MAESTROS DE OBRAS - MIT Architecture

Rafael Guastavino Moreno, Maestro de Obras in Spain: from the Tailor
Shop to the Privilege of Invention
1
Miguel Rotaeche
Practicing architect
Formidable was the river until a ford was found.
(Baltasar Gracián, 1601-1658)
What sort of training enabled Rafael Guastavino Moreno (1842-1908) to undertake such
important projects early in his career? The answers are many, and they lie not only in
his training. In the first place, it is well established that, although modest, the
coursework he completed at the time to earn the title of Maestro de Obras carried great
prestige. Its practical nature and immediate application in the construction of 19thcentury
Barcelona are a fact. Also beyond question were Guastavino’s personal talent
and astuteness, and the fact that his family contacts led to most of his commissions. But
there is still a considerable degree of uncertainty concerning the authorship of his work.
These four questions—studies, talent, contacts and authorship—will be addressed in
this paper.
______________________
The course of studies Guastavino pursued in the second half of the 19th century was
called Maestro de Obras, a program created in the mid-18th century by the Academy of
Fine Arts in Madrid at the same time as Architecture.
Until that time, and ever since the Middle Ages, a maestro de obras had been a
contractor, generally a stonemason, who secured construction projects, purchased
materials, assigned jobs to his workers and paid salaries (Alonso 1991, 52). When the
two professional degree programs in the field of construction, architect and maestro de
obras, were created in the mid-18th century, the latter was “a second-class architect.”
This was a product of the hierarchical structure of the ancien régime in Spain. The
difference was that the so-called “academic” maestro de obras was only allowed to
design private buildings, whereas an architect could work on buildings of all types. This
way architects were awarded commissions directly connected to the ancien régime, i.e.,
mansions, churches and so forth, whereas a maestro de obras could only design
buildings of a more practical nature such as residential, industrial or agricultural
structures.
We can easily imagine the consequences of this distinction in the 19th century: the
maestros de obras went on to design most of the houses and industrial buildings, as
there were not enough architects in Spain to meet the demand. According to Juan
Bautista Peyronnet, assistant director of the School of Architecture in Madrid, (Basurto

1999, 22) in 1869 there were less than 400 architects in Spain and many of them were
not actively practicing. The shortage of maestros de obras was acute in every city in
Spain. In 1832 there were 11 architects and four maestros de obras in Barcelona; in
1852, the numbers grew respectively to 24 and 19 (Bassegoda 1972, 19, 20, 26). In
Barcelona the Escuela de Maestros de Obras did not open until 1850, and there was no
independent school of architecture in Barcelona until 1875 (Basurto 1999, 23).
A revealing example of this situation is that from 1870 to 1875, the clients of Barcelona
architects applied for 160 municipal building permits, whereas over the same time
period maestros de obras filed for 1,117 permits (Bassegoda 1972, 41). In fact, the
19th-century city expansions we see today in Spanish provincial capitals is owed in
large part to these professionals. (Bonet 1985, 43) Also significant is the fact that the
professional fees for a maestro de obras were made equal to those of an architect.
(Bassegoda 1972, 34) (Basurto 1999, 22)
This situation would logically lead to fierce competition between the two professions,
with architects pressuring to do away with the Maestro de Obras program, a goal they
ultimately achieved in 1796. However, the program was reinstated in 1814 due to the
large amount of reconstruction required in the country after the Napoleonic wars. The
program was again suppressed in 1855, only to reopen in 1857. In view of this situation,
as Ángel Martín so aptly wrote, “Some were backed by law and others by reason.”
(Martín 2004, 188) The Maestro de Obras program was definitively eliminated in 1871.
Added to all of these factors were the politics of local town halls and other municipal
corporations, which throughout the country disapproved of the centralism imposed by
the Bourbons in the 18th century. This anti-centralism sentiment did not abate until the
19th century. As late as 1835 architects and maestros de obras in Barcelona petitioned
Queen Isabel II, stating that they had “not been appointed chief master builders for
projects commissioned by town councils, courts and other local corporations.” Indeed,
the local corporations “did not defend the interests of the bricklayer or the old guildmember
master builder over the academic architect or maestro de obras. Above all else,
they defended the sphere and legitimacy of their own autonomy as opposed to the
absolutist invasion of central power.” (Marcos 1973-4, CAU 24, 67).
