GrupIdea attends Euroshop 2020
GrupIdea attended Euroshop 2020 last February, the world's most important fair in the retail sector. The event is held every three years in Dusseldorf, Germany, and this year it has brought together a total of 2,300 exhibitors and 94,000 visitors. Euroshop is a reference event where you can find out about the latest trends in the sector, find inspiration and network.
In the current edition, digital transformation and the rise of electronic commerce have been a key focus. Trends in the commerce sector include the investment of retailers in the ‘emotionalization’ of the spaces and the improvement of the assembly process in order to make the customer experience in the physical store more attractive (customer journey). Other important points have been digitization to link online sales with offline channels and the focus on sustainability.
The 16 halls of the fair are presented as a universe where modern retail channels such as marketing and retail technology, lighting, visual merchandising or assembly of stores and energy management, among others, converge. It is all the necessary equipment to realize the future spaces of our clients.
In Hall 12 of Euroshop, we have met the Designers Village, a space where architecture firms and independent global design agencies converge with a focus on retail and store assembly. As a concept, it is similar to a small planet, an ingenious space where to walk through different ‘passages’, admire construction spaces and where each continent and country is represented.
Prestigious European design, architecture and store equipment companies were present at the Designers Village. Each of the stands was presented as a letter of presentation of their services, with interactive showcases in which different agencies communicated their projects and work methods. However, Spain has not been present in the Designers Village. It will be a space to take into account for the next edition of Euroshop 2023.
“Architecture & Facility Management. Life after project delivery” in Roca Barcelona Gallery
On 27 February, Roca Barcelona Gallery hosted the presentation of the book "Arquitectura & Facility Management". The book is a collection of articles by 37 professionals with a reflective and experiential approach. It is the first time that this discipline has been approached in this format in the world of architecture. Specifically, the book tries to clarify the role of the facility manager to provide a new vision of excellence in the management of the life cycle of physical assets, urban and rural.
The book has been promoted by the Facility Management work group of the "Col-legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya" (COAC), the organisation of the event with Roca. The event also had the collaboration of the "Associació Catalana de Facility Management", IFMA and Interempresas Media.
The presentation of the event has been in charge of the instigators of the book Miquel Àngel Julià, architect, partner and director of strategy and design of Grup Idea, Felip Neri and Lluís Dalmau, also architects and co-directors of the postgraduate course in Facility Management.
Facility Management, a key discipline in project management
Facility Management is a discipline that includes the management of the building process from the beginning of the project to the end of a construction's life. Thus, its role is key to guarantee in an integral way the improvement and sustainability in all phases, from design to construction and also in the conservation of buildings and their services. At this time, the role of the facility manager also extends to the design of assets and services of cities.
Some of the 37 professionals who collaborated on the book participated in the event, including Francesc Sutrias, General Director of Heritage of the Generalitat de Catalunya; Emma Bellosta, Project Director of Neinor Homes; Agustí Grau, Director of Engineering and Works of the Hospital Sant Pau or Cristina Navas, Director of General Services of the Fundació Clínic for biomedical research. The architects Almudena Gómez, Iris Moyés, Judith Arruebo and the architect and town planner Manel Zaguirre, among others, also took part in the two discussions.
The facility manager as a maker of strategic value in your organization
The event closed with a debate-interview between Marcel Benedito, a journalist specializing in design and architecture, with Lluís Comerón, former dean of COAC and president of CSCAE, Pere Castelltort, secretary of COAC and the co-publishers and instigators of the book.
Lluís Dalmau highlighted the importance of the facility manager in "going beyond the operation and efficiency of the building". "The final objective must be strategic, and must include in the organisation itself and align actions with its public policy", he said.
As for the skills of the current facility manager, Felip Neri has highlighted the need for empathy for teamwork and also the intuition to see that something is not working. On this point, Miquel Àngel Julià added the importance of communication: "FM must be able to be understood by experts from any discipline and at any stage of the project".
Lluís Comerón insisted on the idea that the facility manager must learn to "manage change" and pursue sustainability objectives. "In the long run, this commitment will be part of the DNA of almost all the technicians in the built environment in the coming years".
