El Croquis 230: Harquitectes 2021–2025 surveys the recent output of one of Spain's most ecologically committed practices, mapping a body of work that moves between social housing, civic infrastructure, and cultural extension with consistent material intelligence.
About This Book
Founded in 2000 by David Lorente, Josep Ricart, Xavier Ros, and Roger Tudó, Harquitectes have built a reputation for architecture that takes environmental responsibility as a design premise rather than a retrofit. This monographic issue of El Croquis documents their projects from 2021 onwards, presenting built work across housing, libraries, fairgrounds, and museum extension. The issue situates the practice through a conversation with Cristina Díaz Moreno and Efrén García Grinda, and an essay by architect Jesús Vassallo — two critical frameworks that reward readers seeking to understand how Harquitectes translate ethical positions into spatial decisions. Essential reading for those tracking contemporary Catalan architecture and sustainable design practice.
Key Features
- 344 pages of project documentation, drawings, photography, critical essays, and extended interview
- Conversation with Harquitectes conducted by Cristina Díaz Moreno and Efrén García Grinda; essay by Jesús Vassallo
- Featured projects include Galenicum offices (Barcelona), social housing in Gavá and Palma, libraries in Quart and Terrassa, the Montjuïc Fairground, the MACBA extension, and several private homes
- Published by El Croquis, 2021
What You'll Discover
- How Harquitectes navigate the tension between social housing constraints and architectural ambition across projects in Gavá and Palma
- The practice's approach to civic and cultural infrastructure, examined through the Montjuïc Fairground and the extension of the MACBA in Barcelona
- The role of programme diversity — from pharmaceutical offices to neighbourhood libraries — in shaping a coherent yet adaptable design methodology
- Critical perspectives from Díaz Moreno, García Grinda, and Vassallo that contextualise Harquitectes within broader debates in contemporary Spanish architecture
About the Author
Harquitectes is a Barcelona-based architectural practice founded in 2000 by David Lorente, Josep Ricart, Xavier Ros, and Roger Tudó. The firm is known for projects spanning social housing, cultural institutions, and civic buildings across Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
Specifications
- Format: Softcover
- Pages: 344
- Dimensions: 250 x 340 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9788412823455
- Publisher: El Croquis
- Publication Date: 2021
Perfect For: Architects and students with an interest in contemporary Spanish practice, sustainable design methodology, social housing, and civic architecture