________________
This is the background in which Rafael Guastavino appeared on the scene. It was in
1861, at the age of 19, when he enrolled at the Escuela Especial de Maestros de Obras
in Barcelona to begin his studies. He was already married, had two children and was
living with his affluent uncle, Ramón Guastavino, who had done well as a tailor and had
become founding member of a chain of textile stores. (Oliva 2009a, 65)
If we confine ourselves to the vicissitudes of his life and profession, we could say,
echoing the words of Jorge Luis Borges, that Rafael Guastavino “lived in a difficult
time, like everyone else.”
Guastavino’s first trade had been tailoring, as recorded on his certificate of marriage in
1859. He then began the three-year Maestro de Obras program, which offered classes in
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the late afternoon, as students worked during the day. The schedule included an hour
and a half of theory and two and a half hours of drafting and practical application every
day. (Montaner 1983, 25) He later worked until 1862 in the studio of maestros de obras
Granell and Robert, and after that, as an assistant to a foundry engineer. (Vegas 2011,
137)
The School was housed in the attic of the Exchange in Barcelona, (fig. 1) a neoclassical
building completed in 1802 arranged around the original 14th-century Gothic-style
Exchange hall. (Fig. 2) This grand hall and the building’s magnificent staircase (Fig. 3)
were bound to have made an impression on the young Guastavino.
Fig. 1 The Exchange in Barcelona. Photograph: Arxiu Mas
Fig. 2 The 14 th century gothic Exchange hall. Fig. 3 The main staircase of the Exchange.
Photograph: Baitiri. Photograph: Baitiri.
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Below is the 1858 curriculum, which was in force in Guastavino’s day. (Montaner
1983, 25) The program was governed by the General Instruction Act of 1858, also
known as the Moyano Act:
First year:
- Mathematics
- Surveying and Topography
- Technical and Topographic Drawing
- Legal Aspects of Surveying
Second year:
- Descriptive Geometry
- Stereotomy or stone-cutting
- Mechanics
- Materials and Construction
Third year:
- Composition of Public and Private Buildings
- Legal Aspects of Architecture
- Composition Exercises:
Drawing copies of model buildings and designing buildings for residential,
agricultural or industrial use or for entertainment, public utility, festivities and
celebrations.
To complete the study program, the aspiring maestros de obras had to gain experience
by working on public or private building projects during their summer holidays.
Certification was required to validate their participation, and upon completion of
coursework, they were required to submit a final project. (Montaner 1983, 24, 32)
(Martín 2004, 186) By the time Guastavino arrived at the School, the program had
earned a well-deserved reputation.
The Maestro de Obras degree program was concurrent with Architecture. Prior to 1875
Barcelona did not have an independent school of architecture. Before then, students had
to go to Madrid to validate their studies. (Ochsendorf 2010, 19) Architecture was a sixyear
program with classes held from nine o'clock in the morning to three in the
afternoon. Attendance was mandatory, absences were sanctioned, and students were not
allowed to leave the school premises during their half hour break. (Prieto 2004, 55)
These strict regulations were a reaction to the lenient attitude toward Architecture
studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in the 18th century. (Quintana 1983, 81-82)
Moreover, the School also wanted to apply the same stringent regulations regarding
attendance and hours as Civil Engineering studies, in turn a copy of the French
engineering school École des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris. A knowledge of French was
one of the absolute prerequisites for the Architecture Studies program, (Basurto 1999,
59) since essentially all of the books at the school were in French (Prieto 2004, 87).
Architecture students also had to have successfully completed their high school
education. (Santamaría 2000, 343)
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The curriculum for Architecture studies under the 1855 plan is outlined below: (Prieto
2004, 188)
First year
- Differential and Integral Calculus, and Topography
- Pure Descriptive Geometry
- Topographic and Architectural Drawing
Second year
- Rational Mechanics, applying theories speculatively and experimentally to the
elements used in civil and hydraulic constructions
- Elements of descriptive geometry with applications to shades, perspective and
gnomonic projection.
- Mineralogy and chemistry applied to architecture, analysis, manufacturing and
handling of materials
- Architectural Drawing
Third year
- Mechanics applied to the industrial part of the art of building
- Stereotomy of stone, wood and iron, and graphic work associated with the
subject
- Architectural Drawing
Fourth year
- Mechanical theories, procedures and operations of civil and hydraulic
engineering: conduction, distribution and elevation of water; graphic resolution
of construction problems, plotting and working drawings
- Notions of acoustics, optics and hygiene applied to architecture
- Elements of the theory of art and composition theory, as an introduction to the
history of architecture and the analysis of ancient and modern buildings
- Elements of composition of secondary buildings
Fifth year
- History of architecture and analysis of ancient and modern buildings
- Composition
Sixth year
- Legal Aspects of Architecture: exercises specific to the profession; technology.
