The Hotel Casa Sagnier is born, a tribute to Barcelona's most prolific architect

Enric Sagnier Villavecchia (Barcelona, 1858-1931) is the architect who has signed the largest number of buildings in Barcelona, with some 380 cataloged properties, from churches to schools, including countless homes in the Eixample and iconic works such as the Palau Pasqual i Pons, the Palace of Justice, the Customs of the Port of Barcelona, the headquarters of the Caja de Pensiones in Via Laietana or the Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart, in Tibidabo. All these buildings were the result of the abundant commissions he received from the booming bourgeoisie of the time, from administrations and from religious orders such as the Salesians, but there is one property he made for himself, that is, to house his family residence and his work office.

It is the building located at number 104 of Rambla de Catalunya, a property built in 1892 that is on the corner with Passatge de la Concepció. The building was named Casa Dolors Vidal de Sagnier, in honor of his wife, and is characterized by having a gallery with large windows that dominates the two upper floors, where the family home was located. This was a complete innovation for the time, since usually the main floor was the noble floor where the owners settled, but Sagnier wanted to locate his architecture office there and live on the fourth and fifth floors. The facade is crowned by Gothic style elements, with medallions attributable to Francesc Pastor. Another outstanding element of the property is a sculpture of the Immaculate Conception, by the artist Josep Llimona, which is suspended over the gate that gives access to Passatge de la Concepció, today converted into one of the city's gastronomic meccas.

Until now, Sagnier had gardens in Barcelona named after him, but since this month he also has a hotel that pays homage to him. This is the new Hotel Casa Sagnier, located, precisely, in the building that was his residence and workplace until his death in the early 30s of the last century. "This hotel is a tribute to Barcelona's most prolific architect and his legacy; it is located in a building with a lot of history and where we will offer personalized service so that guests feel at home," explains Javier Pérez-Sala Valls-Taberner, owner of the establishment along with his seven siblings.

The Pérez-Sala brothers are descendants of a Catalan textile dynasty and nephews of Luis and Javier Valls Taberner ---the latter passed away this March---, who were presidents of the former Banco Popular. One of the brothers is former Formula 1 driver Luis Pérez-Sala, who competed with the Minardi team in the 80s. The family bought the Rambla Catalunya property from the descendants of Enric Sagnier in 1988. Two decades later, in 2008, the Pérez-Sala family decided to transform the building into a hotel, but entrusted the project to another Barcelona family, the Soldevila brothers, who know this business very well as owners of the Majestic Group.

This is how Hotel Murmuri was born, an establishment that operated for twelve years and was one of the many victims of the pandemic, as after the closure caused by the first lockdown, it never reopened. The Majestic Group, which managed it under a rental agreement, decided in the summer of 2020 to terminate the contract, and it was then that the Pérez-Sala family decided to invest in the renovation of the establishment, get directly involved in its management, and reopen the hotel as Casa Sagnier.

They have done so with the experience accumulated thanks to Hotel Primero Primera, which they opened in 2011 on the property the family owns on Dr. Carulla street, in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district, and where the eight siblings grew up and their 101-year-old mother still resides. In addition, the Pérez-Sala family also owns Hotel Monegal, located on the corner of Pelai street and Las Ramblas ---which they now also plan to renovate---, and manages Hotel Sixties Ramblas, next to Drassanes. "We don't feel like hoteliers, but we like to launch establishments totally focused on service and making guests feel special," says Javier Pérez-Sala.

The transformation of Hotel Murmuri into Casa Sagnier has meant increasing the establishment's category from four to five stars. It has been conceived as a 51-room boutique hotel ---six of them suites--- where every last detail has been taken care of, with a homely decoration that emphasizes fabrics, wood, and a mix of chairs and furniture of different styles. The works and interior design were commissioned to Federico Turull of the TurullSørensen studio, who makes his debut in the hotel sector with this project. Pablo Juncadella, partner of the Mucho studio, was in charge of the graphic design.

The renovation also had the advice of interior designers Núria Pérez-Sala and Estrella Salietti, and the collaboration of the Elefante studio, with Eva Balart and Juan Carballido, who have created various artistic installations that evoke Sagnier. A spectacular portrait of the architect made with stamps that presides over the fireplace stands out, as does the mural with old photos that decorates the bar, where a bust of Sagnier donated by his descendants is also exhibited. "The architect's family, especially his grandson, has been fully involved in this project; they have helped us a lot by providing us with all kinds of materials and their archive of historical photographs," highlights the hotel owner.

Another highlight of the new Hotel Casa Sagnier is the Cafè de l'Arquitecte restaurant, located on the ground floor and also accessible from Passatge de la Concepció. It will be open continuously all day, from eight in the morning to twelve at night, functioning as a bar ---with a long bar with traditional wooden stools---, a restaurant, a cafeteria, and a cocktail bar. "We want guests visiting Barcelona to mix with Barcelonans at the Cafè de l'Arquitecte, which we want to turn into a meeting point, an ideal place to go for breakfast or a cocktail."