Rafael Masó i Valentí (1880–1935)

Rafael Masó was one of the most outstanding Catalan architects of the early 20th century. Masó was born in Girona to a conservative, Catholic, Catalan and well-educated family. The cultured atmosphere fostered by his father's literary and artistic interests, as well as his love of the city and its traditions, made a marked impression on the personality and career of the aspiring architect. As an admirer of Antoni Gaudí, during his studies in Barcelona Masó joined the group of artists and writers who would go on to create the alternative to Modernism, Noucentisme. A civilised attitude, Catalan nationalism, the modernist and European character advocated by Noucentisme also made Masó stand out as a poet, city planner, politician, and promoter of art and literature.

Masó lived in Casa Masó until he married Esperança Bru in 1912. He always worked in Girona, and thus most of his buildings are in that city and its surrounding areas. As well as houses, villas and apartment blocks, he designed all kinds of buildings, from schools and hospitals to factories and shops. He also worked on farmhouse renovations and the restoration of medieval architecture. His most outstanding works include: the Farinera Teixidor (1910), la Casa Masó (1911), and the Athenea Cultural Centre (1912); Casa Masramon in Olot (1913), Casa Casas in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (1914), and the ciutat-jardí of s'Agaró (1923). Unfortunately, clients often disagreed with his proposals and they never got off the drawing board. Moreover, after his death some buildings were demolished or irreversibly altered.

His work is distinguished by the full identification with the Noucentista postulates of a modernity that did not renounce the most austere classicism and integrated shapes, colours and materials from culture itself, with a marked presence of traditional techniques. Heavily influenced by the British Arts & Crafts movement and the new architectural regionalism from Germany, Masó wanted to merge the tradition of vernacular architecture with new ideas on building structures and ornamentation of buildings, interior decoration and furniture design. His contribution was decisive in the introduction of modern concepts in housing design, the revival of craftsmanship, and the promotion of culture in Catalonia.