Skip to main content
Nuria Ayala Estudio arquitectura OAB

Carlos Ferrater

FOUNDING PARTNER

Doctor of Architecture and Professor of Architectural Project Design at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Director of the Cátedra Blanca, Barcelona.

Read more

Academician-Elect of the Real Academia de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi. Conferred as Doctor honoris causa by the University of Trieste.

In 2006 he set up, along with Xavier Martí, Lucía Ferrater and Borja Ferrater, the Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB), with Núria Ayala as Projects Director.

Awarded the 2009 National Architecture Award by the Spanish Ministry of Housing for his overall career and since december 2011 member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (International RIBA Felowship).

Since 2000 he has won five FAD Prizes, the 1999 and 2008 City of Barcelona Prize, the 2005 Brunel International Architecture Award (Denmark) and the 2009 BigMat Prize. He has three times been a finalist for the Mies van der Rohe Award. He has received the City of Madrid Award, the 2001 National Spanish Architecture Award, the 2006 Dedalo Minosse International Prize in Vicenza, the 2006 Decade Award and the 2007 International Flyer Award. The 2008 RIBA International Award was given to his Editorial MP monograph, among others. He received a mention in the X Biennial of Spanish Architecture and urbanism in 2009 and in the Urban Public Space European Award 2010 for the Benidorm Waterfront which also won the FAD 2010, Saloni Awards 2010, FOPA 2009, COACV 2007-2009 Award, the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award “best global design” 2010 and the CEMEX 2011. In 2011 he had also received the National Spanish Architecture Prize with the Benidorm Waterfront. He was a guest exhibitor in the International Pavilion and the Spanish Pavilion at the 2004 Venice Biennale, and was invited by the MoMA, New York, to participate in the exhibition On-Site: New Architecture in Spain, and to exhibit his work in a one-man show at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Crown Hall in Chicago, the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, the Israel Institute of Technology, the College of Architects of Catalonia, the Foundation of the College of Architects of Madrid and the Acquario Romano. Beginning in June 2012, many models and original drawings of the Benidorm Waterfront have been chosen to form part of the collection of the Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, along with the Iberia building on Paseo de Gracia and the Barcelona Botanical Garden.

He is the designer of, among other works, three city blocks in Barcelona’s Olympic Village, the Olympic Village in Vall d’Hebron, the Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I, the Catalonia Convention Center, the Auditorium in Castellón, the Scientific Institute and the Barcelona Botanical Garden, the El Prat Royal Golf Club, different buildings on the Passeig de Gracia, the Intermodal Station in Zaragoza, the MediaPro Building in Barcelona, the Aquileia Tower in Venice, the Science Park in Granada, the Benidorm Waterfront, the GISA, FGC headquarters in Barcelona, the Origami House in Barcelona, the Vila-real library and the Michelin Offices on the banks of the River Seine in Paris, housing in Bilbao and IMQ Hospital in Bilbao . At present he is working on, among others, the Centre Culturel des Jacobins in Le Mans, office and residential buildings in Barcelona, the City of Music in Sabadell, a winery in Toro; intermodal and multimodal buildings for Barcelona Airport, Murcia Airport, housings in Toulouse, Sales Center and Hotel Complex in Turkey and, a Hotel in Miami and the realigment of the port and waterfront of Tanger (Morocco).

Ines Arquer Estudio arquitectura OAB

Borja Ferrater

FOUNDING PARTNER

Between 1994-1997 he conducted studies in biology at Temple University (Philadelphia, PA, USA) and at the University of Navarra (Spain).

Read more

He is a licensed architect, graduating with Thesis Cum Laude in September 2005 from the International University of Catalonia (UIC). Project Skyscraper in Athens, Greece. Visiting Student at Sciarc, Los Angeles, US Dec. 2003. Participant at “Days of Oris Symposium 2005” Zagreb, Croatia.

He has taught from January to June 2006 as both fourth-year course coordinator and Design Studio teacher at the International University of Catalonia (UIC). Being guest professor in the Workshop ‘Emotional City’ directed by British architects Sergison & Bates (Sept. 2006).

In January 2010, he got his Masters degree in Biodigital Architecture.  He obtained his doctorate in April 2017 under the title “Use of complex Geometric Systems in Architectural Practice”.

