Barru Arkitektura
ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN & ECOTECHNOLOGIES
“A connection with nature, views, acoustics, healthy materials, natural light, and wellbeing in general are going to be some of the key issues in creating a healthier architecture; the time has come to enrich the rational efficiency of buildings.” This is how Xabier Barrutieta, the founder of Barru Arkitektura, finished his speech when receiving the latest award presented to him in the United Kingdom for Most Innovative Studio in the 2018 Build Architecture Awards. His studio, which has won numerous awards and is located in San Sebastian, has become a world leader and now Xabier is invited to give talks in cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, icons of contemporary architecture.
His projects are easily recognizable and leave an impact on anyone who sees them. The building that surely has drawn most looks throughout his extensive career is Orona Ideo, the spectacular circular construction that brings together, in one physical space, the players involved in the Innovation Network at Orona, one of the leading elevator manufacturers. But Barru Arkitektura’s projects do not focus solely on buildings, as the studio works in three different areas with different scales: the urban realm, the corporate realm, and furniture.
In terms of their urban architecture, they undertake mixed-use projects related with cities’ dynamics. Meticulously analyzing the current conditions, they give life to their vision of future scenarios, taking into account the generation of sustainable energy, transport accessibility, and landscape design.
In the corporate and green building department, they focus mainly on offices and services for companies and research centers.these projects require a close bond with brand culture and each individual company’s philosophy. They also design showrooms that include state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, thus creating unique experiences that connect with the brand.
The third realm –furniture– is the smallest and most experimental of the three: an area in which they test innovative materials and solutions to create stunning artistic and technological spaces. To this end, they work with renowned artists and other design professionals to develop unique projects, providing solutions that go beyond the limits offered by the standard industry.an example of this is the complete transformation of a warehouse into an innovative space that blends gastronomy and technology and which the Angulas Aguinaga headquarters has just debuted. In addition to the spectacular façade inspired by the sea’s wavy movements, the project includes a workcafé space developed in collaboration with the artist Víctor Goikoetxea – an artist with whom the studio also worked for the Miramart painted tunnel at the Paseo de La Concha Promenade and in the remodeling of the Chambers at the Hernani and San Sebastian City Halls. The excellent work done by Xabier Barrutieta over the last few years has made him deserving of numerous awards, amongst which is the Award for Best Architect of the Year. He has also received the unanimous applause of the public, companies, and institutions for which he has worked. Even so, his greatest satisfaction is still the certainty of having created a better world through his buildings and spaces.