Craft, Gaudí and Barcelona
The hydraulic tile revival: Mosaics Martí des de 1913
Some crafts survive because someone refuses to let them disappear. Hydraulic tile making is one of them — and Mosaics Martí des de 1913 in Manresa has a lot to tell us about it.
Making hydraulic tiles for over a century
Bernat Martí Arlandís founded the workshop in 1913 after training at the historic Escofet company. The family kept producing handmade tiles even as the market moved towards cheaper industrial floor coverings.
The workshop survived the disruptions of the Spanish Civil War. In the 1950s, stoneware and mass-produced alternatives sharply reduced demand. In the 1980s, Pere and Albert Martí restored old presses, moulds and metal dividers to safeguard the original method.
How is a hydraulic tile made?
A metal divider is positioned by hand inside the mould to define the coloured design. Mineral pigments and cement-based layers are carefully placed before the tile is pressed. The equipment matters, but so do the craftsperson’s eye and experience.
Unlike fired ceramics, hydraulic tiles do not go into a kiln. Cement hardens through its reaction with water, followed by a curing period that may take around three weeks. There is no useful shortcut for time.
Recognised craftsmanship
The Catalan PAQ qualification — Producte Artesà Qualificat — recognises accredited artisanal processes. The workshop has also received the 2021 National Crafts Award from the Catalan government and appears in the international Homo Faber Guide.
Conserving buildings means conserving techniques
The workshop’s role in modernist heritage preservation includes producing tiles using traditional methods for historic settings associated with Palau Güell, Park Güell, La Pedrera and Casa de les Punxes.
Replicating a pattern is only part of the job. The relief, the pigments, the curing time and the maker’s skill all contribute to a faithful piece. Printing a pattern is not the same thing as making a hydraulic tile.
Mosaics Martí and Petit Gaudí
Petit Gaudí selects work using three principles: handmade craftsmanship, a recognisable icon and visible imperfection. At Mosaics Martí des de 1913, those are everyday production realities, not marketing slogans.
Why is it called a hydraulic tile?
Because the cement-based tile hardens through water and curing, rather than firing in a ceramic kiln.
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