Between April 2008 and September 2011 Borja was Vice-Dean of Culture Publications and International Relations at the school of Architecture, ESARQ, UIC being also director of school workshops and lectures annual program. He was Visiting Assistant Professor during the 2011 spring semester in Pratt Institute, New York. He currently is teaching 3rd year Studio class at ESARQ UIC.

He is author of the book “Synchronizing Geometry” published by ACTAR, which has been exhibited at the Crown Hall of the IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology), Bezalel School of Arts, Jerusalem, Instituto Cervantes in Tel Aviv, Fine Arts Museum in Bilbao, At the Istanbul Institute of Architects and different art galleries in Madrid and Barcelona.

Founding Partner Architect of OAB (Office of Architecture in Barcelona) together with Xavier Marti, Carlos & Lucia Ferrater in January 2006.

He is a FAD (Spain’s national award) prize winner in the category of “ephemeral architecture” together with Carlos Ferrater for the exhibition in Madrid: “M.C. Escher El arte de lo impossible”.

Winner of Wallpaper* Design Awards 2010 for the building: Roca Barcelona Gallery together with Carlos and Lucía Ferrater. Roca Barcelona Gallery has also been finalist of the Lamp awards 2010 in the category of Interior lightning, and has received a special citation at 2010 IALD International Lighting Design Awards , Las Vegas, NV USA, May 2010. In may 2011 Borja also won the  “Good Design is Good Business” awards organized by Architectural Record magazine with the RBG building. Also his work has been selected in the category 21 for 21 (for young architects) in WAN awards 2014. Borja was awarded with the international ENR magazine 2017 Best Global Project in the category of hospitality and Residential, with the project Kaplankaya Phase I Resort in Bodrum, Turkey. Recently his design for a 2*Michelin restaurant received the finalist award 2019 in the Spain & Portugal National FAD awards in the category of Interior Design.

He has given lectures, participated in round tables and jury of prizes in Sweden, Norway, Germany, USA, Mexico, UAE, Israel, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Malaysia, Australia, Turkey, Lebanon, Italy, Luxembourg, Andorra, Romania, and Spain.  He has also had articles published about many of his works in multiple magazines, catalogues, and other publications.

Judith Gabarro estudio arquitectura OAB

Lucía Ferrater

FOUNDING PARTNER

She graduated from the Barcelona School of Architecture in 1997. 

Read more

In 1998, she joined the Carlos Ferrater studio as an architect and in 2006, together with Carlos Ferrater, Borja Ferrater and Xavier Martí Galí, she founded the Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB), together with Núria Ayala as Projects Manager.

Among her works authored along with Carlos Ferrater are the rehabilitation of the Coderch House-Studio in Barcelona, a Social Services Centre on the Barcelona Eixample, and a group of houses in Plaça Lesseps, in Barcelona, this time with Xavier Martí. She has made several works, including the Evangelical Church of Terrassa, different housing blocks and family houses, and particularly the "House facing the sea" with Xavier Martí, the Roca Barcelona Gallery also with Borja Ferrater, the Hotel Alenti in Sitges, the Rehabilitation of the former Tugboat Building in the Port of Barcelona and the New Sports Harbour and Leisure Buildings in the port of Tangier, Morocco.

She is currently working on the projects of the New Fish Market in Barcelona port, a project of homes and offices in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay, a project for an old people’s home in Terrassa and three family houses in Barcelona.

In 2006, she displayed her work, the "Centre for Social Services on the Eixample" at the MOMA in New York as part of the exhibition "On Site: New Architecture in Spain”.

Finalist at the FAD Architecture Awards in the year 2000 for a housing block in Sant Cugat del Vallés. COAC Girona demarcation Architecture Award in 2017 for "the House Facing the Sea" in Port de la Selva, along with Xavier Martí.

Teacher of Projects at the UIC from 2019 to 2012, teacher of the 1st semester of the 3rd year of Projects at the UEM Madrid in 2012, associate teacher on the White Chair at ETSAB (UPC) from 2012 to 2015. She was a teacher on the Master Madrid City Summer Workshop at the San Pablo CEU University in 2013 and subsequently at the Un Universo Efímero competition directed by the students of the Master's Degree. Associate teacher each year at the MArch Master in Valencia along with Núria Ayala. Jury of the Cosentino Design Challenge 2016 and the Neolith Awards 2017. She was a member of the jury of the Palmares Technical Awards 2013 in Paris.

She is currently a Second Year Project Teacher at the La Salle School of Architecture in Barcelona.

