Xavier Vilalta is an Catalan

Catalan people

The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...

 architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

 and professor. He studied Architecture between Barcelona and the United States in the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He has taught as a professor in the ETSA Barcelona School of Architecture and the Lleida University. Currently Xavier Vilalta is a research professional and an Associate Professor in ETSAB of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. There he teaches final year design studios and mentoring diploma projects.
His work has been featured in Spanish, European and international magazines and media.

Design Vision

"Every project is a research to find originality from key resources such as the local culture and the traditions or the climate and the natural resources to transform them to contemporary design incorporating XXI century industrial production techniques and ecological strategies."

"Vernacular innovation is a process of integrating the existing elements of the site and its culture to transform them into a contemporary design."

Awards

Recognitions

• 2007- Selected building for the Lleida Architecture Awards 2005-2007: Municipal Kindergarten in Mollerussa, Spain
• 2008 - 1st prize : Leaf Awards 2008 for Arreletes Day-Care Centre, Els Alamús, Lleida, Spain in the category of young architect
• 2009 - 3r prize: International Competition: SAIE Selection 09 in BolognaFiere - 11 Urban Houses project.
• 2010 - Selected building for the Lleida Architecture Awards 2007-2009: Arreletes Day-Care Centre, Els Alamús, Lleida, Spain
• 2010 - 1st prize : International Competition: SAIE Selection 10 in BolognaFiere - Melaku Center
• 2010 - TED Fellowship 2011

Competitions

• 2004 - Finalist International Competition: La Encarnación market, square and museum in Seville, Spain.
• 2006 - 1st prize National Competition for technology innovation for residential construction: 44 dwellings for young people in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, Barcelona, Spain.
• 2006 - 1st prize: Competition Municipal Kindergarten in Mollerussa, Spain
• 2008 - 2nd prize competition: “Onze de Setembre” Primary Care Center in Lleida, Spain
• 2010 - 1st prize :International Restricted Competition: Alpha Project, Doha, Qatar
• 2010 - Shortlisted : International Competition for New Angola University
• 2010 - 1st prize : Competition for New Lideta Shopping Center in Ethiopia

Main Projects

• Arreletes Day Care Center - Spain
• El Niu Kindergarten - Spain
• Pla d'Urgell Morgue - Spain
• Pro House - Spain
• Melaku Center - Ethiopia
• Alpha Project - Qatar
• Central Highlands University - Angola
• Lideta Mercato - Ethiopia

External links

• http://www.e-architect.co.uk/africa/melaku_center_ethiopia.htm
• http://www.lamalla.cat/infolocal/noticies/article?id=381428
• http://www.bondia.cat/noticies/99-societat/11157-un-projecte-de-larquitecte-mollerussenc-xavier-vilalta-seleccionat-per-construir-una-torre-a-qatar
• http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/10517/xvstudio-alpha-project.html
• http://www.larazon.es/noticia/9723-un-edificio-con-forma-de-papel-arrugado-cambia-la-cara-de-doha
• http://www.bondia.cat/apunts/158-reportatges/12210-la-filosofia-dels-edificis-del-mollerussenc-xavier-vilalta