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, Valldaura Labs 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.
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.
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.
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.
Daniel Torrego is an architect, researcher and educator with a PhD in Architecture and Ecological Construction from the University of Alicante. His work explores material ecology, bioclimatic design and climate adaptation, combining research, computational tools and architectural experimentation across scales, from materials to territories.
As a Margarita Salas Postdoctoral Fellow at ETSAM-UPM, he specialised in urban microclimates and heat adaptation. He has contributed to European research projects (Horizon 2020, UIA), published in leading international journals and was a visiting researcher at the Royal Danish Academy.
He is currently Technical Director of Valldaura Labs at IAAC, where he leads applied research and coordinates projects funded by European and national programmes. He is also Network Lead of Mass Madera – Built by Nature Spain, promoting responsible timber construction and sustainable forest-to-building value chains.
Emily Bishop is an architectural designer based in Barcelona with a Master in Advanced Architecture from IAAC and a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida. Her experience spans architectural design, digital modeling, visualization, and project coordination. She has work experience in interior design in Vietnam and architectural facade permitting in the United States. During her time at IAAC, she developed a special interest in wood waste and fabrication, centering her thesis project on tree fork joineries. Following her graduation from IAAC, she began to expand her skills in 3D through her work in a Barcelona-based company dedicated to modeling and visualizing sports stadiums and concert venues named Mobile Media Content. She has created detailed 3D models and interactive environments using tools such as Blender, Unity, and Rhino. Emily has also taught foundational design concepts, with an emphasis on scale, model-making, and the creative process.
Jasper Runge is an architect, researcher, and maker working at the intersection of digital fabrication, ecological construction, and material experimentation. He did his Bachelor of Arts in architecture at HTWK Leipzig, while studying and working in Ethiopia and Vietnam, with Kubik Inc., Kuncho Architects,Unicef and VTN Architects. After further experience in Bologna and Berlin, including working with Anupama Kundoo, he completed the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities at IAAC with the support of a DAAD full scholarship.
Based at Valldaura Labs in Barcelona, his work combines teaching design research, woodworking, prototyping, and full-scale construction, with a focus on unconventional thinking, resource-conscious material systems, and practical testing. This approach is reflected in the MAEBB 2025/26 builds and in his awarded master’s thesis, CatVa, which explores prefabricated compressed earth–grog ceiling construction.
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