De-coding the method: Construction
Gathering, finding and seeking partners and collaborators to help drive your work strategy is fundamental to any business activity. Considering them part of your success and recognising their activity is part of any professional relationship.
Abessis, as a construction company, has shared projects with Grup Idea since its inception. In this way, it has been possible to generate joint projects, offering the entire value chain as a construction company and a professional architectural and engineering services company.
At the end of 2024 it will celebrate 25 years since its foundation.
In this interview, we have Juan Guaita, CEO of Abessis and Ainhoa Rossell, Technical Architect at Abessis, telling us their part of the story in order to understand and de-code ‘the method’.
About the company
- What were your beginnings like? @Juan, you had your own construction company and had collaborated with Grup Idea before. How did the opportunity to create Abessis arise?
(JG) I trained in Technical Architecture with a specification in building and then I have been complementing my studies by training in Business Administration and Business, always linked to my professional practice as a builder.
I had my own ‘traditional’ construction company and occasionally worked with Grup Idea. After the 2008 crisis and a three-year hiatus, I contacted them again to continue collaborating as before. A first commission arrived in Valencia for an Italian firm with the same role as always (Construction Management) and so the idea arose of taking on the role of Construction Company in a different way. A proposal that we put forward together and that we dared to try out with interesting conditions that we have now seen with the passage of time.
- Ainhoa, what were your beginnings at Abessis and how have you evolved professionally in the organisation? Also tell us about the experience of working on a project in London.
(AR) I have a degree in Technical Architecture and then I have furthered my studies with an Engineering degree in France on PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), as well as a Master's degree in Quality Management My role in the company has changed a lot from the beginning until today. In the early years, there were only 3 of us in the technical department, doing a lot of projects, but smaller ones (except for the ones in London) and with a small group of clients.
Looking back now, I can see how much we have learned and evolved. The technical team has tripled, we have diversified and we work for many more firms. The volume of projects we deliver each year still surprises me. We achieve this thanks to having our own work methodology and knowing how to transmit it to our clients and collaborators.
Initially I was 100% dedicated to the management of works, while nowadays my work is more focused on the study and tendering of projects, as well as the relationship with clients and suppliers, always being aware of all the works that we have underway, but from a secondary perspective. My work now is less Executive and more Strategic.
When I joined the Abessis team it was primarily to reinforce the workload in France, however, the award of projects in London radically changed the plans. They were mainly two difficult, long, very demanding projects, especially because of the iconic location and the uniqueness of the building. The pace of work was frenetic and a large number of suppliers had to be managed. Despite all the complexities, I don't think we will ever have another project like it and I am pleased that Abessis can add this milestone to its portfolio.
- How is the company's internal organisation currently structured? How many people are there? What profiles?
(JG) We are a very ‘horizontal’ company with continuous and very intertwined communication between all the people who make up Abessis. You could say that we have two main departments: administration and technical. Profiles? One person with a law degree, two administrative staff, an industrial engineer and the rest of us are technical architects and site managers.
(AR) On this question we perhaps disagree a little, for me it is not so important, neither is the original formation of each person, nor do I believe that we are so horizontal. There are indeed two clearly differentiated blocks that depend on a single management, but within them we also have our own sub-organisation.
In administration, there is an exclusively financial and accounting part and a part that is closer to the works themselves, which we could call ‘procedures’. This includes Health and Safety at the documentary level, Social Security procedures and the supervision of the Quality and Environmental Systems that we have in place.
On the other hand, within the Technical Department, we develop a main function which is the execution of the works as such, but there is also a previous phase, which we could call ‘studies’, which is responsible for participating in tender processes so that we can always ensure the continuity of the work afterwards.
In this small part, many more things are done, such as the approval processes for the new brands we want to work for, the renewal and loyalty of our supplier portfolio, as well as commercial management with a view to attracting potential clients.
Focusing on the works side, which in the end is the ‘engine’ of Abessis, we are fortunate that, as a relatively small team with a lot of communication between us, it is still a collaboration. In this way we are very transversal. The fluid internal communication allows us to grow in knowledge and speed of action.