- Composition
Turning our attention again to the School, Guastavino’s teachers were the architects
José Casademunt, Elias Rogent, Francisco de Paula del Villar and Juan Torras.
(Montaner 1983, 23)
Guastavino always spoke highly of Elías Rogent (1821-1897) and Juan Torras (1827-
1910). Rogent was professor of Topography and Composition and author of the old
neo-Gothic University in the center of Barcelona. Later he would become the first
director of the School of Architecture in Barcelona. Juan Torras was professor of
Construction Materials and of Mechanics and Construction, and was affectionately
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known as the “Catalonian Eiffel.” (Montaner 1983, 23) Thirty years later, Guastavino
would write about the influence of his teachers in his book Escritos sobre la
construcción cohesiva. (Guastavino 2006, 2)
I owe my understanding of this material not so much to my studies and
research, but to the learning of my distinguished teachers at the Barcelona
School, Mr. Juan Torras and Mr. Elías Rogent, whom I remember with great
fondness and who instructed me and fostered my interest in studying the arts
and applied sciences…
His teacher Elías Rogent also sang Guastavino’s praises in a report on a competition he
had entered in 1874, describing him as a “young man with a brilliant imagination and
extensive practice…” Later in the same report Rogent went on to say:
The project is feasible although not economically flawless. Apart from the very
brief observations I have had the honor to make, I can say to the Company
Management that the author of the project presents a complete constructive
system and that together with the variations he himself would incorporate upon
development of the project, I consider it feasible. (Oliva 2009b, 10)
Guastavino completed the three-year program between 1861 and 1864, obtaining the
following marks: (Bassegoda 1999, 3)
First year (1861-1862):
Topography: Pass (C)
Descriptive Geometry: Outstanding (B)
Second year (1862-1863):
Mechanics: Outstanding (B)
Construction: Pass (C)
Third year (1863-1864):
Composition: Distinction (A)
Legal Aspects: Distinction (A)
Upon finishing his first year, Guastavino was eligible to qualify as topographer by
simply completing a topography exercise. We do not know why he waited until
November 1863 to apply for the title. His qualifying exercise (Fig. 4) is kept at the
library of the Barcelona School of Architecture, together with the draft of the
measurements taken at the site. These are Guastavino’s only documents held at the
school. The exercise consisted of an ink and watercolor survey of an area in Barcelona.
The draft (Fig. 5) is a pencil drawing containing handwritten annotation. Both are in
very good condition, are made on excellent paper and still have the freshness of the day
they were made. The exercise corresponds to an area near the old University, a building
that topography professor and architect Elías Rogent would soon be commissioned to
build.
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Fig. 4 Guastavino’s 1863 topography exercise. Fig. 5 Draft of the exercise.
(Archivo Gráfico de la Biblioteca de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona.
Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña)
The teaching at the School was essentially practical. One example is the ideas defended
by Professor Juan Torras, who spoke of the different ways of bonding bricks in a wall:
“The bond should be easy so that the bricklayer can remember it without effort, and if
possible, the bond should be similar to what the bricklayer is familiar with…”
(Montaner 1983, 52) Moreover, the final projects were all easily practicable. Sometimes
the plans included scaffolding and auxiliary equipment (Montaner 1983). All of this
leads us to recognize the realistic, on-the-ground teaching approach at the school.
Another facet of this institution that has made it to our times is a book of third-year
Composition notes dating from 1869 written by Professor Del Villar: Escuela Especial
de Maestros de Obras. Apuntes de Composición de Edificios de habitación, rurales e
industriales. (Del Villar 1869) It is a booklet containing text only, in which Del Villar
explains that the illustrations were not taken to press because they would be circulated
in the classroom. The table of contents gives us a clear idea of the class outline, briefly
covering aesthetic and historic aspects, while describing rural, residential and industrial
buildings in great detail.
