His mother, Francesca Bacigalupi I Dolcer, was a member of an ancient merchant family from Genoa who had moved to Catalonia in the late 18th century.

Güell met the young architect, Antoni Gaudí, following a visit to the World Fair held in Paris in 1878, where he had seen Gaudi's work at the Spanish Pavilion.

Their many collaborations began at the start of Gaudi's career, when Güell saw Gaudí as the man who could provide him with uniquely designed buildings.

The colony or village at Santa Coloma, now known as Colonia Güell, was built with high socialist ideals; homes with larger than average rooms, wide windows and good ventilation so that the textile workers and their families could enjoy comfortable living conditions.

In spite of its unfinished status, the work is a masterpiece and demonstrates many of Gaudi's signature architectural devices including catenary arches and tessellated finishes.