Now the headquarters of Barcelona Provincial Council, Can Serra is a Neo-Gothic mansion designed by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch and built in 1903 on the irregular block formed by the convergence of Carrer de Còrsega, Rambla de Catalunya, and Avinguda Diagonal. Initially planned as a lavish residence for the family of Pere Serra i Pons, a wealthy merchant from Manresa, it never served this purpose. Instead, it had a turbulent history and was at risk of being destroyed.
The section of the building fronting Avinguda Diagonal was demolished in 1981, and replaced by an office building, by Federico Correa and Alfonso Milá, to house the offices of the provincial council. The stark contrast between the two very different styles was the subject of controversy at the time.