Another compilation of notes is one that Montaner mentions in the reference section of
his book L’Ofici de l’Arquitectura. The notes written in Guastavino’s hand: Apuntes
manuscritos de las clases de construcción dadas por el Profesor Torras en el curso
1862-63. (Montaner 1983, 97) These notes are not kept at the library of the School of
Architecture or in the archive of the Institute of Architects.
During his last year at the School, Guastavino also enrolled at the School of Painting,
Sculpture and Printmaking, passing Art Theory and obtaining the highest mark in Art
History. (Bassegoda 1999, 3) After completing his three-year program in 1864, once
again, for reasons unbeknownst to us, Guastavino did not obtain his title. It is possible
that he did not do the requisite practical work during his holidays, (Vegas 2011, 137) or
he may not have completed his final project. We do know that the cost of tuition that
year was 1,000 reales, (Prieto 2004, 57) which his uncle may not have been inclined to
pay at the time (equivalent to three months’ salary of a qualified construction worker).
In any event, instead of earning his title, Guastavino worked under different colleagues’
names as designer, technical project manager or contractor. (Tarragó 2002, 47) (Oliva
2009b, 5-8)
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The breadth and caliber of the projects are striking, bearing in mind that Guastavino was
only 22 years of age when he began his career. This may be explained by the fact that
most of Guastavino’s clients were from industrial families, primarily the textile
industry, associated with the business activities of his uncle, Ramón Guastavino. (Oliva
2009b, 4).
Without a degree, at first he could not officially design. Therefore, he worked under the
name of other maestros de obras, which makes it difficult to know what part of the
earlier projects he actually designed. (Oliva 2009b, 4) Adding to the confusion over
authorship, Guastavino was sometimes also the contractor on his projects, (Rosell 2002,
47) a common practice in the profession.
By contrast, in France it was typical at the time for architects to begin working without
having finished their studies. An architecture student at the École des Beaux-Arts could
interrupt his studies at any time and go into business. The creation of the diplôme in
1867 did not make much of a difference since the degree was not required in order to
open a studio. (Prieto 2004, 37)
__________________
Guastavino’s career in Barcelona can be divided into three stages: (Oliva 2009b, 2)
Stage one
The first stage is from the time Guastavino completed his studies in 1864 until he
received his title in 1872; during this time he realized the following projects: (Tarragó
2002, 47) (Oliva 2009b, 5-8)
-1865-71: House of textile merchant Miguel Buxeda on Paseo de Gracia. Demolished.
The project bears the signature of Maestro de Obras Jerónimo Granell, who had
employed Guastavino as a student.
-1866: Four-storey apartment building in the Ensanche neighborhood of Barcelona.
-1868: Blajot apartment building on 32 Paseo de Gracia. Still standing. The project
bears the signature of classmate and maestro de obras Antonio Serra Pujals, although
recognized as the work of Guastavino.
-1868-79: Tanning workshop built for Bernard Muntadas. Demolished.
-1869: Palacio Oliver on Paseo de Gracia. Demolished. The project bears the signature
of Pablo Martorell.
-1866-69: Batlló textile factory in the Ensanche neighborhood of Barcelona. Still
standing, but with several additions. The building currently houses the Escuela de
Ingeniería Técnica and is used for other purposes. There are doubts as to the authorship
of the project, since the fees for “plans and technical project manager” were paid to
Pablo Martorell. It was most likely a joint project in which Alejandro Mary was
engineer, Ramón Mumbrú, contractor, and Guastavino, purportedly the actual site
supervisor. (Oliva 2009b, 7)
-1870-71: Rosich factory, on Calle Pelayo.
-1870: Reparcelling of land adjacent to the Batlló factory, resulting in 19 parcels.
-1870: Independent house for the tailor Manuel Galve in Sarriá. Still standing.
-1871: Vidal e Hijos factory.
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-1871-74: Juliá apartment building on 80 Paseo de Gracia. Demolished. The plans are
signed by Guastavino first, and formally by Antonio Serra Pujals.
-1871: Apartment building for shoe manufacturer Pablo Montalt on 11 Calle Trafalgar.
Still standing.
-1872: Four-storey apartment building for himself, on Calle Aragón, corner of Calle
Lauria. Demolished.