As Juan comments in a later question, when there is an expansion process, we try to repeat the team, so that the client feels more comfortable and accompanied by the same PM and the previous experience with the brand is an added value. What we do in these cases is to organise ourselves in the form of small work teams, so that a technician who is dealing with a brand for the first time will be supervised by someone who has previously done this work.
This same system is also used for the integration of new team members, where their first projects are always within a small working group or supervised by another PM with more experience, who develops a role that could be defined as team leader. That is why, within this horizontality that exists in our organisation chart, certain verticalities are indirectly established to control and ensure that everything flows correctly until each member of the team achieves their own autonomy, not only in the company, but also in the knowledge of each client.
- How do you set up the different project teams and what are the benefits of this working method?
(JG) We are a very flexible company; one of our strong points is our ability to adapt to the circumstances of the moment without ever losing the way we do things. We achieve this, for example, with a very close relationship between all the people who make up Abessis. Being present in person is vital so that this contact, the cross-cutting nature of what we do, reaches everyone. Everyone knows, in their own way, what everyone else is doing.
- From the inside, how do you assess the evolution of Grup Idea/Abessis over the last 25 years?
(JG) Many things have been achieved, but more will be achieved. Society is changing and we as companies must adapt to these changes. Our collaboration and synergies must therefore evolve accordingly. Constant change and transformation have been and will continue to be key characteristics of both Abessis and Grup Idea.
(AR) I can't talk about the evolution of the group over the last 25 years, but I have experienced Abessis' evolution over the last 10 years from the inside.
I think the company has grown exponentially, both in terms of the team and the diversification of clients. A couple of very obvious examples are both our change of offices in 2019 due to the constant expansion of the technical department, as well as the average surface area of the projects we carry out.
The new offices were necessary both to work more efficiently and to have a clearly corporate space that would allow us to make ourselves known through events, as well as to meet with our clients and collaborators. It was a good example of transversal work from the definition and design of the space to its construction. These commissions in which you are your own client are usually the most complicated jobs.
- From your point of view, what do clients value most about Abessis' services?
(JG) We are always ‘there’, the customer finds us when he needs us. And as I said before, our ability to adapt. We never fail or disappear.
(AR) There are comments that are repeated a lot in our customer satisfaction surveys, which is very gratifying because it shows that ‘something’ is being done well. They generally praise the flexibility, such as the ability to adapt to changes, which is essential in the retail sector where we are used to constant changes in design, dates, etc. They are also always grateful for the dialogue with the PMs and their ability to find solutions.
- What makes Abessis different from a ‘traditional’ construction company and from construction companies specialising in new buildings?
(JG) We take things very seriously. We work for the end client, who is not in the construction or development business, but is selling something in the spaces that we build for them. A traditional construction company relies heavily, if not solely, on price. Moreover, what he builds for his client is for a third party. Although you might think that there are no major differences, they are totally different worlds.
(AR) This sector is characterised by the speed of its projects, we experience complete cycles in very short timeframes, so the process has to be very well tied up.
An oft-repeated phrase is that ‘everything is for yesterday’, we know that every day that can be brought forward is a day that the client stops paying rent and can start up their business. That is why internalising this need and making every effort to try to do everything possible is something that differentiates both Abessis and its suppliers from what we could understand as a ‘traditional’ construction company.
- And what do you think the client values about the tandem with Grup Idea?
(JG) As I said before, our clients need us to build ‘corporate sales spaces’ for their products or services and, when our work is done, they move on to what really occupies them. So in the project + construction phase, what they want is a solution that doesn't cause them any problems or distract them from their real business. We are solution facilitators and we take the worry away from the client.
The fact of being able to concentrate the whole process in two companies that come together as a group and seek to complement each other to work as a single interlocutor, is possibly one of the factors that more than one client values positively.
Hence the concept of ‘Design & Build’ or ‘Turnkey’. Thanks to this, the client can look to us to carry out the entire value chain, as happened with the Bank Degroof Petercam project in Madrid.
We did it together with Grup Idea where they started the project in the design phase by conducting interviews and preparing conceptual sketches to transform them into layouts. From there, we made an indicative cost proposal that allowed us to close the order.
Once the proposal was accepted, we moved on to the Design and Implementation phase of this project, carrying out the Architectural and Engineering services. From there, we moved on to the Construction phase, where Abessis became fully involved in the project.
