Ricard Bofill posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Civic Merit

Born in Barcelona in 1939, Ricard Bofill laid the foundations for today’s Taller d’Arquitectura, assembling an interdisciplinary team of architects, poets, sociologists, musicians and other artists. Early in his career he experimented with new types of housing suited to community lifestyles beyond the traditional family model, such as the iconic Walden 7 building (1970) in Sant Just Desvern.

Legacy linked to the city

His work can be found in over forty countries around the globe, and in Barcelona his imprint is more widespread and visible, for instance in a residential building in Carrer de Nicaragua (1965), a complex of 113 flats in Vila Olímpica (1991), the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (1997) and the Hotel W Barcelona, better known as the Hotel Vela (2009). He was also responsible for the enlargement and remodelling of the Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport, overseeing work on Terminal 2 in 1991 and the award-winning Terminal 1, which was completed in 2010 and recognised as the best airport in southern Europe.

Ricard Bofill believed in restoring the Mediterranean square as a place for social interaction and engagement. He also advocated the creation of interconnected urban environments, rather than isolated buildings. A substantial part of the architect’s work focused on residential projects, including social housing.

During the course of his career, Ricard Bofill received numerous awards and accolades, including the Cross of Sant Jordi (1973). He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Metz (France) in 1995 and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in 2021.

The decision to award the gold medal to the architect was taken unanimously by the Full Council in June 2022.