Valldaura Labs

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.

Areas of Expertise Self-Sufficient Buildings

Developing energy-efficient, autonomous buildings that generate and manage energy, water, and waste, while fostering urban biodiversity through green governance and citizen engagement.

Areas of Expertise Circular Bioeconomy & Natural Materials Innovation

Pioneering biodegradable and renewable materials to drive circular bioeconomy models for sustainable urban environments.

Areas of Expertise Decentralized Energy & Circular Water Systems

Designing resilient, off-grid infrastructure for energy and water management to support independent, self-sustaining habitats.

Areas of Expertise Ecological Technology & Carbon Sequestration

Applying advanced technologies for carbon capture and environmental regeneration in both urban and natural ecosystems.

Areas of Expertise Regenerative Forestry & Sustainable Food Production

Promoting sustainable forestry and local food systems to strengthen ecosystem resilience and food security.

Team

Laia Pifarré holds a degree in Law from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2002) and participated in the Erasmus program at Università degli Studi di Parma (2003). She completed the Global Trends, Local Impacts: An Urban Futures Masterclass at the London School of Economics (2015) and recently earned a degree in Political Science and Administration from Universitat de Barcelona (2018).

Laia joined IAAC in 2008 as Assistant Director. From 2011 to 2015, she served as Chief of Staff for the Deputy Mayor for Urban Habitat at Barcelona City Council. Since 2016, she has been the Director of Operations at Valldaura Labs.

Laia Pifarré VL Executive Director (she/her)

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.

Vicente Guallart IAAC Co-founder / Valldaura Labs Senior Advisor / MAEBB Co-Director / Board of Trustees Member (he/him)

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.

Michael Salka VL Technical Director / MAEBB Co-director (he/him)

Laia Pifarré VL Executive Director (she/her)

Vicente Guallart IAAC Co-founder / Valldaura Labs Senior Advisor / MAEBB Co-Director / Board of Trustees Member (he/him)

Michael Salka VL Technical Director / MAEBB Co-director (he/him)

Faculty Name Position

Esin Aydemir MAEBB Lead (she/her)

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 Green Fab Lab Manager (he/him)

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.

Alkiviadis Avarkiotis Architectural and fabrication research & design

Oliver Needham Architectural and Fabrication Research & Design

Marina Espinach Documentary Filmmaker

Pilar Fontanals Cook

Laura Sanchez Housekeeper

Contact

Want to talk about a project? Reach out to us and let’s discuss your project and how Valldaura Labs can contribute.

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