GCA Architects, founded in 1986 by Antonio Puig and José Juanpere, has maintained its vision of design as the cornerstone of its trajectory. Over the years, they have consolidated their position through innovation, sustainability, and the integration of technology, with a unique approach to adapting to the context of each project. Their collaboration with Gunni & Trentino has been essential to several projects, most notably the Hotel Arts in Barcelona.
What would you say have been the fundamental pillars that have sustained the vision and evolution of the studio over these years?
Since Antonio Puig and I founded GCA Architects in 1986, design has always been the guiding principle in the studio's trajectory. Creating spaces that engage with their surroundings and those who inhabit them through light, textures, and proportions are essential aspects of our projects.
Throughout our entire progression and consolidation as a company, teamwork, specialization and organization have been fundamental pillars.
Innovation in design and materials, as well as the incorporation of technological advances, shape the spirit with which we approach each project.
GCA Architects tackles projects with diverse approaches and contexts. What remains constant in your design philosophy across this variety?
The conceptualization of our projects always stems from principles deeply attuned to the place. This involves studying and understanding the local narrative: its history, the culture that defines it, the habits and behaviors of the society that inhabits it, the local materials, its craftsmanship, and so on. Beyond mere reinterpretation, our projects seek to become part of the landscape, contributing our vision of architecture with our core design values: quality, comfort, and efficiency.
Sustainability is a core value that GCA integrates into its projects. How has its approach to responsible architecture evolved, and what are the key strategies it implements?
We understand sustainability not only as an objective to be achieved within our projects, but as a principle that is part of our culture. We believe that sustainability begins with being, understanding, and believing in its benefits. This implies not only seeking a "qualified" final result, but incorporating sustainability from the very conception of each project and throughout all phases of its development.
At GCA Architects, we address this aspect through our own Sustainability Department, which works across the board, both in the analysis and development of specific strategies for each project and in the internal culture, with the aim of fostering a mindset towards a more sustainable world, not as an imposed addition but as a natural way of designing.
Among GCA's vast track record, are there any projects that you consider particularly challenging or significant, and what key lessons did you learn from them?
In 1988 we partnered with the Chicago architecture firm SOM Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to develop the project for the iconic Hotel Arts tower in Barcelona, 44 floors and 154m high, which would be pivotal in the trajectory of GCA Architects.
The project introduced new perspectives to the architectural environment, redefining the city's urban landscape. The tower embraced the influence of American architecture while integrating itself into the local identity, a dialogue between the familiar and the external that would give rise to a new image within the context of the 1992 Olympic Games.
This experience was the starting point for many of the projects we have designed subsequently.
What can you tell us about GCA Architects' relationship with Gunni & Trentino?
There are certain parallels between GCA Architects and Gunni & Trentino in terms of their history, trajectory, and specialization. Both firms have evolved over the years, consolidating their position in the sector and encompassing a wide range of projects, both nationally and internationally.
The designs we work on require top-quality materials, as well as excellent service, and having Gunni & Trentino gives us the confidence and guarantee to be able to offer and work with that quality.
Since our inception, we have collaborated on numerous projects, including hotels like the Arts and many residential developments, forging a relationship of trust built on professionalism and guaranteed results. Gunni & Trentino's products are high-quality, versatile, and offer a wide variety, making them easy to apply to the diverse types of projects we undertake.
They have evolved in design lines similar to ours, adapting to market trends, providing innovative solutions, and of course, always prioritizing quality, which is why we can continue to maintain a consistent collaboration.
Looking ahead, what do you consider to be the biggest challenges facing architecture globally, and how does GCA Architects aspire to address them in its upcoming projects?
I believe that the challenge of architecture lies not only in finding the balance between functionality and aesthetics, but also between efficiency and identity.
Technology and innovation play a key role in the evolution of architecture, and we must aim for their integration to be increasingly present in all phases of a project, not just in the final building. This means incorporating efficiency and sustainability from the very beginning.
However, in a context of increasing globalization and standardization of processes, it is important that technological advances do not compromise the value of design, homogenizing it or diminishing its depth. We cannot allow the pursuit of efficiency to lead us to repetitive solutions or an architecture lacking identity, sometimes unconsciously.
At GCA Architects, we believe that aesthetic value will continue to be essential, not only at an individual level, but also in the way buildings integrate and interact with their surroundings.
We don't see beauty as an accessory, but as a quality that contributes to a place's identity and culture, to the harmony of the urban landscape, and to the daily experience of its inhabitants. Our aspiration is to create architecture where technology, design, and sustainability work together seamlessly, without sacrificing any one aspect for the other.
To conclude, what inspiring message would you like to share with the new generations of architects?
"Architecture is not an art, it is reality itself" - Shunsuke Murai
This phrase by the Japanese architect Shunsuke Murai, which Rafael Moneo quotes in his review of the book "The Summer House", I think conveys very well the way of conceiving architecture.
Unlike other forms of artistic creation, architecture is not limited to an aesthetic or conceptual manifestation, but is materialized in physical space and in people's lives.
However, the fact that architecture belongs to reality does not mean it should relinquish its aesthetic or symbolic dimension. On the contrary, it is the capacity to transform space and generate experiences that makes it profoundly human. In this sense, understanding architecture as “reality itself” implies recognizing its power to shape how we live, feel, and relate to our environment.
