GRAUCASAIS

We are an architecture and design studio based in Barcelona lead by Ferran Grau and Nuria Casais.
Our projects meet carefully the social, economic, technical and sustainable demands. They reflect our interest in the way that cities and territories become transformed.
We are strongly engaged with research, teaching, and criticism as an essential complement of our practice.

Nuria Casais

PhD architect and urbanist involved in practice, research and teaching.
She is specialist in territorial and regional strategies, urban design and architecture.
Currently she teaches at Aarhus School of Architecture (DK).
She taught and researched in different institutions such as the Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio (CH), Politecnico di Milano (IT), ESDesign Barcelona (ES), Barcelona Institute of Architecture (ES), and i2a-International Institute of Architecture (CH).
Since 2015 her practice is based in Barcelona developing architectural and urban projects and research in collaboration with Ferran Grau (GRAUCASAIS Architecture). Their projects were awarded in several competitions, and at the XIV Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo (2018) and the XI Bienal Alejandro de la Sota (2019).
Recently, she became the co-director of the number 273 of the architectural magazine Quaderns, and co-director of the number 22 of AT magazine.

Ferran Grau

Ferran Grau is Architect (1996) and PhD (2013) from the ETSAB,
He is currently associated professor at the Architectural Design of Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, where is leading the “All scales of project” subject, framed in the MBArch programme.
He taught at several schools of architecture, including the ETH Zurich, Azriely School of Architecture in Ottawa, TU Faculty of Architecture in Delft, Yıldız Technical University in Istanbul, and Arquitectura en Alicante (AeA).
In parallel he has collaborated with the Institute of Advance Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and the Barcelona Institute of Architecture (BIArch).
His architectural projects were exhibited in the Biennale di Venezia (Unfnished - Spanish Pavilion, 2016, and Vogadors, 2012).
His office (GRAUCASAIS Architecture), has got many awards in competitions, and in 2018 he won the competition for direction of the QUADERNS magazine (num. 273), with Nuria Casais and Rafa Mateo. He is co-director of the number 22 of AT magazine.

Teaching

Nuria Casais

2018 / -: Teaching Assistant, Aarhus School of Architecture, Denmark
2017 / 19: Lecturer, Escuela de Diseño de Barcelona (ESDesign) – Universidad Internacional de Valencia, Barcelona, Spain
2013 / 2014: Teaching Assistant, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
2013: Workshop tutor, International Institute of Architecture (i2a), Switzerland
2012: Workshop tutor, International Institute of Architecture (i2a), Switzerland
2011 / 2012: Teaching Assistant, Barcelona Institute of Architecture (BIArch), Barcelona, Spain

She participated as guest in crits and assessments in institutions such as Aarhus School of Architecture (DK), Escuela de Diseño de Barcelona –ESDesign (ES), Cornell University, College of Architecture, Art and Planning (US), La Salle-Ramon Llull University (ES), or i2a - International Institute of Architecture (CH).

Ferran Grau

2014 / -: Associate Professor, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB- UPC)
2017 / -: Associate Professor, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura La Salle (ETSASL-URLL), Barcelona
2014 / 15: Guest Professor, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona
2011 / 12: Program Coordinator, Barcelona Institute of Architecture (BIArch), Barcelona
2011 / 12: Professor, University of Texas at Sant Antonio & StAP BCN, Barcelona
2008 / 15: Professor and program coordinator. Escola T. Superior d’Arquitectura de La Salle (ETSALS/URLL), Tarragona
2009 / 10: Workshop Guest Professor, Azriely School of Architecture and Urbanism, Ottawa, Canada
2008 / 09: Workshop Guest Professor, Escola Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de A Coruña (ETSAC), A Coruña
2007 / 08: Guest Professor, Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), Barcelona
2007 / 08: Guest Professor, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura (ESARQ-UIC), Barcelona
2007 / 08: Workshop Guest Professor, Escola Superior d’Arquitectura (ESARQ-UIC), Barcelona
2004 / 05: Workshop Guest Professor, Escola Superior d’Arquitectura (ESARQ-UIC), Barcelona
2004 / 06: Assistant Professor, Institut Politècnic Federal (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
2002 / 04: Associate Professor, Escuela de Arquitectura en Alicante (AeA), Alicante
1997 / 2002: Assistant Professor, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura La Salle, Barcelona

He participated as guest in crits and assessments in institutions such as RMIT Melbourne, (AUS), Yildiz Technical University (YTU), Istanbul (TR), Delft University of Technology, TU Delft (NL), Cornell University, College of Architecture, Art and Planning (US), Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de Santiago de Chile (FAU) (CL). Chile, Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad Nacional de la Plata (FAU.UNLP), Argentina (ARG), and in the Unit G, University of East London (UEL), London.

