1891-1892
Juan Homs i BotinĂ s was a Catalan entrepreneur who came to LeĂłn in 1834 to open a new business that sold textiles. After his death in 1886, his two partners, SimĂłn FernĂĄndez and Mariano AndrĂ©s, who both held business ties with Eusebi GĂŒell, acquired a plot of land in the city centre and commissioned GaudĂ to design a building with a new floor plan that combined commercial and residential use.
GaudĂ proposed a large free-standing building with a mediaeval fortress-like appearance, featuring grey limestone ashlars interspersed with numerous lobe-shaped windows. This was the first housing project of GaudĂâs career, with the main floor designed for the developerâs home and the other floors intended for rent.