Rai

Biography

Olga Tarrasó obtained a degree in architecture from the Barcelona Higher Technical School of Architecture (ETSAB), and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the UPC. Julià Espinàs obtained a degree in interior design from the School of Arts and Trades of Barcelona and graphic design from the EINA School. Olga formed part of the Urban Projects Office of the City Council of Barcelona from its foundation in 1981 and until the year 2000, where she carried out the urban transformation of the area around the Port of Barcelona, the Barceloneta seaside promenade (winner of the FAD Award in 1996) and the covering of the Ronda del Mig in Barcelona (winner of the Decade Award for the year 2006). During this period, she also designed urban furniture for the city of Barcelona. She combined her professional activity with academic work, giving classes in various architecture, agricultural engineering and design schools in Spain and abroad. She was a judge on various panels, such as the City of Barcelona Award, FAD Awards, etc. From 1980 to 1989, Julià executed public space and building projects together with Carles Crespo, Anna Albín and Albert Hernando, later specialising in museography, design, architecture and landscaping. During this stage, she combined her profession with graphic design. In 1986, she was in charge of the design for architecture magazine A30. She also collaborated in publications for the Catalonia College of Architects and designed the first editions of the Contemporary Culture Centre of Barcelona (CCCB). She coordinated the image and signage of the George Pompidou Centre in Paris between 1993 and 1996. She was also in charge of the graphic communication of the temporary installations for the Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) Barcelona, '96, together with Olga Tarrasó. In 1991, Julià and Olga became associated professionally and founded the Espinàs i Tarrasó studio, SCP. The studio executed a wide range of projects in the areas of Landscaping, Design and Architecture based on the previous experience of its partners, using the resources of the studio itself or in collaboration with other multi-disciplinary teams. Joaquim Tarrasó, a regular collaborator with the firm since 2000, became a partner in 2011, opening the field of activity in the Scandinavian Countries.In their projects, the main goal was to adapt the architectural proposal to the landscape and context. Julià Espinàs' training as a designer and Olga Tarrasó's experience as a landscape designer and architect led them to design multi-disciplinary projects together, which included the territory's town planning and strategy, urban furniture, signage and lighting. In 2018, they received the ADI-FAD Delta de Plata Award for the RAI bench produced by URBIDERMIS, and they were finalists in the FAD Awards for the Badalona Seaside Promenade. In 2006, they received the City of Badalona Award for outdoor spaces for the Badalona Seafront. In 2000, they received the Decade Award for the large Mig-Rambla Brasil roundabout project in Barcelona. In 1996, they received the FAD Award for the Barceloneta Seaside Promenade and in 1993 they were finalists in the 3rd Biennial for Spanish Architecture exhibition for Passeig Joan de Borbó, Pla de Palau and Pla de Correus in Barcelona, amongst others. Olga Tarrasó and Julià Espinàs created the BANCAL bench (2000), a modular, simple, versatile element. Similarly, but with an ergonomic profile and gentle waves, Olga Tarrasó and Julià Espinàs designed the BILATERAL bench in 2005. In 2016, they designed the RAI bench, a seats and table system, with a dynamic, rationalist style, which invites conversation, providing spaces for work and leisure. In the year 1990 Olga Tarrasó designed the NU bench together with Jordi Henrich (selected for the 1991 ADI-FAD Delta awards), an element that stands out thanks to its robust and at the same time austere seat, and due to its range of distributions to bring order to public spaces. Know more