Gisela Folch estudio arquitectura OAB

Xavier Martí

FOUNDING PARTNER

Graduated as an Architect from the School ot Architecture .

Read more

He joined the Carlos Ferrater Studio as an associate architect in 2003. In 2006 he set up the Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB) with Carlos Ferrater, Lucía Ferrater and Borja Ferrater, with Núria Ayala as Projects Director.

He is currently working on national and international projects in countries like France, Morocco, Mexico and Ecuador.

He received the 2008 City of Barcelona Prize as co-designer of the Mediapro Tower in Barcelona.

As co-designer of the Benidorm Waterfront he received the Spanish National Architecture Award 2011 for Urban design, 1st prize at CEMEX 2011 in the category of Infrastructure and Urban development, 2nd prize in International Sustainability and 3rd prize in International Accessibility WAN Award in Urban Design, HOSBEC Golden Insignia 2010, COACV Architecture Award 2007-2009 in the area of Urban Development and Landscaping, FAD Architecture Award 2010 in the category of City and Landscape, Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award “best new global design” 2010, Saloni Architecture Awards 2010, Fopa 2009 Prize for the work best integrated into the environment and respect for the environment, Applus Awards 2010, a special mention in the Urban Public Space European Award 2010, 8th ASCER Ceramic Awards 2009, Madrid Real Estate Salon Award 2006, ASPRIMA Award 2006 for the best tourist development and a place as a finalist in the “Rosa Barba” European Landscape Award 2010, as well as express recognition at the 9th Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urban Development 2011.

In 2012 he received first prize at the Porcelanosa Awards as the co-designer of the BF House in Castellón.

As co-designer with Lucía Ferrater of the Casa Frente al Mar in Port de la Selva, he received the COAC Architecture Award 2017 and the 17th ASCER Ceramic Awards 2018.

Together with Carlos Ferrater, he brought out the book Benidorm. West Beach Promenade, published by Actar and the book La Casa AA/Origami House, published by aMag.

He has given lectures in Spain, France, China, Mexico, Italy and Estonia. He was President of the Final Projects Tribunal at the La Salle School of Architecture in 2013 and President of the Court of the Enabling Master of the La Salle School of Architecture in 2010, as well as a member of the jury of several national and international architecture awards. In 2010 he was a guest professor on the Master's Degree in Projects XXI of the UPC.

Beginning in June 2012, many models and original drawings of the Benidorm Waterfront have been chosen to form part of the permanent collection of the Georges Pompidou National Centre for Art and Culture, with displays in Paris and Malaga.

Nuria Ayala Estudio arquitectura OAB

Núria Ayala

PROJECT'S DIRECTOR

Licensed architect from the School of Architecture of Barcelona (ETSAB) in 2001.

Read more

She joined the Carlos Ferrater studio in 2000.

She is the Projects Director, collaborator and co-author of different works, projects and competitions, including the NGO “Centre Esplai” (hostel, training facilities, offices and fitness center); the Musée des Confluences in Lyon; Casa Nolla; the GISA and FGC institutional Headquarters on Via Augusta in Barcelona; Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Promenade; the hotel in the Almodovar Gate in Cordoba; the Azahar Business Group Headquarters in Castellón; the new City Hall in Palma de Mallorca; the new IMQ Hospital in Bilbao; the development plan for the Garellano area of Bilbao; the La Seda Head Office in Barcelona; the City of Music in Sabadell; the extension to the Barcelona Botanical garden; the project design for Barcelona High Court; the extension to Torreblanca Park, Summer Camp NGO Viladoms,  Club House in Bodrum – Turkey and Mixed use Buildings in the Miami Design Disctrict .

Together with Carlos Ferrater she received, on 2010, Ibeoramerican Biennial Architectural Prize, Ecola Prize and Finalist in Valencian Award  for Azahar Business Group Headquarters. On 2011, Finalist in the XI Spanish Biennial and Finalist in FAD Prize for Summer Camp NGO Viladoms.

She coordinated and did the graphic design for the “Research Process” in Sincronizar la geometría/Synchronizing Geometry, published by Actar; Editorial MP’s monograph Carlos Ferrater – OAB, the book “Casas y habitants” (Actar) and Actar’s monograph “OAB. Office of Architecture in Barcelona”

Ines Arquer Estudio arquitectura OAB

Inés Arquer

INTERIOR DESIGNER

Public relations, coordination, and interior design. Cooperates with the studio Ferrater since 1971.

