Nook is the result of teamwork of those of us who met in an architecture studio designed by the great, exiled architect Josep Lluís Sert. We slowly fled from a photogenic double-height space towards a nook where ideas went to seek refuge between the heat of the only radiator, effort, work interrupted by laughs, various soundtracks, personal anecdotes, and wit to achieve the best results with minimum sacrifice.
Nook is the beginning of a different concept of Barcelona architects that do not want to be exiled.
As a child, did you always wanted to become a designer / architect?
No, we probably didn’t know about designers or architects. We were as most other children who wanted to be teachers, artists, or doctors, however we always had a creative side that eventually became to be architecture.
What kind of music do you enjoy listening to? Do you listen to music when you work?
When nookarchitects are working together in the studio, there’s no place for music. Discussions about life, projects, and phone calls are more than enough for our ears. We mostly enjoy listening to electronic music, electro pop, and pop rock, but this often happens outside of the studio.
Your favourite book / magazine.
We read all kinds of magazines; we don’t have a favourite one. We always aim towards diversity and different points of views about reality.
A typical day in your profession.
We are kind of a family having breaks and meals together, if possible. During coffee time, we try to put some ideas together and put together each day’s schedule. Once we have answered emails and made phone calls about outstanding issues, we start to design, which is the part we love the most.
Your source of inspiration and why?
Well, it is difficult to find just one because it changes in every project and new ideas are coming constantly. We are kept updated daily with the new digital sources, however we live in Barcelona, and probably this is our great source of inspiration; a Mediterranean city with an enormous history in design and an active way of life with international inputs.
How would you define DESIGN?
The best solution for specific needs, with the best result, and the smallest price.
Do you discuss your work with other architects or designers?
Of course we do! It is absolutely necessary to evolve and get better results. Moreover, we are open to collaborate with designers specialised in other disciplines.
Your style as your friends would describe it?
Fresh, young, functional, and with soul. Recently, someone said us: “your last work is minimalistic yet extremely cosy at the same time”.
A particular designer, from the past who has interested you greatly and why?
A designer from the past with the whole meaning of it could perfectly be Jose Antonio Coderch, Enric Miralles or the Eames. Their studies and projects, from buildings to chairs, is often an inspiration.
‘Simplicity’ from a designer’s point of view.
Behind the apparent ‘simplicity’ there is always a lot of work and design. You don’t (usually) get to simplicity through the easiest way.
A lot of your projects have subtle colours, any particular reason?
The colours are in accordance with the project and sometimes with the pre-existing features we find in the place we work. It is true that we usually work with soft and calmed colours because they are an important mechanism to achieve the light and atmosphere we search, complementing the other elements of the project.
A project that you thought was challenging and why?
Every project is a challenge to us, but the most challenging ones are those in which the clients come to us with a strong idea about what they think the project should be. It is quite challenging to show other ways to make it and introduce new concepts without changing the client’s spirit.
How would you describe your professional journey, over the years?
Sometimes we think we have started a few centuries ago but when we look with some perspective we realise that we are at the beginning of our career. However things have changed extremely fast in the last years with the economic problems in Europe, so work in architecture has become a continuous struggle day after day.
A building material and/or an architectural / design element that you would always want to work with and why?
Wood and steel are both materials that are present in most of our projects. They are simple and we like the way they get older. We love materials that are still alive once you have finished the project.
Your advice for the young?
We are still young, so probably we are the ones who want to receive piece of advice. Up until now we have learned that one has to be very persistent and patient to achieve your goals.
Your favourite quote.
When a client comes to us with a strong idea about what he or she thinks the project must be according to their current way of life, we always respond with the same phrase, “people are used to living in bad architecture.”
Ana García
Ana Garcia began her professional career in 2001, after graduating from U.P.C Barcelona, and after collaborating during several years of academic development in the Romagosa Caralt studio, where she acquired basic knowledge of the development of preliminary and final projects and project management.
She destined a full year of her academic preparation at Universidade do Porto, escuela FAUP.
Since then she has collaborated with several architecture firms; Colomer Prat i Arquitectes Associats and Boquer Julià, as chief of working teams and responsible for the planning of the different design and construction phases, as well as the implementation of ISO 9001 standards.
In 2005, after completing the postgraduate degree of Project and Construction Process at the Escola Sert, she established her self as an architectural design teacher and studio, and continued to collaborate with the following architecture and interior design firms: A. Puigmartí, González Podio, and EC Compta Arquitectes, in which, apart from construction and interior design projects, she took part of special urban rehabilitation projects, projects for invitation-only competitions, and construction management.
Her teaching experience has been specialized to final thesis projects and the recognition of foreign academic titles.
In 2011 she cofounded nook architects, along with Joan Cortés and Rubén Férez, an architecture, urbanism and interior design studio.
Joan G Cortés
Joan Cortés began his professional career in 2009, after graduating from U.P.C Barcelona, and collaborating during several years with professional firms such as BOMA (structures consultants), Mora-Sanvisens Arquitects and EC Compa Arquitectes, where he acquired basic knowledge of the development of preliminary and final projects, urbanism, and design.
He spent a year abroad at the LTH, Lunds Tekniska Högskola, in Sweden, where he further developed his studies of experimental architecture and design. He also formed part of the Pole Europe 2K’6 Landscape and Urbanity program at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland.
Since 2009 he tallies his own professional practice with his collaboration with the EC Compta Arquitectes studio, participating in various projects for multifamily residences, single family residences, public buildings, refurbishments, interior design, and public and private competitions; taking part on the design and construction phases of architectural projects.
He has also participated on several digital architectural representations in 3D and animation, for architectural projects, interior design, competitions, and academic projects.
In 2011 he cofounded nook architects, along with Ana García and Rubén Férez, an architecture, urbanism, and interior design studio.
Rubén F Berenguer
Rubén Férez began his professional career in 2010, after graduating from U.P.C Barcelona, and collaborating during several years with professional firms such as GVR Arquitectes and EC Compta Arquitectes, where he acquired basic knowledge of architecture, urbanism, and design projects, as well as competitions for public buildings and urban planning.
He spent a year abroad at Ludovico Quaroni, La Sapienza, in Rome, where he further developed his expertise in Architecture History and in Restoration and Rehabilitation techniques.
Since 2010 he tallies his own professional practice with his collaboration with the EC Compta Arquitectes studio, participating in various projects for multifamily residences, single family residences, public buildings, refurbishments, interior design, public and private competitions, and urban redevelopment projects. He has also collaborated with the Sin Espaio sE studio, as well as other digital architectural representation projects and architecture competitions.
In 2011 he cofounded nook architects, along with Ana García and Joan Cortés, an architecture,
urbanism, and interior design studio.
Signature/Autograph.
Nook architects.-
http://www.nookarchitects.com/
