Barcelona

The Vil·la Florida’s history shows well-documented links to the Catalan nobility, judiciary, clergy, merchant and industrial families since 1600. In those days the farm belonged to the Santcliment family, who were knights and members of the old city council, the Consell de Cent. The property was subsequently owned by the Ramon family, the Barefoot Carmelites and Nicolau Sivilla’s family. It continued to change hands until it was sold at a public auction and bought by the Garriga family.
They then sold it to the Müller family in 1902, who later sold it to the chairman of Espanya Industrial, Rosend Llobet i Nicolau. It was rented out to the then Provincial Health Chief, who handed it over to the Escola de Puericultura. The school ran for 40 years. After the teaching ended in the 1990s, the villa went into decline until 2004 when it became the property of the City Council. The gardens were restored in 2005, while the house was re-opened in 2007 as the Sant Gervasi Civic Centre.

There is a shaded area on the right, with a palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera) and a Justicia genus flower bush nearby. Its benches offer an opportunity for enjoying the shade of a downy oak (Quercus pubescens), pine trees (Pinus pinea), privets (Ligustrum japonicum), nettle trees (Celtis australis) and magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora). There are also sweet bay shrubs (Laurus nobilis), laurustinuses and African lilies (Agapanthus africanus).
At the garden facade there are groups of abelias (Abelia floribunda), an impressive tipu (Tipuana tipu), a palo verde (Parkinsonia aculeata) and a jacaradna (Jacaranda mimosifolia).
The last part is a pergola with climbing plants, Chinese wisteria
(Wisteria sinensis) and rose-bush arbours.
Standing on the gravel patio, you can admire the palm trees (Washingtonia robusta and Phoenix canariensis) and orange trees (Citrus sinensis). In the background there is a eucalyptus tree (Eucalyptus globulus) with some jacarandas, photinias (Photinia) and abelias.

The Joan Maragall Library, which officially opened in June 2014, makes this unique space even more enjoyable. Baena Casamor Arquitectes, commissioned for the project, designed the library’s two storeys to take advantage of the slopes and different levels, by sinking part of the library underground. And the library has a roof garden to give continuity and uniformity to the gardens.
The project also reclaimed the original trees, maintained during the building work, including pine trees (Pinus pinea), a sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa), lime trees (Tilia tomentosa), an ombu – also known as phytolacca or ombu Phytolacca dioica) – a laurel-leaved snail tree
(Cocculus laurifolius) and a palm tree (Phoenix canariensis).