Picharchitects is a Barcelona-based architecture firm founded in 1986 by Felipe Pich-Aguilera Baurier and Teresa Batlle Pagès, recognized for its commitment to sustainable architecture and the integration of ecological principles in design. The firm is a pioneer in developing energy-efficient and environmentally conscious buildings, merging technological innovation with a deep respect for local contexts.
Picharchitects advocates for buildings as “material banks”—structures designed to be deconstructed and reused, minimizing environmental impact. This concept is exemplified in projects such as the Gonsi Sócrates Building in Viladecans, where building components are designed to be removable and reusable, supporting circular economy principles. Their projects emphasize adaptable systems, locally sourced materials, and modular construction that foster long-term resilience. The firm’s architectural approach balances functionality, aesthetic appeal, and environmental performance.
Notable projects include the Sant Pau Research Institute in Barcelona, where the firm reinterpreted historical and modern elements to create a state-of-the-art research facility, and the Cerdanyola del Vallès Courthouse, where bioclimatic strategies and passive cooling elements shape an energy-efficient civic building.
Picharchitects has received multiple awards for its contributions to sustainable architecture and continues to lead discussions on urban resilience, the circular economy, and sustainable building practices.
What inspires you?
If we consider inspiration as the force that drives us to realize our ideas, then our inspiration arises from the promise of a new commission. Regardless of its uncertainty, that promise represents trust in us and commits us to respond in the best possible way each time.
What led you to become an architect?
We believe that by being architects, we can improve things and make the world a better place. The true project is about reality, and architecture is not an end in itself but a powerful instrument for transforming our environment. Additionally, new ideas eventually reach society through architecture, shaping the social forms that define each era. We do not deny the formal value of our buildings, and it moves us when it manifests, but it is something almost unspeakable that only appears at the end of the process. We find reassurance when beauty emerges from the rough construction process, as it indicates that perhaps we have not lost our way.
How would you describe your design philosophy?
We seek harmony between building and ecology, as the environment is the ultimate measure of the work we do as architects. We are convinced that there is always a way to improve living conditions without inevitably compromising others’ possibilities. This principle has guided our work so far. It is a way of reconciling idea and reality, concept, and detail, thought and technique—logic, and emotion.
What is your favorite project?
There are many extraordinary projects. We have traveled extensively to see these buildings in person, as photographs never convey the true scale of constructed architecture. Some of our personal references include: the Olympic pavilions in Kyoto by K. Tange, San Carlino in Rome by F. Borromini, the Center for Hydrographic Studies in Madrid by M. Fisac, the Oslo Opera House by Snøhetta, Torre Reforma in Mexico City by V. Romano, Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona by B. de Montagut, La Casa Milà in Barcelona by A. Gaudí, Lever House in New York by G. Bunshaft, and many others that would make for a very long list.
What is your favorite architectural detail?
The detail we like most is the one that doesn’t exist, as it disappears precisely at the junctions between materials. Construction today should be a combination of systems that cleanly engage various materials so that buildings can serve as true “material banks.” This approach allows materials to retain their value beyond the useful life of the building they compose.
Do you have a favorite material?
Almost all materials are suitable if used logically according to their properties. We typically use a wide variety of materials since each one responds complementarily to the demands converging in each building. The only justification for prioritizing one material over another is a radical scarcity of resources in that location. In some parts of the world, for instance, it may be advisable to build primarily with adobe or wood, but that has more to do with resource availability than with the architects’ preferences.
What is your process when starting a new project?
Each beginning can be different because circumstances change. An ideas competition requires a very different dynamic from a private commission. When ideas are emerging, they need enough space to take shape before being questioned. However, although the initial impetus for each project varies, once the ideas materialize in a preliminary design, we follow a fairly established development process to confront them with reality.
How do you balance functionality and creativity in your projects?
We don’t believe these terms are opposed, as it takes a great deal of creativity to adequately meet functional requirements. Functionality is often confused with a program of needs, just as economy is mistaken for mere accounting. Large infrastructures may appear to be purely functional responses, yet many of them are extraordinary creations.
How does the environment influence your work?
The environment has always shaped architecture in one way or another. Over the past 50 years, the mechanical systems that land on our buildings have increased exponentially, creating the false impression that architecture has freed itself from climate constraints by using machines. However, the primary mechanism for creating comfort is architecture itself, with all other mechanical systems serving as complements. Ignoring the thermodynamic potential of architecture trivializes it.
How do you collaborate with clients to realize their vision?
Architecture is the result of a fertile interaction with various stakeholders, with the client usually being the most influential. The most important ingredient for our work is mutual trust, so we strive to generate a climate of loyalty because the outcome depends on it.
What inspired the façade of Sant Pau?
The Sant Pau Hospital Research Institute had to be inserted into a historic complex that had been overshadowed by the construction of the “modern wing” of the new hospital years earlier. We believed it was necessary to dissolve this contrast between modern and historic by extending the intense atmosphere of the historic complex. Therefore, we deployed the repertoire of its materials and colors in a contemporary way.
How did materiality influence the outcome of the Sant Pau project?
Materials are always tied to specific construction systems, which, in turn, respond to the different scales and functions of the project. From the inside out, the building starts with a radical infrastructure capable of effectively accommodating the changing uses of a research center. The infrastructure is made of prestressed concrete with steel lattice-bearing façades. Aluminum, glass, and mineral wool form the watertight enclosure layer. Finally, a ceramic screen attached to tensioned steel cables serves as solar protection and gives the building its unique appearance at this special point in the city.
What advice would you give to young architects?
The practice of architecture is undergoing profound changes, and in the coming years, other professional structures that respond to challenges under the circumstances of our time will consolidate. I would advise young people to avoid the stereotypes of the “Architect” from the past and to try to identify, without prejudice, which professional vehicles best bring them closer to architecture. Training, Vision, and Self-esteem that push the architect to take the risk of their authorship will always be necessary, but there are now more collegiate frameworks that allow individual effort and talent to achieve greater reach without dissolving.
I also believe it is necessary to develop new professional forms to overcome the compartmentalization inherent in certain Anglo-Saxon models. We need models that combine the best of both worlds; the agility and commitment of the small firm, with the capability and reliability of large engineering. In the construction of these new professional models, young people have a lot to contribute, due to their inexperience and some new values that their generation has embraced.
In any case, it is useful and very healthy to ask oneself from time to time:
What is the purpose of my work?