Read more

Among its achievements are: the houses in Estartit, Estartit Yacht Club, House Triginer, Co Lawyers Catalunya, Iuris Travel agency, House for a photographer and houses in Llampaies Alcanar, Tryp airport Empordà Hotel & Golf Resort and triplex in Paseo de Gracia.

Judith Gabarro estudio arquitectura OAB

Judith Gabarró

HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION

She joined OAB in November 2008 as a Responsible of Secretary and Administration.

Read more

Graduated in Management and Public Administration at the Pompeu Fabra University in 1996, Master Degree of Human Resources in 2008 (Fundemi IQS Ramon Llull University) and graduated in Labour Sciences the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya UOC in 2013.

Gisela Folch estudio arquitectura OAB

Gisela Folch

ADMINISTRATION

Joined OAB in 2007 as an assistant and administration backup person.

Read more

Performing functions of reception and communication, including the management of the corporate website contents, coordinating the University practice agreements with architecture students and the organisation of the archive and bibliographic collection of the OAB. 

Montse Trilla estudio arquitectura OAB

Montse Trilla

SENIOR ARCHITECT

Licensed architect from the School of Architecture La Salle of Barcelona (ETSALS) in 2011.

Read more

As a student, works in sustainability and development projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and collaborates with professional office CVarq, in the department of architecture, developing, among other projects, the Rio de Janeiro Infant School.

After graduating assists the professional office 23:45 architects, in the rehabilitation of Block Els Pescadors, J.A. Coderch’s building.

She joins Office of Architecture in Barcelona in November 2011, and since then collaborates, among others, in the following projects:

Hotel in Torroella de Montgrí, PGA Catalunya Resort Houses in Caldas de Malavella, ZAC MONGES housing buildings in Toulouse, Extension of Benidorm Waterfront and exhibition in Pompidou museum, Office building in Guadalajara, Mexico and Realigment of the port and waterfront of Tanger, Morocco.

Marina Olle estudio arquitectura OAB

Marina Ollé

SENIOR ARCHITECT

Master in Architecture, Urbanism and Master Planning from the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) in 2016. Graduated first of promotion in Architecture from ETSAB in 2015.

Read more

As a student, participated in the architectural studio Jesus Godoy Architects in diverse projects in the Spanish territory during 2012-2013.

Between 2013-2016, collaborated as a Teacher and Research Assistant with Catedra Blanca de Barcelona (CB.B), in the Department of Projects in Architecture from ETSAB in which received the MECD grant for training and investigation.

Participated in several International Workshops with Universities such as Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW in Switzerland, Tsinghua University in China, in LAB.A from RCR Architects and in the Intensive Program EU/EPOS in the period 2014-2015.

In 2015 joined Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB) and has work since then on various designs including: an office building in Beirut, the waterfront urbanization in Escala (Girona), the competition for the new Camp Nou, the rehabilitation of the Deutsche Bank tower and two Hotels in the city center of Barcelona.

Gemma Domingo estudio arquitectura OAB

Javier Valenzuela

JUNIOR ARCHITECT

Licensed architect from the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Seville (ETSAS) in 2019. 

Read more

Master in Architecture (MArqEtsaV) in 2020 with Honors.

Between 2016 and 2017 he continued his career as an international student at the Politecnico di Milano. As a student, he did an internship at the Sol89 studio, developing several single-family housing projects. 

In 2021 he joined the Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB) studio and since then he has collaborated in the rehabilitation of a multi-family building in Barcelona and the refurbishment of offices in Madrid, among other projects.

Gemma Domingo estudio arquitectura OAB

Lucas Escudero

JUNIOR ARCHITECT

Master in Architecture from the School of Architecture La Salle Barcelona (ETSALS) in 2023 with academic excellence. Graduated with honors in architecture from ETSALS in 2022.

Read more

As a student, he worked as an assistant teacher for Projects and Construction subjects in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th courses at ETSALS.

In 2023, he was awarded the ARQUIA scholarship for academic excellence for young architects, granting him the opportunity to work at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (MNCARS) in Madrid where he led the design of exhibitions for the artists Eva Lootz (2024) and Juan Uslé (2025), among others.

In 2024, he joined the Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB), and since then has been collaborating on various single-family housing projects and the design of an auditórium in Barcelona, among other projects.

Alberto Penin Estudio arquitectura OAB

Albert Peñín

ARCHITECT

Doctor, architect and professor, advisor to the OAB and Peñín Arquitectos architecture office.

