Barcelona

Almost everyone in Barcelona has a story to tell about VINÇON. Almost everyone in the world has a story to tell about IKEA. This is a stunning catalogue that brings together two unique shops.

VINÇON was more than a shop. It was the first institution in Spain expressly devoted to promoting and celebrating design and its importance as a creative field. Now, Disseny Hub Barcelona (DHub) and the architect Juli Capella present this book, based on a provocative idea by Fernando Amat, the heart and soul of VINÇON. As well as examining the VINÇON/IKEA duality through the relationship between design and people, it compares these two brands so that each reader can draw their own conclusions.

This publication highlights the democratising role played by these two brands’ design and the importance of design for people’s well-being. On top of that, it reflects on how concepts like sustainability and functionality have evolved. It offers a game of mirrors that contrasts the global with the local, while telling the story of two entrepreneurs with similarities and differences, as well as establishing a dialogue between Scandinavian and Mediterranean design. Beyond that, it invites the reader to reflect on what a world where VINÇON was the global brand would have looked like.