Exhibitions

2020, XI Bienal Alejandro de la Sota, L’Hospitalet de l’Infant (Tarragona)
2019 XIV BEAU. Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Instituto Cervantes, Nueva York
2019, Import Wallonie – Bruxelles. Cities Connection Project, Arts Santa Mónica. Barcelona
2019, XI Bienal Alejandro de la Sota, COAC Tarragona. Residència ATRIA
2019, XIV Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, “More Living, More Human”, Convento Santa María de los Reyes, Sevilla. Residencia ATRIA
2019, XIV Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, “More Living, More Human”, La Arquería de Nuevos Ministerios. Residencia ATRIA
2018, XIV Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, “More Living, More Human”, Santander. Residencia ATRIA
2016, XV Biennale di Architettura di Venezia, Spanish Pavilion (Unfinished), Hábitat-Almacén
2015, Exposición del concurso Fundació La Muntanyeta en el COAC Tarragona. Transformation of an existing building into the new APPC center.
2012, Volandia: Parco e museo del volo, “The life of the Airports”, Milan
2012, XIII Bienal de Arquitectura de Venecia, Catalan Pavilion. Hábitat-Almacén

Awards

2020, Baumit Architecture Award 2019, Built category, AxA, Residencia ATRIA
2019, Award XI Bienal Alejandro de la Sota, Residencia ATRIA
2019, 1st Prize Editorial Direction of the AT Review. Arquitectes de Tarragona. COAC
2019, 2nd Prize Refurbishment La Clota sports facility, BIMSA (Barcelona).
2018, 1st Prize Editorial Direction of the Revista Quaderns d’Arquitectura i Urbanisme. COAC
2018, Finalist XIV BEAU. Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Residencia ATRIA
2018, Selected XV Premis Catalunya Construcció, Residencia ATRIA
2017, 2nd Prize. “Llar Casa Bloc” Competition. Habitat3 y COAC.
2016, Award ATEG, Hábitat-Almacén
2016, 4th Prize, Competition Urban planning for the El Morrot de la Savinosa. Diputació de Tarragona i COAC. Tarragona
2016, 3rd Premio Competition for a new sports pavilion and a kindergarten, Barcelona

Lectures

2020, Ferran Grau: Arquitectures de l’esport. Projectes VI Tarda. Etsab, Barcelona
2020, Ferran Grau, debate “UNFINISHED: Ideas, imágenes, y proyectos del Pabellón de España en la XV Bienal de Arquitectura de Venecia”. Cooperativa d’arquitectes Jordi Capell, Barcelona
2019, Ferran Grau, “Una arquitectura activa”, Cities Connection Project, Arts Santa Mónica, Barcelona
2018, Nuria Casais y Ferran Grau, “Home where is home”, Instituto Cervantes, Sydney

