Nau Gaudí in Mataró, is one of Antoni Gaudí's earliest projects. It was built in 1883 and formed part of the Cooperativa Obrera Mataronense project, spearheaded by the industrialist and one of the leaders of the late 19th-century cooperative movement, Salvador Pagès, who was sympathetic to the ideas of utopian socialism.

The plan was to build a large complex comprising factories, housing and social facilities. However, only a few parts of this project were ever built, including the cotton bleaching warehouse, which is the only major building that has survived.

It is a large, open-plan space of almost 600 square metres, supported by thirteen wooden parabolic arches that hold up the roof without the need for columns. Innovative for its time, this solution showcases Gaudí's engineering ingenuity and his ability to create functional spaces with great architectural power.

Contrary to his best-known works, Gaudí opted for austere architecture that placed materials and structural elements at the forefront. Just a few metres from the warehouse, visitors can also see the outhouses, which are the oldest structure on the site. In this modest building, Gaudí was already experimenting with ventilation solutions and decorative details, which he would later use in his architectural designs.

Nowadays, Nau Gaudí is a museum dedicated to exploring the early career of one of the world’s most renowned architects and showcasing works by contemporary artists, courtesy of the Mataró Contemporary Art Consortium Museum and the Lluís Bassat Collection.