There is a story and life of a man hidden behind the dragon that keeps this door. Joan Balaciart, son of a farrier who shod the horses of the napoleonic troops, was born in 1896 at Peñíscola. At the age of 10 he started to work in a printing house and when he was 13 years old he travelled to Barcelon where he learnt the trade of locksmith at Can Basora located in Pau Claris street. During the following years he worked for different workshops where he learnt all the techniques related to the trade (turning, forge, working in relief, welding, ...) .

Around 1916-17 when he was working at 'Can Vilaplana' he shaped the forgings of the 'Caixa de Pensions' building at Via Laietana. After that, he started working at 'Casa Ballarín' under the instructions of the foreman Manuel Ballarín and he became the responsible person of the construction. Since then he worked on the wrought of 'Pich i Pon' house, the Coliseum theatre and the modernist lampposts of Passeig de Gràcia designed by Pere Falqués.

He was known for his career and he started to have some orders from some individuals and in 1921 he won the award of the best locksmith of Barcelona. A few months later he decided to start-up his own workshop at the Ventalló street. The renowned works of this period are for instance the large windows of 'Estació de França', the fences of 'Mas Solers' when it was bought by Eduard Maristany, marquis of Argentera at Sant Pere de Ribes or the eagle sculptures of the Palau Nacional de Montjuic. In 1946 he moved to a building at Pi i Margall avenue which was built by himself, where he also made the furniture. He worked and lived there until the end of his days.

He kept working from his new workshop without rest until he was more than 90. He died just when he was turning 98. Can Balaciart is closed since then but his family decided to keep it intact and nowadays the workshop still have lots of forging pieces that Mr. Joan made.

At the beginning of the XXth century important arquitects make in Catalunya and specially Barcelona with amazing buildings but, it is important not to forget that artworks are made by artisans; authentic masters of the woodwork, cabinetmaking, stained glass, ceramic or forging. Joan Balaciart i Albiol, he was one of them.