Valldaura Labs is a leading research facility dedicated to exploring the future of self-sufficient habitats.
At Valldaura Labs, continuous innovation in materials and technology meets hands-on experimentation, utilising local resources to generate energy, produce food, and construct biobased structures with an emphasis on engineered timber, directly supporting IAAC’s mission to design the future through radical, self-sufficient solutions.
Located within IAAC’s forest Campus in Collserola Natural Park, it serves as a living laboratory for developing Biocities rooted in circular bioeconomy principles.
The lab engages with the broader community through a range of educational programs, public events, and collaborative research projects, actively prototyping systems that contribute to regenerative urban living.
Developing energy-efficient, autonomous buildings that generate and manage energy, water, and waste, while fostering urban biodiversity through green governance and citizen engagement.
Pioneering biodegradable and renewable materials to drive circular bioeconomy models for sustainable urban environments.
Designing resilient, off-grid infrastructure for energy and water management to support independent, self-sustaining habitats.
Applying advanced technologies for carbon capture and environmental regeneration in both urban and natural ecosystems.
Promoting sustainable forestry and local food systems to strengthen ecosystem resilience and food security.
Laia Pifarré holds a Law degree from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2002) and participated in the Erasmus program at the Università degli Studi di Parma in 2003. In 2015, she completed the Global Trends, Local Impacts: An Urban Futures Masterclass at the London School of Economics, and in 2018 she earned a second degree in Political Science and Administration from the Universitat de Barcelona.
Her professional career spans both the public and private sectors. From 2011 to 2015, she served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Urban Habitat at the Barcelona City Council, where she was involved in the development and implementation of urban policies. Since joining the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), she has participated in numerous initiatives focused on architecture and urban innovation, with particular responsibility for coordination with companies, institutions, and public administrations.
She is currently Executive Director of Valldaura Labs, IAAC’s forest campus located in the Collserola Natural Park. Situated on a 130-hectare estate, Valldaura Labs is dedicated to research on human habitat, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, ecology, forest management, food production, and the development of advanced ecological wooden buildings. In 2022, she served as Executive Secretary of Barcelona European Forest Capital, an initiative led by the European Forest Institute that included the organization of a scientific event on Biocities at the Barcelona Design Museum, as well as the internationally acclaimed Mass is More installation at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion. From Valldaura Labs, she has spearheaded and managed a wide range of innovative projects, including the Tiny House (2019), the Quarantine Cabin—the first prototype built with CLT using local Valldaura timber (2020), the Solar Greenhouse (2021), the FLORA prototype developed as part of Barcelona’s designation as European Forest City (2022), the MO.CA mobile wooden housing unit (2023), and CORA House (2024), a robotic fabrication facility for timber-based prototypes. Many of these projects have been recognized in international competitions and featured in publications such as The New York Times and Monocle.
Vicente Guallart was the chief architect for Barcelona City Council from 2011 to 2015, where he was responsible for developing the strategic vision for the city and overseeing major development projects. He co-founded and directed IAAC from 2001 to 2011, leading notable projects such as the Media House Project (in collaboration with MIT’s CBA), HyperCatalunya, and the Fab Lab House.
Guallart’s professional practice, Guallart Architects, has delivered widely published projects, including the ports of Fugee and Keelung in Taiwan and the Sociopolis neighbourhood in Valencia. He is currently working on projects in China and Russia, focusing on innovative urban solutions. As an author, he has written books like Plans and Projects of Barcelona (2011-2015), Geologic, and The Self-Sufficient City, and he co-authored the Metapolis Dictionary of Advanced Architecture. His work has been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Biennale of Venice and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, with a solo exhibition organised by the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C., in 2010.
Michael Salka is the Co-director of the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities (MAEBB) and the Technical Director of Valldaura Labs at IAAC (2022–present). He is also a Gates Scholar PhD candidate in Architecture at the University of Cambridge (2021–2025). Michael’s career spans projects such as designing water infrastructure in rural Rwanda (2012–2014), developing net-zero neighbourhoods and urban infill projects in the USA (2014–2018), and working on engineered timber buildings and ‘Biocities’ in Spain (2018–present).