(AR) In addition to Juan's point that our services are a necessary ‘formality’ for developing your real business and having the whole process unified, there are other aspects that are also highly valued.
There are clients who order the complete package from us from the beginning, which saves them, for example, the tendering process, which in the end means time and, as I mentioned before, days that delay the opening date of their business.
It is also obvious that participating jointly from the beginning has many synergies, the construction part can provide solutions already in the design or drafting phase of the project, generally focused on reducing costs and delivery times.
Another point to highlight is that, by hosting the entire process, the coverage is total, there are no ‘gaps’ that can arise when they are separate companies, of ‘tasks that remain in no man's land’.
But undoubtedly, the simplicity in the interlocution, always working with the same team, provides a human value that is highly appreciated by clients.
- Why was it decided to have two distinct brands but with a common visual identity?
(JG) To broaden the range of services and to allow the customer to decide whether they want to contract one part or all of the type of service we can offer them; we again offer flexibility.
On construction services
- What is a Project Manager for you, is it the same as a PM in Grup Idea and a Construction Manager?
(JG) They are acronyms or words normally imported from the Anglo-Saxon world, but I end up liking the Spanish ones better: encargado, jefe de obra, arquitecto técnico, etc. After this clarification, I would like to say that the profiles are very different, because although we may coincide in our studies or university degrees, the development of the work is complementary but very different: some work more in the preliminary phase and/or in the office, while we are much more in the construction phase and on site. You could say that our fundamental part begins when theirs ends, although we all do it from start to finish.
(AR) If we had to associate you with a single word, it would be a ‘manager’, in the end it is a person who manages resources: money (a construction budget), time (a schedule) and manpower (each of the trades).
I would not make a distinction between the two terms, in the end, they are nothing more than project managers in each of the phases. There is a PM in the project drafting phase, who can continue during the execution phase as part of what in Spain is known as Project Management, which in this sector is called Project Management. In turn, the PM of the construction company is what has always been understood as part of the FD, being the most responsible for the execution.
- Have you ever commented that a PM is, above all, a ‘resource manager’? What does it mean for the client to have a figure like this in his or her work?
(JG) Without a doubt, he is a resource manager. Companies like ours develop a job based on coordinating all those involved in a timely manner, which in retail is not at all easy. The client forgets about the problems and can prepare his ‘landing’, just the day we finish, they start, and in many cases we even overlap.
(AR) Indeed, in fact, I had already used this definition in the previous point. In answer to the question I would say comfort, the objective is that the client has a single interlocutor, so in addition to guaranteeing that there is no loss of information, it gives him/her added confidence, he/she knows that someone is ‘controlling, supervising, managing, etc.’ the entire project.
- And especially in the case of brands with expansion projects, what are the benefits of having this figure?
(JG) Well, we offer the same service for a single project as for an expansion, perhaps the difference is that Abessis ensures that there are no changes in the technicians we assign to our clients, establishing a relationship of trust and knowledge that benefits both parties.
(AR) Expansion processes are repetitive projects, each one with its own singularities, obviously, but it simplifies the work for a brand that the Project Manager knows its business image, expectations, etc. perfectly. In the end, with a manual / concept book, plus the experience of a first project, a sequence begins in which the objective is to optimise the process, the client shows everything he/she wants only the first time, then it is that PM who will be in charge of reproducing it or teaching it to other PMs in the company.
- Abessis was created later than Grup Idea and is the key piece that completes what our clients need. Abessis is the piece where the path from DESIGN to BUILD can be completed. What is the ‘DESIGN & BUILD’ concept for you?
(JG) As I said before, it allows us to offer in the same ‘pack’ what other competitors do separately. There are many companies that design, many that build and there are also global offers like ours, we are not exclusive, far from it. The inner workings of this symbiosis and the result that customers receive from it is what should make the difference.
- Many foreign clients do not fully understand why implementation and construction work is carried out under two different brands. In your opinion, what differential value does the Design & Build formula of Grup Idea and Abessis provide?
