Can Ribas urban spaces - Spain
Jaime J. Ferrer Forés, PhD architect

Biography 

Jaime J. Ferrer Fores Ph D Architect and Aggregate Professor at the Architectural Design Department, School of Architecture of Barcelona (ETSAB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Barcelona Tech (UPC). Awarded with the PhD Extraordinary Award from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (2008) and received a FPU PhD Fellowship from the Ministry of Education (2001-2005) and a Postdoctoral Fellowship "José Castillejo" from Spanish Ministry of Education (2011). Founder and head of design at Jaime J. Ferrer Forés Architects, his office has won various awards and competitions as the first prizes for Urban transformation in Palma, Born al mar (2004); Can Ribas urban regeneration (2005), J-5 competition for a housing block at Cazorla, Jaén (2006) and the third prize for the Prosecutors office in Madrid (2008).

Among his work are the Housing complex in Es Mercadal (2010), Highly commended at AVS Awards (2010) and Bauwelt Awards (2013) and Can Ribas Transformation in Palma de Mallorca (2011), Highly commended at CSCAE Future Urban Proposals (2005), Awarded as a Finalist at the European Urban Public Space (2012), Selected in the FAD Awards (2012), Selected Project at XII Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo (2013) Architecture Plus Award infrastructure and public spaces (2013) and Premis d'Arquitectura de Mallorca Urban Project Award, COAIB (2014).

His work has been presented in the exhibition Vogadors at Venice Architectural Biennale (2012) and the exhibition Time Space Existence at Venice Architectural Biennale (2014). He has published articles and architectural works in magazines such as A+U, A&V, Arquitectura Viva, Arquitectos, Bauwelt, Beyond, C3, Detail, DPA, En Blanco, Future Architecture, Projections MIT Journal of Planning, Via Construction, or El País, and has participated in several research projects and international conferences as the Alvar Aalto Meeting in Jyväskylä (2008) and Seinäjoki, Finland (2011). He has been Intercampus scholar at Facultad de Arquitectura, Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Perú (1999) and at Faculdade de Arquitectura e Urbanismo, Universidad Pontificia de Campinas, Brasil (2000), Visiting Professor at Tongji University (2013) and Prometeo Senior Research Fellow at UNACH, Ecuador (2013-2014).

He is author the monograph of the architect of the Sydney Opera House Jørn Utzon. Works and Projects published by Gustavo Gili (2006). 

Can Ribas urban spaces. Public spaces and industrial heritage, Palma de Mallorca

Architect: Jaime J. Ferrer Forés, PhD architect
Client: Ajuntament de Palma, Consorci Riba, Patronat Municipal de l’Habitatge
Industrial Heritage consultant:Toni Vilanova
Collaborators: Yolanda Ortega Sanz (project architect), María Alemany Perelló (student), Jaime J. Ferrer Forés (site supervision), Yolanda Ortega Sanz, Talleres Cortada (models)
Consultants: Antoni Ramis Arrom, Esteban Pisano Porada (urban services); Jaime Ferrari (mechanical engineering); Inés Batle Eriksson, (engineering); Eduard Simó (heritage structure); María Antonia Palmer Poncell, Bartomeu Bonet Palmer (heritage quantity surveyor)
Contractors: Melchor Mascaró (urban spaces) and Bartolomé Ramón (industrial heritage restoration)
Photos: José Hevia, Estop, Mazmen (Aerial photo)

Neighborhood revitalization and preserving the elements of industrial heritage are the aims of this urban project being undertaken in the La Soledat area of Palma, Majorca. Proposal is being developed in several stages after winning the open competition in 2005 and consisting in urban general development, public spaces, industrial heritage restoration and future social housing.