This makes a total of two individual houses, six apartment buildings, and four industrial
buildings. Most noteworthy among the latter is the Batlló textile factory, which stands
on an expansive 16-acre block. The plot was the result of joining four contiguous blocks
in Barcelona’s Cerdá neighborhood. The engineer Alejandro Mary was the designer,
and Ramón Mumbrú the contractor. (Oliva 2009b, 7) Guastavino is said to have been in
charge of this project. But Guastavino denies this in a letter sent to the newspaper
Diario de Barcelona in 1869, when work on the factory was coming to an end. (Rosell
2009, 1-2) (Ochsendorf 2010, 29)
Stage two
Dear Sirs: Thanking you in advance, I ask that you kindly publish the
following statement:
For some time now I have been reported in the local papers as the site
supervisor for the Batlló brothers’ factory; this is not accurate. Recently I
have again read the same reference and feel obligated to repeat myself.
In all buildings of this type, there are two thoughts to develop, represented
by two different experts whose powers and limitations are well defined. One
represents the foremost in importance, the eminently useful, that which,
strictly speaking, constitutes the design and management of the factory; this
is the job of the engineer, whose work is determined by the very nature of
the building. The other is of secondary importance in buildings of this type,
namely, the exterior aspect, the pure and simple architectural projection.
The first corresponds exclusively to my distinguished friend D. Alejandro
Mary.
The second belongs to someone who does not like to see his name
published, if we are to avoid hurt feelings.
Your obedient servant, Rafael Guastavino
Barcelona, 18 November 1869.
The second stage is from the time Guastavino received his title Maestro de Obras in
1872 until 1877.
Two critical events affected Guastavino in a short period of time. His uncle passed away
on June 27, 1871 (Oliva 2009b, 1), and the official Maestro de Obras program was
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abolished by Royal Order (published on June 7, 1871), rendering all matriculated
students, even those who had not completed the program, eligible for the title.
The students had one year from the date of enactment of the Royal Order to in sit an
exam or defend a project before a committee of professors (Bassegoda 1972, 20)
(Basurto 1999, 62). Guastavino received the title Maestro de Obras in 1872. There is no
evidence of a final project, probably because he earned his title by examination.
In 1871 Guastavino enrolled in the architecture program at the Provincial Polytechnic
School, where he studied for just one year, since the school closed a year later.
(Bassegoda 1999, 3) However, none of his academic records remain today, neither from
the School of Architecture in Barcelona, nor from his three years at the School, nor
from his year at the Provincial Polytechnic School.
During this second stage Guastavino did not undertake any building projects, dedicating
his time instead to managing the agricultural business handed down to him by his uncle
(Oliva 2009b, 2) (Vegas 2011, 137). His uncle’s death probably explains the drop in
clientele. Although he did not work as maestro de obras during this time, he did
advertise his services and sought commissions, but with no clear results. (Oliva 2009b,
8) (Loren 2009, 73)
Stage three
From 1877 to 1881 (when he left for America).
It is in this stage that Guastavino began building again, taking on a large number of
projects. (Oliva 2009b, 2) (Vegas 2011, 137). Below is a list of the buildings: (Oliva
2009b, 17-18) (Tarragó 2002, 47)
-1875: Muntadas, Aparicio and Co. tanning workshop.
-1877: Grau warehouse in Barcelona.
-1877: Elías apartment building on Calle Nápoles.
-1877: Apartment building for Amparo Vallés Puig on 329 Calle Aragón.
-1877: Workshop for Edmond C. Sivatte on 262 Calle Urgell.
-1877-78: Factory for Ignacio Carreras on 53-55 Calle Casanova.
-1877: Apartment building for Ramón Mumbrú on 14 Calle Doctor Dou. Still standing.
-1877-78: Apartment building and workshops for Modesto Casademunt on 3 Calle
Aribau. Still standing.
-1879: Glass factory for Modesto Casademunt on Calle Enrique Granados, corner of
Calle Aragón.
-1878: Anglada Goyeneche apartment building on 280 Calle Aragón.
-1879: Apartment building for Andrés Anglada on 280 Calle Aragón.
-1880: Industrial building for Eusebio Castells on 54-56 Calle Caspe.
-1877-80: Porcelain factory owned by the Florensa family, Hostafranchs.
- Michans y Cía. factory, in Villafranca(?)
- Martín Riu factory, in San Martin de Provençals.
-1880: Ramón Mumbrú apartment building on 103 Calle Mayor, Sarriá. Still standing.
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-1880-1881: Theater in Vilassar. Still standing.
-1881-1882: Industrial building for the Estrany family, in Vilassar. Still standing.
Example of the use of the 1878 patent.
