Antoni Gaudí’s El Capricho: A Masterclass in Thoughtful, Whimsical Design

If you know any of Antoni Gaudí’s (1852-1926) work, it’s instantly recognizable. I developed a deep respect for him when I made the trek to Barcelona back in 2019 on an architectural tour, where I visited the city and his work that defines it. So when I discovered I would be driving by one of his earliest works, El Capricho in Northern Spain, this summer, I knew it would need to integrate it into my itinerary.

His architecture feels almost Seuss-like—surreal forms that combine curves, fanciful tiles, and whimsical motifs. Without knowing anything about him and his philosophies, it's easy to make the assumption that his unique, fairytale-like structures are mostly about appearance. But beneath that playfulness lie layers of profound intention. Gaudí believed his work was a collaboration with God. He famously said, “The straight line belongs to man, the curved line belongs to God.” And throughout all of his work, he strived for ‘honesty’ and ‘integrity’ in form and function; from the grand to the granular. He was heavily into ergonomics before it was widely talked about and sustainability- he would often integrate broken pottery into walls & benches (for example: Parc Guell) and cleverly funnel light into an interior through calculated spaces on roofs.

At just 31, Gaudí brought this philosophy to life in El Capricho, a jewel-box of a residence in Comillas, Spain. While bold and exuberant on the surface, it is also a masterclass in design thinking—how a home can be deeply mechanical, ergonomic, and aesthetic all at once.

El Capricho

A Home Shaped by Its Site

Gaudí didn’t just design a house—he designed a response to the land it rests upon. The shape of El Capricho relates directly to the way the property sits. The orientation, the way the rooms flow, even the light—all of it is intentional, utilizing nature's rhythms to maximize or minimize exposure as needed.

Music at Its Core

The original owner was an avid musician, and Gaudí wove that passion throughout the home into both the architecture and the details. The wrought iron posts on the exterior discreetly take the form of treble clefs, a playful nod to melody. Inside, the stained glass windows carry motifs of instruments—including a piano. And in the main salon, the sash windows were engineered with counterweights that activate tubular bells, each with a different tone. Open or close the windows, and music plays—architecture literally turned into performance.

Details That Serve and Delight

Gaudí’s gift was creating beauty that also works in service of daily life. Even the doorknobs were designed to fit ergonomically into the hand—an everyday touchpoint elevated into art. Nothing was decorative for decoration’s sake; every element was purposeful and aesthetic in equal measure.

A Thread That Connects

Perhaps most extraordinary is how Gaudí wove a single design thread throughout the house, blurring boundaries between exterior and interior, structure and story. His whimsical tiles, his lyrical ironwork, his thoughtful spatial flow—all of it creates a unified experience that feels personal, poetic, and alive.

Walking through El Capricho today, you can’t help but marvel at the harmony of imagination and intention in every single detail. It’s a house that sings—literally and figuratively—a reminder that great design doesn’t just shelter us, it moves us.

Lisa

Let's Make Something Beautiful

Want to see more of his work? Check this out.