(JG) If you manage to reach the client, the advantage is to function as a single entity, so that the client sees his interlocutor as a unit and sees that the process is simplified for him. Abroad, the role of the construction company covers more of the project as a whole than in Spain, so when they arrive here and see that the construction company does not appear until practically the last phase, they are surprised.
(AR) The separation of the two brands, if I am not mistaken, was originally due to a legal issue, as in Spain it is necessary to differentiate the work of an engineering company from that of a construction company for tax purposes. In other places, this does not happen and it is understood that the same team can design and build. It is true that, nowadays, there are advantages such as, for example, that the client can have one interlocutor in the project phase and another in the construction phase, in the end it is a guarantee that the person providing the information is always the person who is an expert in that field.
Through many of the American brands we work for and our experience in France, we know that in the USA and in most European countries they work with what is called the ‘General Contractor’.
The tasks are the same, except that the executive project and other tasks typical of a pre-construction phase are included in the construction company's own tender. In fact, it is very common for projects to come with no measurements, or with a very brief ‘Bill of Quantities’, and for the plans to be conceptual, little more than a ‘layout’. The development of these plans, what we would call here an executive project, is already implicit in the work of the construction company.
That's why they don't quite understand this format. I would say that the main advantage is that each member of the team is specialised in one area: knowledge of regulations, processing licences or experience in the execution of works, for example, so they will always have the most reliable information possible, and they will always turn to one team or another depending on the stage of the project.
(JG) What we can say is that both Grup Idea and Abessis share the vision of helping and adapting to our clients at all times. And this unites us.
The Projects Area
At Grup Idea, we are convinced that the success of each project depends on the people who make it possible. Within our organisation, the Projects Area is a fundamental part of our organisation, a dynamic and multidisciplinary team that is responsible for transforming ideas into tangible realities.
Our project team is made up of passionate and committed professionals, each one contributing their experience, creativity and dedication to each phase of the projects.
In addition, it is presented under a new generation of directors formed by Miriam Modolell, Alex Guallar and Judit Pérez. Our approach to Project Management is one of the concepts that you could discover in one of our last articles in our blog where we published one of the interviews of ‘De-coding the Method’: Director's Team: Developed Design.
From the initial planning to the final execution, they and their team are responsible for ensuring that every detail is carefully considered and that every objective is achieved. Without them, our ideas would remain on paper; it is they who turn them into realities, spaces and solutions that positively impact our clients' businesses.
The Projects Area not only coordinates and manages the different stages of the work, but also acts as the link between our clients and the rest of the team. They are in charge of ensuring that the client's vision is fully understood and materialised, taking care of every technical, logistical and aesthetic aspect.
Thanks to their dedication, we have been able to meet the high quality standards that characterise us, delivering projects that not only meet, but exceed expectations. One of the characteristics of our way of working is ‘Continuous Improvement’. That's why, as we like to say, thanks to our expertise, ‘our best project is always the next best project’.
We are proud to have such a talented team and we want you to meet them too. That is why we have created a series of video interviews where each of the members of the Projects Area shares their vision, their passion for what they do and how they contribute to the success of Grup Idea.
These capsules are available on our YouTube channel, and we invite you to watch them so that you can get to know more closely the people who, with their daily effort, make the projects we are so proud of a reality.
Meet Miriam as head of the International Projects Department at Grup Idea.
Meet Alex, head of Grup Idea's National Projects Department.
Meet Judit as head of organisation of Grup Idea's Projects Area.
At Grup Idea, we firmly believe that the key to a job well done lies in the people who do it. The Projects Area is a living example of this, and we are excited to be able to share a little more about them with our audience.
New channels of communication and the importance of networks in business activity
Sender and receiver are not only closer, but also talk to each other. As a company, we must communicate in the same way as our customers and, above all, consumers/end users do.
The digital sphere has profoundly transformed all sectors, changing the way we communicate, relate and express ourselves, as well as our business strategies. Making social networks an accelerator to interact and engage with users and creating new ways of linking and communicating.
Known as fundamental pieces to disseminate important messages, social networks have become fundamental pieces for the dissemination of messages and the communication strategy of any company. We have adopted a form of communication where every company requires a digital platform to share its opinions, ideas and projects.