In conclusion, the points of the facility manager's manifesto were presented with the final objective of "stimulating participation in the implementation of Facility Management" in the organizations, from the base of the technical personnel to the managers. As Lluis Dalmau said, FM=MF. Facility Management is Máxima Felicidad (Maximum Happiness).
GrupIdea participates in the Daikin 2020 Forum in Copenhagen
Last February, Daikin, a major manufacturer of air conditioning equipment, invited Grup Idea's engineering department to participate in the Variable Refrigerant Volume Systems (VRV) conference in Copenhagen.
The technological advancement presented at the forum was the Mini VRV 5 series, the new solution Daikin to reduce environmental impact and cooling systems. During the meeting, the importance of refrigerant recycling and the introduction of R-32 to save further environmental pollution was highlighted.
During two days of the conference, more than 500 business partners from all over Europe met. The Grup Idea team was able to meet and exchange impressions with professionals from the sector, expand business networks and, at the same time, enjoy Copenhagen, a city committed to sustainability and winner of the European Green Capital Award for 2014.
At Grup Idea, we care about sustainability and waste reduction. Firstly, we are engaged in using more sustainable facilities and in renovating spaces according to economy and energy efficiency criteria .Secondly, we have chosen waste selective collection methods in our offices. In October 2019, Grup Idea was awarded the "Barcelona Sostenible" label for its contribution to civic commitment to sustainability.
Design and efficiency, the spiral of innovation
What is architecture? This is one of the most frequently asked questions about our profession. In many cases, we tend to use the most classic definitions: we speak of Utilitas (utility), Firmitas (firmness) and Venustas (beauty). Of all of them, the term Firmitas (firmness) represents the need to build stability and "no change" with firmness.
However, we live in constant, deep and quick transformations of society. Thus, in the work sector, there are interdisciplinary organizational structures, far from the classic pyramidal organization charts that condition the design and creation of spaces.
In our profession, we are in a phase of "liquid architecture", in which the speed of change in society translates into the difficulty of designing fixed spaces that will be permanent over time. It is a necessary concept to deepen, reflect, innovate and evolve.
We don't want to give an answer to the term "what is architecture", but we would like to provide a new collective and transdisciplinary vision of contemporary architecture in order to have a collective, open and thoughtful debate on the need to innovate, to be disruptive and to innovate in the present and future context.
Transversalize our own vision and the spiral of innovation.
The training and stability of architects has changed and we are moving closer to specialisation in different sectors. When we talk about "Facility Management", we must not only be effective, but also give our own point of view and that of other experts working on the same transversal project.
Architecture is holistic and polyhedral. It´s necessary, to create work teams, like the layers of an onion, always put the user/consumer at the centre, to create new synergies and integrate new experts according to each project.The technique of design thinking is the one that should allow us to connect from scratch in these different layers of knowledge.
In this way, instead of talking about the project cycle, we should be talking about the innovation spiral: a kind of endless, non-linear, win-less game in which everyone wins and knowledge grows. In this way, every time a new project is integrated, new questions and new answers are added.
This text is an extract from the article "Design and efficiency, the spiral of innovation", written by Miquel Àngel Julià, partner and director of strategy and design at Grup Idea. The text is part of the book "Architecture and Facility Management", which includes articles from 37 professionals in the world of facility management. This is the first book produced within the work group of the Col-legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC).
Grupidea colaborates with FEMACPA
We have closed a stage in Grupidea. After twelve years producing calendars, we have decided to dedicate the effort to support and improve our corporate social responsibility policies.
This year, we have made a donation to FEMACPA for the VHIR (Vall d'Hebron Research Institute) and its UNNN unit (Neurotraumatology and Neurosurgery Unit) in collaboration with the research projects of the studies related to Chiari Malformation and associated pathologies.
FEMACPA, the Spanish Federation of Chiari Malformation and Associated Pathologies, aims to be the common voice of a group of associations of patients affected by CM (Chiari Malformation) formed by ASENCHI, ANAC, CHYSPA and AEMC, promoting knowledge of the pathology and its symptoms.
