IAAC – Advanced Architecture Barcelona mourns the passing of its co-founder, Manuel Gausa, whose vision and generosity have left a profound mark on this institution and on contemporary architecture.

Together with Vicente Guallart and Willy Müller, Gausa founded IAAC at the turn of the millennium as a place where architecture could be redefined through experimentation, technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration. From its earliest days, IAAC embodied his bold spirit: open, curious, and committed to innovation. Today, the Institute’s global network of alumni, its laboratories, and its classrooms all carry the imprint of this founding vision.

Gausa’s contribution to architectural culture extended far beyond IAAC. As a leading theorist within the Metápolis collective in the 1990s, he articulated a new way of understanding architecture—open to philosophy, science, technology, and landscape. The ideas formulated in that context later radiated internationally through IAAC, shaping debates on advanced architecture and the role of design in society.

His academic and editorial trajectory was equally influential. He taught at ETSAB (1995–2000), contributed to the creation of the Faculty of Architecture at UIC Barcelona, and in recent years served as Professor of Architecture and Landscape and Director of the PhD Program in Architecture and Design at the Università degli Studi di Genova. He directed Quaderns d’Arquitectura (1991–2000), co-founded the publishing house Actar, and authored seminal reference works such as the Diccionario Metápolis de Arquitectura Avanzada (2001) and OPEN: arquitectura y ciudad contemporánea (2010).

For the IAAC community, Manuel was a founder, a mentor, and a companion. His intellectual courage was matched by his warmth and generosity. Being around him meant being invited to think further and dream bigger.

His passing leaves us with deep sadness, and with gratitude for everything he contributed to IAAC and to the architectural community at large.

On behalf of IAAC, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues around the world.

A farewell will take place at the Tanatori de Sant Gervasi – Sala 1, Barcelona. The wake will begin on 26th August at 17:00 and conclude on 27 August at 15:00th. The funeral ceremony will follow on 27th August at 15:00, at the same location.

All who wish to honor Manuel Gausa’s memory and accompany his family in this moment of farewell are warmly welcome to attend.

For further details, please refer to the official obituary: Manuel Gausa Navarro Memorial Notice.