This environment allows us to share information immediately, something that is already part of our nature, we like to share information with others and it is our daily behaviour and has given rise to what we could call ‘the era of sharing’.
This changing situation means that brands and advertisers have to reinvent their production, communication and promotion activities, as digitalisation has meant that we have to keep up to date, generating constant adjustments that have to be taken into account in communication strategies.
For companies, being present on social networks is crucial, as they allow direct communication with consumers and the possibility of generating the much-desired engagement.
Social networks offer the advantage of segmenting the target audience, providing personalised content and building a closer and more meaningful relationship. Thanks to this digital context, we can show our mission, vision and values, and thus establish a stronger link with our audience.
They allow us to bridge distances, facilitating instant communication and understanding between the company and its audience. With them, we reach a much wider audience than we could reach by other means.
The constant emergence of new applications such as Instagram or TikTok underlines the need to adapt, however, not all social networks are essential for a company's activity. It is important to be present on the channels where our target spends the most time, rather than trying to cover all platforms.
The key is to know our audience well and be where they prefer to see us, using well thought-out communication strategies.
Content consumption has evolved significantly with digitalisation. Today, users have more control than ever over what they choose to watch and how they interact with it, becoming active players in this new era of communication. They can not only consume content, but also interact, comment and share it immediately, transforming the way brands must approach their audience.
This change presents both challenges and opportunities, as adapting to these dynamics may seem complex, but it is also an open door to innovation. In this context, it is crucial to define and maintain a clear brand voice and a consistent brand personality. This will not only make you recognisable, but will also help you create an authentic connection with your audience, generating valuable insight that will resonate across all your communication channels.
At Grup Idea we are committed to a selective presence on social networks to communicate our activity and values. We use our LinkedIn profile to share the day-to-day running of our company, our mission as a team, the events in which we participate and our projects.
We complement this presence with our web and blog, where we offer more detailed and extensive versions of our projects and innovations.
We also have a Vimeo channel that allows the curious to get to know us through a first visual presentation.
And, recently, we have worked to incorporate our Youtube channel in order to offer more direct and visual content. We have decided to create this space so that you can follow everything our company has to say.
In this channel you will be able to get to know our team, our work methodology, summaries of events in which we participate and many more activities to come.
We invite you to take a look and learn more about us!
Construmat 2024: Innovation and Sustainability in Construction
The world of construction is constantly evolving, and Construmat 2024 is a convincing proof of this. Our team and the Director of Design and Marketing at Grup Idea, have had the opportunity to attend and write an opinion article about this fair published in digital format in Interempresas and in printed and summarised version in the trade journal iARQCO. For those who want to know their first-hand view, you can read the article in digital version here: Todo cambia, incluso Construmat. And for the paper version, you can read the article published at: https://www.interempresas.net/FlipBooks/AQ/34/99/
Looking back over the history of the event Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro refers to the following: ‘Everything changes!... even Construmat’. As he rightly explains was the title of a post he wrote on Interempresas' iCandela blog in 2015, which even today in 2024 remains true. Because the only constant in the society we live in is constant change, especially when we talk about Innovation.
www.interempresas.net/Iluminacion/Articulos/224789-Todo-cambia-Incluso-Construmat.html
Since its beginnings in 1979, Construmat has been the leading national and southern European construction trade fair. Over the years, it has been able to adapt to changes in the sector and today, Construmat focuses on offering more content and knowledge, beyond the simple exhibition of products.
As we can see in the article, Construmat 2024 has been a veritable hotbed of innovation. Each stand offered a new perspective on how we can build more efficiently and responsibly.
Therefore, the highlight of the event was the presentation of sustainable materials and the new technologies chosen for construction.
As expected, sustainability was a key pillar of the event and its practices were the subject of much debate among the attendees. The solutions presented addressed, above all, the energy efficiency of buildings and waste management.
Emphasis was placed on new techniques and materials to improve thermal insulation and reduce the energy consumption of buildings. In addition to strategies to minimise construction waste and promote the reuse and recycling of materials.
Construmat 2024 not only focused on the technologies and materials of today, but also looked to the future. Industry experts and leaders shared their visions of how artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) can be integrated into construction processes to create smarter and more sustainable buildings.
