LILA 2023 Office of the Year
Battleiroig is a multidisciplinary firm celebrated for its innovative and sustainable designs that have made a significant impact on the field of landscape architecture both within Spain and Europe. Founded in Barcelona, Spain, by Enric Batlle and Joan Roig in 1981, the firm has gained international recognition for its progressive approach to design. They have been at the forefront of the ‘Catalan wave’ of the nineties, pushed by Oriol Bohigas’ plans for The Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, which made spectacular never seen before projects possible. The ‘wave’ included names such as EMBT, RCR Arquitectes, Arriola & Fiol arquitectes, Manuel Ruisánchez, MICHELE & MIQUEL, Bet Figueras, Beth Gali, Teresa Galí-Izard, later EMF and others. Already in that time, the work of Batlleiroig helped bring contemporary design attitudes from the region into an international focus and also influence.
The editors of Landezine recognize Batlleiroig’s multidisciplinary approach that has been continuously bringing projects that challenge their briefs, find smart answers and materialize in aesthetically convincing creations fit to their time and context. There is an evident omnipresent quality in the design language of their work – a mix of subtle but still joyful play and, at the same time, calm sobriety that often supports witty solutions.
The project for Garraf Landfill, also awarded LILA 2023 in Revisited Projects category, was based on a landscape idea that served as the main guideline for this very technical transformation. The Forest Path cemetery questions the very structure of symbolic particularities of landscape in terms of our relationship to life and death and proposes a shift of the spiritual to the immediate nature. The Scenic Path Along Igualada’s Old Gypsum Mines was awarded LILA 2019 in Public Category for its unique blend of subtle design that explores existing landscape qualities and a new layer of playfulness that gives the project a new frame. In Esplugues de Llobregat’s modification of the General Metropolitan Plan, they questioned how a productive landscape could be made fit for public use in an innovative way.
The editors of Landezine appreciate the office’s fitness to conquer complex problems and come up with solutions that can move visitors rather than entertain them.
See all LILA recognitions or visit LILA websiteBatlleiroig is a Barcelona-based multidisciplinary office that specializes in Planning, Landscaping, and Architecture. Established in 1981 by Enric Batlle and Joan Roig, the firm comprises more than 140 professionals from various fields. With a strong commitment to the environment and addressing the climate crisis, Batlleiroig has always emphasized Landscape and Nature in its work.
The firm takes a holistic approach, aiming to connect urban design with landscape logic. They are known for their visionary approach to innovation and maintain a diverse and continuously trained team. Batlleiroig operates in three main disciplines: City and Territory, Landscape and Public Space, and Architecture and Construction. While specializing in each area, they also prioritize the transversality required in modern projects to ensure comprehensive control and meet client needs.
Batlleiroig’s versatility and dedication to promoting well-being and the health of individuals have earned them international recognition as a leading practice in urban development solutions for the future. The company has been at the forefront of training its teams in new technologies and advanced software, as well as implementing integrated quality management systems to drive continuous improvement. Notably, Batlleiroig is the first architecture office in Spain to obtain five ISO certifications. Additionally, they have received LEED, BREEAM, and WELL certifications for over 20 projects in the past five years.
Since 2013, Batlleiroig has been actively working on the digitization of projects using Building Information Modeling (BIM). They have progressively adopted this methodology and have successfully executed 102 projects, covering an area of 2,066,830 square meters and involving 1,322 unique objects.
The firm’s steadfast commitment to excellence and innovation has contributed to its success over the past four decades. Batlleiroig retains over 150 professionals across three offices in Barcelona, Madrid, and A Coruña. The team is led by eight partners and supported by nine associates. The directors are actively engaged in teaching, research, and sharing their expertise through speaking engagements, collaborations, media coverage, and international exhibitions. Their dedication to these pursuits led to the establishment of the Batlleiroig Chair, a partnership with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) to foster architectural excellence.
Batlleiroig has been recognized with prestigious awards, such as the CSCAE Medal from the Superior Council of the Associations of Architects of Spain in 2017, acknowledging their leading position in the field and their commitment to quality and professional rigor. They have also received the FAD 2012 Prize for Architecture and Criticism and numerous other awards for their built projects, including the International Architecture Awards, WAF Landscape of the Year, Catalonia Construction Awards, IAKS-International Olympic Committee Award, and the European Prize for Urban Public Space.
The firm has been responsible for several notable projects, such as the Landscape restoration of the Garraf Controlled Waste Landfill, the Administrative Campus of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Johan Cruyff Stadium for FC Barcelona, the Environmental Recovery of the Llobregat River in the Baix Llobregat region, the Atlantic Park in Santander, and multiple buildings for the Inditex Headquarters in Arteixo, A Coruña. Their work has been featured in various monographic publications, including “Merging City and Nature,” “Batlle i Roig, Building with Nature,” “Batlle i Roig Architecture 2008-2018,” “Twenty Gardens 1981-2011,” “Batlle i Roig Architecture 1996-2009,” and “Architecture Described,” among others.
Published on June 27, 2023