-1883-1884: Saladrigas factory in San Martín de Provençals. Still standing. Example of
the use of the 1878 patent.
Thus, we have a total of seven apartment buildings, 11 industrial buildings and one
theater. Here we can see the lack of commissions for independent houses and the
significant number of industrial buildings.
In this last stage in Barcelona, Guastavino patented a system for vaulting in 1878, to
which he gave the obscure name of: Construcción de techos abovedados de interestribos
y descarga (a literal translation might be Inter-buttress and unload vault
construction). Guastavino applied for the patent in Madrid, where it was officially given
the curious and rather quaint name of Privilege of Invention. To obtain the patent he
granted power of attorney (Fig. 6) to an engineer from Madrid named Sandalio de
Garbiso. The patent was valid for five years. There is no extant record of the patent,
which means that we have neither drawings nor written descriptions—once again a case
of missing documents. The only mention of the patent can be found in the registration
book of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, which includes the title of the
privilege of invention, together with the entry date, payment and validity date. (Fig. 7)
Fig. 6. Power of attorney granted to the engineer Fig. 8. Agreement between Guastavino and
Sandalio de Garbiso. the bricklayers.
(Archivo Histórico de Protocolos de Barcelona) (Archivo Histórico de Protocolos de Barcelona)
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Fig. 7 Patent entry in the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office registration book.
(Ministerio de Industria y Energía. Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas. Archivo Histórico)
In order to ensure immediate returns from his patent in Barcelona, Guastavino came up
with an unusual agreement reached with four local bricklayers. Under the agreement,
recorded in a notarial act which still exists today, (Fig. 8) the city would be divided into
four zones, each allocated to one of the four bricklayers. They, in turn, were to pay
Guastavino half the cost of a fee, based on facade length and number of floors, every
time the patent was used (we assume it was a floor system for multi-storey buildings).
The document also turned the four bricklayers into fee collectors in their respective
areas, making sure that anyone using the patent paid the stipulated fee, and then
delivering half the amount to Guastavino. (It is curious how often the term “privileged
system” appears in the patent description, as if an advertising slogan.) Before signing
the document, each bricklayer had already given Guastavino 500 pesetas “for the agreed
concession” (at the time 500 pesetas was the equivalent of six months’ salary of a
qualified construction worker in Barcelona). The agreement was signed and notarized
on January 29, 1879, and is held in the Barcelona Archive of Protocols. It is clearly
specified that the patent was valid for “five years ending on the twenty-first of
November, eighteen eighty-three,” two years after Guastavino’s unexpected departure
for the United States.
The patent name Construcción de techos abovedados de inter-estribos y descarga does
not resemble any of the 24 Guastavino patents granted to both father and son in the
United States (Redondo 2000, 895-9). We have also ascertained that there are no other
patents under the name Rafael Guastavino in the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office
archives.
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In conclusion, Rafael Guastavino was a person with excellent technical training and
exceptional talent, which together with good family contacts enabled him to launch a
brilliant career.
REFERENCES
Acuerdo entre Rafael Guastavino y varios albañiles. Sig. 1258, Notario Francisco
Gomís Miret. Manual 1879-I, núm. 43, f. 129r-131r, 29-I-1879. Archivo Histórico
de Protocolos de Barcelona.
Alonso Ruiz, Begoña, El Arte de la Cantería, Ed. Universidad de Cantabria,
Santander 1991.
Arranz, Manuel, Mestres d’obres i fusters. La construcció a Barcelona en el segle
XVIII, Ed. Colegio de Aparejadores y Arquitectos técnicos de Barcelona,
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Bellas Artes de San Jorge, Editores Técnicos Asociados, S.A., Barcelona 1972.
Bassegoda Nonell, Juan. La obra arquitectónica de Rafael Guastavino en Cataluña
(1866-1881), in Las bóvedas de Guastavino en América, Ed. Instituto Juan de
Herrera, Madrid 1999.
Basurto Ferro, Nieves, Los maestros de obras en la construcción de la ciudad. Bilbao
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De las Casas Gómez, Antonio, Las bóvedas de los Guastavino, Revista de Obras
Públicas, Junio 2002/Nº 3.422, pp. 51 a 60.
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explicadas por el profesor de dicha escuela, Barcelona 1869.
Fornés y Gurrea, Manuel, Observaciones sobre la práctica del arte de edificar, Ed.
D. Mariano de Cabrerizo, Valencia 1857.
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