His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals (2013–present) and books such as Springer Nature’s Transforming Biocities (2023), commissioned by the European Forest Institute. He has also contributed reports on biobased social housing for the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). His work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times (2021). His PhD focuses on how geospatial data can inform nature-based value chains to address global climate change and related crises.
Laia Pifarré holds a Law degree from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2002) and participated in the Erasmus program at the Università degli Studi di Parma in 2003. In 2015, she completed the Global Trends, Local Impacts: An Urban Futures Masterclass at the London School of Economics, and in 2018 she earned a second degree in Political Science and Administration from the Universitat de Barcelona.
Her professional career spans both the public and private sectors. From 2011 to 2015, she served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Urban Habitat at the Barcelona City Council, where she was involved in the development and implementation of urban policies. Since joining the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), she has participated in numerous initiatives focused on architecture and urban innovation, with particular responsibility for coordination with companies, institutions, and public administrations.
She is currently Executive Director of Valldaura Labs, IAAC’s forest campus located in the Collserola Natural Park. Situated on a 130-hectare estate, Valldaura Labs is dedicated to research on human habitat, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, ecology, forest management, food production, and the development of advanced ecological wooden buildings. In 2022, she served as Executive Secretary of Barcelona European Forest Capital, an initiative led by the European Forest Institute that included the organization of a scientific event on Biocities at the Barcelona Design Museum, as well as the internationally acclaimed Mass is More installation at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion. From Valldaura Labs, she has spearheaded and managed a wide range of innovative projects, including the Tiny House (2019), the Quarantine Cabin—the first prototype built with CLT using local Valldaura timber (2020), the Solar Greenhouse (2021), the FLORA prototype developed as part of Barcelona’s designation as European Forest City (2022), the MO.CA mobile wooden housing unit (2023), and CORA House (2024), a robotic fabrication facility for timber-based prototypes. Many of these projects have been recognized in international competitions and featured in publications such as The New York Times and Monocle.
Vicente Guallart was the chief architect for Barcelona City Council from 2011 to 2015, where he was responsible for developing the strategic vision for the city and overseeing major development projects. He co-founded and directed IAAC from 2001 to 2011, leading notable projects such as the Media House Project (in collaboration with MIT’s CBA), HyperCatalunya, and the Fab Lab House.
Guallart’s professional practice, Guallart Architects, has delivered widely published projects, including the ports of Fugee and Keelung in Taiwan and the Sociopolis neighbourhood in Valencia. He is currently working on projects in China and Russia, focusing on innovative urban solutions. As an author, he has written books like Plans and Projects of Barcelona (2011-2015), Geologic, and The Self-Sufficient City, and he co-authored the Metapolis Dictionary of Advanced Architecture. His work has been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Biennale of Venice and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, with a solo exhibition organised by the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C., in 2010.
Michael Salka is the Co-director of the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities (MAEBB) and the Technical Director of Valldaura Labs at IAAC (2022–present). He is also a Gates Scholar PhD candidate in Architecture at the University of Cambridge (2021–2025). Michael’s career spans projects such as designing water infrastructure in rural Rwanda (2012–2014), developing net-zero neighbourhoods and urban infill projects in the USA (2014–2018), and working on engineered timber buildings and ‘Biocities’ in Spain (2018–present).
His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals (2013–present) and books such as Springer Nature’s Transforming Biocities (2023), commissioned by the European Forest Institute. He has also contributed reports on biobased social housing for the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). His work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times (2021). His PhD focuses on how geospatial data can inform nature-based value chains to address global climate change and related crises.
Esin Aydemir is a practising architect specialising in timber structures. After graduating from Istanbul Technical University, she worked at a construction firm focusing on timber structures. Esin furthered her studies with the Wood Program at Aalto University and a Master’s in Mass Timber Design (MMTD) at IAAC. She is currently the Academic Coordinator for the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities (MAEBB) program at IAAC.
Bruno Ganem is a Brazilian architect and researcher from Brasília. He currently serves as the Green Fab Lab Manager at Valldaura Self-sufficient Labs.
Bruno holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Brasilia (UnB), a Master’s in Advanced Architecture, and a Postgraduate degree in 3D Printed Architecture from IAAC.
With a strong interest in the intersection between architecture and craftsmanship, Bruno has gained experience working with various materials at different scales, from furniture production to the construction of timber structures.
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