The digital platform ‘Roca Gallery’—a project from Roca—aims to be a reference point for design and architecture news and thought, with more than 30 international writers and content updated every week.  

A committee of experts decided the editorial direction of the website at the first annual meeting. Committee members included Jane Duncan (ex-president of the Royal Institute of British Architects); Jonathan Bell (writer and editor at Wallpaper*); and Raya Ani (ex-president of the American Institute of Architects, Middle East chapter).  

Thirty international contributors, such as Benjamin Prosky (American Institute of Architects, New York); Lucy Bullivant (director of Urbanista.org); Cecilia Tham (founder of Makers of Barcelona; MOB) will contribute essays on a monthly basis. 

A new web platform, which aims to be a meeting point between architecture and design professionals, has been launched today. Twelve people and over 30 international writers are involved in the project, which will generate updated weekly content. The web is published in two languages; English and Spanish. 

Each month it will focus on a different theme. The first month has the title ‘Urban versus Rural.’ 

“Megacities, garden communities, repopulated villages, urban landscapes, animal kingdoms; for the first edition of the website, we explore the shifting divide between the urban and rural environments, and how architects, designers and artists are responding.”

The themes in the coming months are: 

• Connection in a Material World

• The Afterlife of Architecture.

• One Ocean.

• Want more, use less.

“This platform is Roca’s intent to contribute to the global debate on subjects that affect all of us,” says Xavier Torras, Director of Roca’s Communication and Corporate Branding.

For the launch, authors of the exclusive content include Benjamin Prosky, executive director of the American Institute of Architects-New York (AIANY); Martín Azúa, designer and founder of Numbered Store; and Patricia Espinosa, journalist specialized in design who writes for XL Semanal and ABC, among others.

The content is divided into four categories: 

views on architecture, eye on design, the future and sustainable world.

LEAD ARTICLES IN THE FIRST ISSUE: #Urban versus Rural

NEW YORK TAKES UP THE GREEN CHALLENGE | Benjamin Prosky

Architects on one of the world’s greatest metropolises recognise that buildings are a major source of carbon footprint—and suggest what can be done about it. 

BEAUTIFUL RUINS | Stefan Baumann

Within the discipline of ‘urban exploration’ Stefan Baumann photographs abandoned homes, palaces, hotels and hospitals, capturing nature’s return into the built environment.

DAAN ROOSEGAARDE—THE GREAT INNOVATOR | Giovanna Dunmall

Lighting the Landscape without Energy

AT ONE WITH NATURE—ARCHITECTURE THAT MORPHS INTO LANDSCAPE | Suzanne Wales

Recent architecture projects where conservation, ecological concerns, sustainability and the beauty and fragility of Mother Nature steer construction and design.

THE GREENING OF MUMBAI | Saket Sethi

How can you make India’s industrial powerhouse more Eco-Friendly? Fill the balconies with plants or vertical forests, for a start.

THE NEW GARDEN CITY | Jonathan Bell

Beyond the green roof; architects treating the urban structure as landscape

The monthly themes have been decided upon by an editorial committee of experts during a meeting that took place in Roca Gallery London (a work of Zaha Hadid Architects) in January 2018. The seven members of the committee are Raya Ani and Jane Duncan (both architects); the writer Jonathan Bell; the architect and urbanist John Palmesino; the journalist and consultant Pati Nuñez; along with the head of Roca brand communication Núria Vall-llovera and the director of communication at Roca, Xavier Torras. 

EXPERT COMMITTEE

RAYA ANI | Architect, Dubai and Nueva York

Ex-president of the American Institute of Architects, Middle East Chapter (AIA Middle East). 2017 and director of RAW Architects.

JONATHAN BELL | Writer, London

Contributing Editor of the magazine Wallpaper* and editor of the official Aston Martin magazine. 

JANE DUNCAN | Architect, London

Ex-president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA, 2015–2017) and founder of Jane Duncan Architects + Interiors.

PATI NUÑEZ | Journalist, Madrid and Barcelona

Director of the Pati Núñez Agency, strategy and communication consultant specialized in architecture. 

JOHN PALMESINO | Architect and urbanist, London and Switzerland

Founder of the Territorial Agency and professor at the Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture.

XAVIER TORRAS | Communication Director, Barcelona

Director of Communication and Corporate Branding at Roca and director of the We Are Water Foundation. 

NURIA VALL-LLOVERA | Communication Executive, Barcelona

Head of communication for the Roca brand and director of the jumpthegap® International Design Contest. 

CONTRIBUTORS IN THE FIRST ISSUES 

MARTÍN AZÚA | Designer, Barcelona

Founder of Numbered Store and winner of the Premio Delta de Plata 2011.

ETHEL BARAONA | Architect and architecture critic, Barcelona

Founder of dpr-barcelona.

STEFAN BAUMANN | Photographer, Vienna

Has visited hundreds of abandoned spaces in 14 countries.

JONATHAN BELL | Writer, London

Contributing Editor of the magazine Wallpaper* and editor of the official Aston Martin magazine. 

LUCY BULLIVANT | Curator and author, London

PhD Hon. FRIBA and director of Urbanista.org.

KAREN BURSHTEIN | Photographer, translator, and journalist, Winnipeg (Canada)

Collaborator in various leading publications including Dwell, Conde Nast Traveller and The Guardian. 

GIOVANNA DUNMALL | Writer and editor, London 

Writes for leading publications including The Guardian and Frame.

PATRICIA ESPINOSA | Design journalist, Madrid

Writes for numerous publications including El Dominical, XL Semanal, Mujer Hoy, Estilo and ABC.

BEN MORGAN | Architecture and design journalist, Melbourne

Co-founder of Bower Bird, a digital platform that connects architects and designers with writers and the specialised press. 

BENJAMIN PROSKY | Architect, New York

Executive director of the American Institute of Architects-New York (AIANY).

CARLES SALA | Architect, Barcelona

Founder of the SalaFerusic studio. 

SAKET SETHI | Architect, Mumbai and Barcelona

Founder of the Archilogics Studio.

CECILIA THAM | Entrepreneur, Barcelona

Founder of the creative community Makers of Barcelona (MOB).

The new Roca Gallery web—www.rocagallery.com—under the motto “Sharing Knowledge on Architecture and Design” aspires, above all, to become a reference point within the sector. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Link to the project: www.rocagallery.com

Visual material on the project can be found at this link: https://bit.ly/2KLMUXz

Hashtag: #RocaGallery