At the end of the 19th century Reus was the second city of Catalonia in terms of population and economic activity, with a climate that favoured agriculture, a solid textile industry and a powerful trade based on brandy, to the point that the international pricing of this product was marked by the city together with Paris and London, hence the popular saying “Reus, Paris, London”. This resulted in the local bourgeoisie competing to build prestigious buildings and the urban image of the city was transformed.

The “modernist” imprint was given by Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1850-1923) when he lead the Institut Pere Mata project, a psychiatric hospital. Domènech designed a care center on the outskirts of the city, organized in independent pavilions separated by gardens, with a very careful use of the applied and decorative arts. The Institute is the direct precedent of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona.

From this moment on, Domènech i Montaner came into contact with Reus society who commissioned him works such as the Pere Rull’s house (1900), the Margenat family’s funeral chapel (c.1905), the house and oil warehouse of Fèlix Gasull (1910-1914), and the aborted projects for the Círcol Society (1899) and the Teatre Circ (1900). Among all these buildings, the Navàs Blasco house and shop (1901) stands out for its exceptionality, one of the few European houses that preserves in situ all the original furnishings, directed by the ensemblier Gaspar Homar. Domènech’s relationship with Reus continued with the works of his son, Pere Domènech Roura (1881-1967), author of the now-defunct Cinema Kursaal (1908-1909).

On the other hand, Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) who was born in the city, did not leave any works, only a project to reform the Sanctuary of Mercy. There remain however, important constructions by two of his disciples, also sons of Reus: Joan Rubió i Bellver (1870-1853) and Domènec Sugrañes Gras (1878-1938), the latter with late constructions, already within the Noucentista period.

Finally, we cannot fail to mention the work of Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1864-1936) who was the municipal architect from 1891 to 1930 and is responsible for the largest number of modernist buildings that can still be seen in the city today.