Tribute to Grup Idea Calendar
Twelve years have passed since we designed the first Grup Idea calendar. Inside, we have captured our work, how we do it and what inspired us. At first, we thought of projects, then stories, and recently concepts. It has been a pleasure to work with designers for each edition and also to see them on the tables of clients and friends over the years.
Among other things, our CSR aims to fight climate change and take care of the environment by minimizing the use of paper (paperless). For this reason we will not print calendars anymore. As a replacement, we have made a donation to FEMACPA (Spanish Federation of Chiari Malformation and Associated Pathologies) to be used entirely for research into these diseases at the UNNIN (Unit of Neurotraumatology and Neurosurgery) of the Vall d’Hebrón Hospital Research Institute in Barcelona.
As a tribute to the Grup Idea calendar, we present this publication with a compilation of all editions. We hope you will enjoy it.
Interior Design Forum & Retail Valencia - Grupo Via
Last Wednesday, November 6th, a hundred professionals attended the Interior Design & Retail Forum Valencia held at the Hotel Balneario Las Arenas. The event, organised by Grupo Vía, was attended by Estudihac, Huuun, Janfri & Ranchal, Grup Idea, Nogales Interiores, Nonna Design, Dobleese and Culdesac.
The event, hosted by Hotel Balneario Las Arenas, was sponsored by Tarkett, ABB and Airzone, and brought together eight professional firms from the interior design and retail sectors to share their latest work in the commercial field and analyse changes and trends in the sector.
From Estudihac, its Creative Director Jose Manuel Ferrero, described the way of working in his firm in which they seek to act as a tailor making tailor-made suits for visionary clients based on four points such as the art of design (creating concepts and a story), definition of style (unique projects that besides being elegant have a fun and different touch), creative essence and the inspiration of sport, music and travel. Ferrero exemplified this methodology with some of his latest works, such as the hotel Bahía Príncipe in Tenerife, the cheese bar of the hotel Melià Sarrià in Barcelona, Valresa's presence at Milan Design Week, the Xanverí restaurant for César Anca in Madrid, the Levantina space at Cevisama, Iberdrola's concept store in Valencia, Porcelanosa's showroom, Solán de Cabras' space at Mercedes Madrid Fashion Week and the work for the perfume shops Linda flies to Rio, among others.
For his part, Miguel Lozano, Managind Director of Huuun, analysed how they work in their firm in the field of retail with a 360º circle that goes from conceptual design and interior design, to project management and even branding and marketing. Lozano highlighted the importance of working on operations and strategy in the field of retail but always looking for the sensory experience and providing the rational part with a more creative point where they work on the connection with the brand through people, aromas, furniture, music, technology, layout, materiality/colours and communication. In this sector, at Huuun they have helped move brands online to physical spaces where they offer humanization and contact with the client (Singularu, Waynabox or Flamingueo) as well as moving from off to on for clients such as Cottet and Istobal. The challenge for interior designers, according to Miguel Lozano, is to help brands to be different, to welcome and build loyalty and to contribute to selling more and better in a context with a different consumer who is more impatient, knowledgeable, experiential, aware, healthy and digital.
Architect Juan Ranchal, Project Director and Founding Partner of Janfri & Ranchal Studio, shared three recent works of the firm that share the desire to give each work a soul and tell different stories rooted in the building and/or its surroundings and with personalized solutions. This is how we got to know the work in the Blanquerías Hotel (which is located in the former headquarters of the PSOE, and although it was not a significant building, the project reflects the history of the street where it is located with the importance that the tanners' guild had as well as other references to the Carmen and Mediterranean neighborhoods), the new Hotel Palacio Balier (a project to equip and condition a building that has already been refurbished, in which we have sought to highlight the existing architectural elements and to focus on luxury, elegance, history, black/white, art deco and international language as the axes of the interior design) and the future San Vicente Market (the conversion of the old Espacio Vila, which recovers and enhances the historic building for its new use as a market with 25 stalls and an event space). Ranchal defended the importance of dedicating a lot of time to the project phase before starting the work with very detailed infographics and faithful to the final results.