Read more

Since 1999, he has taught both on the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees of the ETSAB in which he is currently responsible for his qualifying master's degree in the morning.

He coordinates the UPC AR.I.EN research group and with Carlos Ferrater directs the Cátedra Blanca de Barcelona and the Palimpsesto magazine and editorial, currently indexed among others in Avery. In the editorial, among other things he highlights the publications of various educational projects and the development of the book Words with Architects Towards the reconstruction of the discipline (2015). With extensive activity as a lecturer and guest professor behind him, he has taken part in seminars, workshops and end-of-degree projects in different schools, such as the Cooper Union (NY), Paris, Berlin, Monterrey, Milan, Madrid, Seville, Toledo and Valencia.

His designing activity has been published in leading journals of the field and recognised with numerous awards. His achievements include around fifteen first prizes in contests, and recognitions of his work at the Mies van der Rohe (2018), FAD (2017, 2018 and 2019) and XI BEAU and VIII BIAU Biennial awards and by the School of Architects. His work has been displayed at the Cervantes Institute in New York and at the School of Architects of Valencia. He has several designs and utility models made with the UPC.

Montse Trilla estudio arquitectura OAB

Ignasi Gutiérrez

ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT

Licensed architect, graduated with honours in 2011 from the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC - ETSAB).

Read more

Between 2005 and 2009 Ignasi collaborated in the architectural studio Clotet, Paricio i Associats in Barcelona. By the end of 2009 got a scholarship to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT - School of Architecture) as an exchange student and, between 2010 and 2011, worked at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago (SOM) in diverse mixed-use international projects.

In June 2012 joined Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB), where he developed and lead national and international projects and competitions in places such as Barcelona, Ibiza, Miami, Los Angeles, Turkey, Norway or Germany.

In 2016 pursued a postgraduate in sustainability in the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC - ETSAV) and in 2017 co-founded, together with Berta Romeo and Guillem Villalta, Estudi biga which became an associated architectural studio of OAB.He currently combines the architectural practice with university teaching as an associate professor at the International university of Catalunya (UIC - School of Architecture) and the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC - ETSAB).

Gemma Domingo estudio arquitectura OAB

Gustavo Figueira

SENIOR ARCHITECT

Licensed architect from from University College Dublin in 2014.

Read more

Was awarded a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Architectural Science in 2011 and a Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree in 2013.

In 2013 and 2014 he worked as a student in the OAB studio, with a particular interest in designing single- and multi-family housing.

In October 2014 he joined the Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB) studio and has since worked on various designs, including the competition for the new Camp Nou, a residential complex in Bodrum, and different projects and international competitions in Turkey, France, the Czech Republic, Morocco, Israel, and Kazakhstan.

 

Gemma Domingo estudio arquitectura OAB

Ginevra Giametta

JUNIOR ARCHITECT

Architect from the “Sapienza Università di Roma” in 2022.

Read more

In 2019-2020 she continues her career as an international student at the Polytechnic University of Valencia through the “Erasmus +” scholarship. In 2021 she participates in the “SpamLab 0.3” workshop with KCAP architects. In 2022 she completed her architecture internship at the OAB studio through the “Erasmus + Traineeship” scholarship and later joined as an architect.

Since then, she has collaborated, among others; in the housing competition in Glorias Barcelona, in the riverfront promenade and rehabilitation of three office buildings in Seville, the competition for a hospital in Switzerland, a promenade in Locri, Italy, a single-family house in Port de la Selva, the competition for a residential complex in Barquers, France, the competition for a music school in Castellón and a project for 2 office towers on Tarragona street in Barcelona.

Gemma Domingo estudio arquitectura OAB

Joan Guillamat

PHOTOGRAPHER
Graduated as an architect from the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) in 2014.
Read more
He started photography at the age of fourteen specializing in nature subjects. Very early his pictures became well acclaimed by the public and began receiving prices for his work. While studying his career he started working as a professional architectural photographer.
 
He joined OAB in 2011, since then he has successfully completed many photographical reports, including international travels. He also does models photography in the studio.
 
He's now doing PhD in Architectural Photography at the Faculty of Fine Arts (University of Barcelona)

Architect in Barcelona

Architect in Barcelona’s creative process focuses on the search for the essential to give projects value, adaptability and timelessness. The firm has a multidisciplinary team and a network of outside collaborators established over more than 50 years of professional experience.