Gabriel Borrell i Cardona

He studied at the Barcelona School of Architecture and graduated from there as an architect in 1887. During this early period he studied for a year at Barcelona's Official School of Fine Arts. His first job was as a works manager at the 1888 Universal Exhibition and shortly afterwards he worked as an assistant in the drains and cleansing department of Barcelona City Council.
In 1887 he obtained the post of municipal architect in Sant Joan Despí, which he held until 1944. Among other jobs, he drew up the plans of the town in 1905. From 1902 to 1933 he was municipal architect of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, preparing the first plans for the town in 1902. During the first decade of the 20th century he constructed a large number of residential buildings, in which many features akin to the language of Modernisme can still be seen. These include various blocks of flats (1914 and 1918; Vidal Ribas, 2 and 4, Sant Feliu de Llobregat), with mosaic used on the façade, and Casa Cahué Raspall (1916; Passeig Nadal, 21-24, Sant Feliu de Llobregat). He was also the first municipal architect of Esplugues de Llobregat until 1922, and as such drew up its urban plan.
In Barcelona he signed the plans for Casa Sayrach (1918; Avinguda Diagonal, 423-425), although it seems actually to have been designed by M. Sayrach, and he also built Casa Francesc P. Vallet (1908; Bailèn, 36), which is entirely Modernista in the shapes of the façade and the use of materials such as wrought iron. In 1908 he was commissioned to design the chapel in the Col·legi de les Teresianes (School of the Teresian Nuns, Ganduxer, 85-105), a building designed by A. Gaudí.
From 1901 he worked as a lecturer at the Barcelona School of Architecture where he later became a professor.
He is the author of several essays on social conflicts and labour disputes, and on the improvement of the conditions of workers' dwellings.