From Grup Idea, Théophile Dreyus, Head of Business & Communications, and partner Juan Guaita, Business & Development Manager, claimed the importance of offering a 360º service in which they imagine, design and build the projects, from their offices in Barcelona and Valencia. Thus, on the one hand, they presented the work for Étam with its establishment in Spain with 30 stores and with its Flagship Store in Barcelona that has as its moodboard the image of a Parisian apartment from the entrance to the fitting rooms; and on the other hand, they narrated the work process for the Victoria's Secret store in the Bonaire shopping centre in Valencia (with the concept and layout set from the USA but adapted to local regulations) and for Hollister in the Lagoh shopping centre in Seville (with hyper-developed plans from the USA and a very hard work process).
For their part, Beatriz and Marta Fernández Nogales, founding partners of Nogales Interiores, spoke about the importance of democratizing design and offering solutions to the ordinary client by making interior design not just a job but a passion, as they treasure their more than 15 years of experience. In their presentation, they showed the work done in Casa Patio, a ground floor house from the beginning of the 20th century in a village: with a small budget they improved a very old, deteriorated and humid house to open it to the patio and adapt it to the new needs, putting in value the old elements such as beams, hydraulic pavement or a stained glass window and with the kitchen as a link to the house. They also reviewed the work done for an Optician's in Chiva: solving the space without any work, developing furniture and lighting to measure, serenading the space and betting on a large multipurpose counter as the heart of the project, which also presents flexible displays and a wall with white tiles and backlit wooden shelves to display the product. The success of this work is the balance between getting an attractive, practical and commercial space that the client could assume its budget and finishing it in time.
From Nonna Design, its founding partner David García-Nieto, explained the methodology of his firm, which is born from previous experience in the development of custom furniture. The first step is to listen to the client and to know their expectations in order to fulfil the functionalities when defining the space and the distributions (the great cornerstone) and then to define the concept and the thread, as well as the technical documentation in detail for the
Origianl text from : Grupo Via
New Grup Idea and Abessis offices in Valencia
The growth of Grup Idea and our construction company Abessis has led us to expand our offices in this city, with twice the surface area and a much more flexible distribution. With this opening our company makes a clear and future commitment to its development in the Mediterranean corridor.
On 17 October we had the pleasure of inviting customers, suppliers and friends to the inauguration of the new office of Grup Idea and Abessis in Valencia. The event was a success and we were able to share our business and personal concerns with all of them. The versatility of the design and the outdoor terrace of the new facilities allowed us to enjoy a fantastic evening. We encourage other companies to share in this space by holding events that encourage creativity, innovation and design.
We also enjoyed the presence of the speaker Xavier Calvo, Strategic Director of Valencia World Design Capital 2022, in the 17th edition of Idea PIka Pika. The title of the exhibition was "Valencia has always been design". The process of formation of the candidacy was explained with all the powerful team that has promoted it. Several examples in multiple fields of Design were discussed, which have made it possible for Valencia to be the Design Capital of the World in 2022. It has been a real pleasure for us to have been able to celebrate the triumph of Valencia's candidacy on this day. We are sure that this will put Valencia in the place it deserves in International Design.
The evening ended, as planned, with the draw for a gastronomic experience for two at Quique Dacosta's Restaurant Llisa Negra.
GrupIdea with Stand at SIF 2019
This year we have fulfilled our desire to have our own stand at SIF 2019 (International Franchise Show of Valencia), which was held from 17 to 19 October in the capital of Turia. As always it has been very interesting to share space and meetings with all exhibitors and visitors to be up to date on the latest trends of franchises and most innovative businesses.
Valencia concentrates not only a great industrial activity but also many others linked to tourism. Another point in its favour is its proximity to Madrid through the AVE along with its potential for growth.
We were also able to participate as speakers in the conference "RETAIL future - Digital Workshops: tips for digital transformation" with Miquel Ángel Julià, Partner and Director of Strategy and Design of Grup Idea, with the talk "The future of Retail will be digital and analogue".
Once again and thanks to the enthusiasm of the organisation and all the participants, this edition has been a complete success.
New office in Valencia
An office in the heart of Valencia.
British Chamber Spain - Grup Idea moves to a new office in Valencia