Publications

Casais, Nuria y Ferran Grau (ed), Quaderns d’arquitectura 272, Barcelona: COAC - Polígrafa Ediciones, 2020.
Casais, Nuria, and Ferran Grau. «Nordhavn and Ørestad». Quaderns 272 - Cosmetic Techniques (2020).
Casais, Nuria y Ferran Grau, Quaderns d’arquitectura 273, Barcelona: COAC - Polígrafa Ed. 2020. Proyecto Llar Casa Bloc.
Casais, Nuria y Ferraan Grau (ed.) AT#22. Arquitectes de Tarragona, Tarragona: COAC, 2020.
Casais, Nuria. «NAC: A new regional estructure». In “Retro-active Research: architecture’s capacity to challenge and extend the limits of other disciplines”, Alicante: Universidad de Alicante, 2020.
Ferran Grau, “no todo estaba por hacer en Burkina”, Catálogo de la exposición PerDurar” - COAC, 2020.
Casais, Nuria y Ferran Grau, “Puertas, ventanas, muros y otros elementos: reflexiones sobre categorías posmodernas contemporáneas”, revista LIMAQ núm.05, Universidad de Lima, 2020
Casais, Nuria, y Ferran Grau. «Ripensare Spazi: Residenza ATRIA a Reus». IoARCH 80 (2019): 62-63
Grau, Ferran y Nuria Casais, «Residencia ATRIA». In Catálogo XIV Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo. Más habitar, más humanizar/ More Living, More Human. Madrid: Ministerio de Fomento, 2018.
Grau, Ferran, “TILBFOP, a research on the European architectural identity”, Universidad de Alicante, 2018.
Grau, Ferran, “Una arquitectura activa”, Import WB Export Bcn Re-activate the city, DPR Barcelona, 2018.
Grau, Ferran, “Josep Puig I Cadafalch, una actitud arquitectònica vigent,” Congrés: Puig I Cadafalch, arquitecte de Catalunya, 2018
Grau, Ferran, et al., Hábitat almacén. En «Unfinished, ideas, images, and projects, from the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale”, editado por Iñaki Carnicero, Carlos Quintáns con Ángel Martínez, Actar, 2017.
Grau, Ferran, et al., Hábitat almacén, en «Unfinished” Catálogo del Pabellón español de la Bienal de Venecia de Arquitectura, Fundació Arquia y Ministerior de Fomento, 2016.
Grau, Ferran, «The emotional and the urbanal city». Istanbul: Istanbul Technical University, 2014.
Grau, Ferran, “Proyectos del realismo crítico en la era de la simultaneidad. Debates sobre la gestión de la información y las actuaciones en la ciudad construida.” Palimpsesto nº 10, Barcelona, 2014
Grau, Ferran, “De la informalitat a la forma construïda”. Hipòtesis d’Arquitectura, Reus, 2014.
Grau, Ferran. ed al, «Export Barcelona». In Export Barcelona. Social housing in urban context, Barcelona: AAAB editions, 2013.
Grau, Ferran, et al., “Import Barcelona”, Import. Ticino. Architecture and territory. AAAB editions. Barcelona, 2013.
Grau, Ferran, et al., “Barcelona Import_Ticino”. In Archi. Rivista svizzera di archittetura, ingegneria e urbanistaca. Num 2, 2013.
Casais, Nuria. The life of the airports. Milan: List, 2012.
Grau, Ferran, “Critic realism projects on the simultaneity time. Debates on information management and attitudes on constructed city.” Cerce. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya i Col·legi Oficial d’Arquitectes de Catalunya, Barcelona, 2012.
Grau, Ferran, et al., “Habitat-magatzem in Tarragona”. En “Vogadors”, Venice Biennale Architettura. Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 2012.
Casais, Nuria, George Kallis, y Saba Ghasemizadeh. «Climescape». Conditions, 2011.
Grau, Ferran, “From my Room”. Building 22: Student Architecture Publication. Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism. Ottwa, 2011
Grau, Ferran, “Herencias urbanas de la democracia y de la globalización. Hacia un urbanismo de acción desde la ciudad construida”, Seminario SUBA, La Plata, 2011.
Casais, Nuria, y Camilo Blanco. «Planeamiento de Viveiro». In TU10. Trabajos Académicos. Área Urbanismo. A Coruña: Departamento de Proyectos Arquitectónicos y Urbanismo. Universidad da Coruña, 2010.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «REURSA-INCASOL offices, House in Sitges project, Sports area in El Papiol». En a+. 44 Young International Architects, núm. 10. Barcelona, 2010
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Àrea esportiva d'El Papiol». In Via CONSTRUCCIÓN, núm. 82, Barcelona, 2010.
Grau, Ferran, “Arquitectura i informació”, Jornades d’Innovació docent, Universitat Ramon Llull, 2009.
Grau, Ferran, et al., “Àrea esportiva d'El Papiol, Barcelona”. En Espais metropolitans 2005/2008. Barcelona, 2009
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Àea esportiva d'El Papiol. En AFL. Arquitectura en fachadas ligeras, Barcelona, 2009
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Espai cripta FAD». In Público, privado, efímero. La cerámica en arquitectura. Ascer, 2008.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Àrea esportiva d'El Papiol, Casa a Sitges». ARQAT 123 Joves arquitectes catalans, Barcelona, 2008.
Grau, Ferran, “Eredità urbane della democracia”. En IO Architetto. Milà, 2008.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Icona a l'aeroport de Reus». Catàleg de la V Biennial Alejandro de la Sota. Tarragona, 2007.
Grau, Ferran “La percepció requereix participació”. En Revista DAU núm. 27, 2006.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Concursos europeus». Arquitectura catalana al món. Arqcatmon. Barcelona, 2006.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Exposicions Re-viure els barris, Barcelona U-turn i Cripta FAD. En DAU. Lleida, 2006.
Grau, Ferran, “Growth Madrid”. In Architectural Papers II, ETH Zuric, 2005.
Grau, Ferran, “Global ways of living versus sudden cities”. En Architectural Papers II, ETH Zuric, 2005.
Grau, Ferran, “Barcelona faces the sky”. In Architectural Papers II, ETH Zuric, 2005.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Àrea esportiva d'El Papiol». 1:1 Triennal d'arquitectura del Baix Llobregat, Alt Penedès i Garraf., 2005.
Grau, Ferran, et al., Exposició “Barcelona in progress”. Catàleg premis FAD 2005, Barcelona, 2005.
Grau, Ferran, et al., Exposició «Barcelona in progress». En Barcelona in progress book. Barcelona, 2004.
Grau, Ferran, et al., Exposició ”Barcelona U-turn”, Catàleg premis FAD 2004. Barcelona, 2004.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Àrea esportiva d'El Papiol. Barcelona». En Quaderns d’arquitectura i urbanisme núm. 241, Barcelona, 2004.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Exposició Re-viure els barris”. En Arquitectura COAM núm. 331, Madrid, 2003
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Exposició Re-viure els barris”, Catàleg de la III Biennial Alejandro de la Sota, Tarragona, 2003.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Àrea esportiva d'El Papiol», 1:1 Triennal d'arquitectura del Baix Llobregat, Alt Penedès i Garraf, 2003.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Habitatges a les Corts. Barcelona». Catàleg del Concurs per a joves arquitectes. AJAC. COAC, 2003
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Llar d'infants a Caldes de Montbuí». In Arkitektúr Verktaekni og Spikulag. AVS nº 23. Islàndia, 2002.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Exposició “Re-viure els barris”. Catàleg dels Premis FAD 2002. Barcelona, 2002.
Grau, Ferran, et al., «Llar d'infants a Caldes de Montbuí». Catàleg del Concurs per a joves arquitectes. AJAC. COAC, 1999