  We show that the four-dimensional Lovelock-Cartan action can be derived from
a massless gauge theory for the $SO(1,3)$ group with an additional BRST trivial
part. The model is originally composed by a topological sector and a BRST exact
piece and has no explicit dependence on the metric, the vierbein or a mass
parameter. The vierbein is introduced together with a mass parameter through
some BRST trivial constraints. The effect of the constraints is to identify the
vierbein with some of the additional fields, transforming the original action
into the Lovelock-Cartan one. In this scenario, the mass parameter is
identified with Newton's constant while the gauge field is identified with the
spin-connection. The symmetries of the model are also explored. Moreover, the
extension of the model to a quantum version is qualitatively discussed.
