bombed Barcelona. The Busquets Colony, in particular, took in the evacuee children and provided them with both food and a safe place to stay. During this time, it began to be known as "El poble dels nens" (The children's town).

The summer houses transformed into shelters during the Civil War

The summer houses of Colonia Busquets were transformed into shelters during the Spanish Civil War. While Barcelona was bombed, many citizens needed to find refuge elsewhere. People took their families to the Colonia Busquets neighborhood of Vallvidrera, where the modernist-style houses provided them with a safe haven from danger.

For many of these families, the summer houses, often unoccupied, provided a place to stay temporarily and feel safe. In addition to housing entire families, the Busquets Colony also took in evacuee children who could not stay with their parents during this time of unrest. The area became a safe home for people needing shelter from the ongoing war.

This humanitarian aid was the direct result of Joan Busquets' urbanization efforts in Vallvidrera: unknowingly, he had changed the course of history by creating an area that so many could use as a refuge in times of need. </ p >

The Tibidabo Colony in Vall Vidrera and the legacy of Joan Busquets

When Joan Busquets began planning the Colonia del Tibidabo in Vallvidrera in 1912, he created a place of refuge. The modernist-style houses and gardens proved to be a peaceful refuge from the bustling city of Barcelona. Then, with the outbreak of the Civil War, what was once a peaceful holiday getaway became a refuge for those fleeing a bombed-out Barcelona.

The Busquets Colony welcomed evacuee children and their families, who had to hastily leave their homes. This place for a walk became a refuge, but it did not stop being a space of consolation and connection with nature in times of uncertainty.

Busquets' legacy lives on today, as many of these houses still stand tall and proud above Vallvidrera, a living memory of his work and dedication to creating an oasis in such chaotic times. . Although it was built more than a hundred years ago, there is no doubt that Joan Busquets' urban development effort significantly changed the course of history in Vallvidrerra.

Conclusion

Joan Busquets, with his modernist urbanization of Vallvidrera, forever changed the way we conceive summer residences and life in contact with nature. His imaginative designs, bold in turn-of-the-century Spain, have stood the test of time and are a powerful reminder of the beauty of architecture and nature.

The Busquets Colony, with its timeless design and historical significance, also serves as a reminder of the strength and resilience of the human spirit. In the midst of tragedy and turmoil, the people of Vallvidrera found refuge and security in the houses that Busquets built. The memory of him, and the memory of his grandiose designs, lingers in the minds of those who call Colonia Busquets home.