The city of Barcelona is ornamented with the flamboyant structures of 20th-century architect Antoni Gaudí y Cornet. His imaginative and fluid style, exemplified by Casa Milá and the Parque and Palacio Güell, and the curving facade of Casa Battló reveals a gothic influence. The building was originally a block of flats. Gaudí was hired by the industrialist Josep Battló to give a facelift. Dali later compared the facade to "the tranquil waters of a lake".