The vibrations from the comprehensive renovation works have caused cracks to appear in the crowning of Casa Fajol, a modernist building located on Llança street in Barcelona. The Socialist Housing Union of Catalonia has made public a report that warns about this damage to the protected decorative elements of the property.
The structure, popularly known as the Papallona Block and built in 1912, holds the classification of Cultural Asset of Local Interest granted by the Plenary Session of the Barcelona City Council. The cracks affect the reverse of the butterfly-shaped crowning, according to the document prepared by an expert in conservation and restoration.
The risk for the decorative heritage
The specialist clarifies that the structural integrity of the property is not in immediate danger, although she warns of negative consequences for the original ornamentation. The damage could extend to the ceramic mosaic of the crowning, to the sgraffiti on the frames, and to the paintings on the lobby ceiling.
"These cracks, while not structural and not endangering the safety of the building, could indeed be detrimental to various decorative elements" - Conservation-Restoration Expert
The study includes graphic tests and images that document the current state of the damage. The authors of the report urge the Barcelona City Council and the Eixample District to carry out urgent technical supervision to evaluate the physical reality of these historical components.
Serious violations inside
Conservation problems are not limited to the facade. In a first-floor dwelling, part of the original set of doors is missing after the recent installation of a metal security door. This permanent replacement would violate Law 9/1993 on Catalan Cultural Heritage.
The rule considers this action a serious infraction to the detriment of the conservation of the original elements of a listed building. The tension between property and heritage protection has remained latent for two years.
"The neighborhood and the union organize against New Amsterdam Developers, owner of the block since then, which intended to convert the homes into shared accommodations" - Socialist Housing Union of Catalonia
The residential situation of the tenants is also going through a critical moment. The eviction of the neighbor Marga, who has been living in the building for thirty years, is scheduled for next May 29. The conflict thus combines the defense of artistic heritage with the fight for the right to housing in the Eixample district.