Construmat 2024 has proven to be a vital meeting point for all those interested in the future of construction. The combination of technological innovation and a commitment to sustainability ensures that the construction industry will continue to move towards a more efficient and responsible future.
For a more detailed and personal insight into Construmat 2024, we invite you to read the full article written by our Design and Marketing Director at: Todo cambia, incluso Construmat. You can also read the abridged version at: https://www.interempresas.net/FlipBooks/AQ/34/99/
(Re-)tail in (Re-)build 2024
REBUILD is the largest national construction event, which promotes the most industrialised practices, the integration of digital technology, the emphasis on design and the implementation of sustainable solutions. This year's event offered a conference where building professionals discussed these topics in the field of Advanced Architecture.
Taking into account both technology and sustainability, there were several talks where the Retail vertical stood out. A sector that most of the time is understood as something alien to Architecture and Construction from the perspective of some professionals. A bit like the black sheep of the family, but its presence in our society and economy is more than notable and this year we have been able to get more insights from professionals who are dedicated to it.
One of these professionals who was once again giving his vision on the Retail sector was our Director of Design and Marketing, Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro, Concept Architect and Vice President of the Retail Design Institute Spain. He also moderated several of the presentations at this year's event.
Also, on behalf of Grup Idea, we were able to listen to our CEO Alejandro Mora as a speaker at one of the round tables that this year were dedicated to Retail. He shared the table with Borja Berna Orts, Creative Partner at CuldeSac, Pablo Soto, Chief Design Manager at P4R Studio and Cándido Zamora COO at Exsitu, one of the first industrialised construction systems.
This round table was entitled '(Re-)inventing the Shopping Centre. Building to sell in the 21st century'. The premise of this talk was to discuss how the new shopping centres of the 21st century are reinventing themselves as experiential destinations. And of course, taking into account the main themes of this year's REBUILD, technology and sustainability.
These professionals began their debate by agreeing that retail has transformed malls into spaces where not only shops are found, but also experiences that reflect the identity of the brands.
These spaces are increasingly integrated with technologies to offer personalised experiences considering eco-friendly designs and brands committed to the environment. They do not simply seek to sell products, but to create engaging communities for today's generations. As Miquel Àngel said, "the physical space combined with the digital (phygital) is the best branding a brand can have".
With this, Miquel Àngel began by introducing the premise that a project must clearly start with the creative strategy part (in which he is an expert), to then continue with the conceptualisation and design, whether of spaces, products or services.
We must know the creative concepts to continue with a quality implementation and management of architecture and engineering, because without good management it is not possible to introduce a good design.
And, obviously, the professional expert in Retail, did not forget to mention that everything strategic and creative, would not take place without construction professionals to make reality, everything planned, that is to say the intangible. The innovation process goes from the intangible to the intangible, "if you don't do what you imagine, you don't innovate".
This is something that the moderator works first hand with Grup Idea's method, the Design & Build Method. This ensures that the whole company works in a clearer way and makes decisions according to the needs of its clients, as, thanks to this, it is clear where to go at all times. This makes it possible to be flexible and to manage the implementation of projects effectively, so that the "good design" that everyone is looking for lasts thanks to management.
The debate continued with the presentation by Pablo Soto, who was in charge of contextualising the emergence of "shopping centres as a response to the need to concentrate supply in one place".
These spaces, which were initially born as centralising facilities for public activities, have become social and leisure phenomena that explore new trends such as the thematisation of spaces, the gourmetisation of food areas and the organisation of periodic events.
The mall is a model that has colonised the world due to its versatile typology, and its ease of establishment in any geographical environment. It can be found anywhere, whether it is more or less luxurious. Moreover, its action is applied in such a way that it adapts facilities that we use on a daily basis, such as transport, cultural, tourist, sports, religious and gaming facilities, making shopping one of the most popular leisure activities on the planet. As Miquel Àngel said, "Leisure is Business".
"Will shopping centres continue to be built?" Pablo was asked. The professional insisted that the creation of these in Spain had only just begun and in their evolution, Pablo Soto imagines more flexible spaces that adapt to different needs, including the combination with other services such as transport, catering and tourism, which allows architects to better express their ideas and create a unique image for these spaces.
Consider that many communication hubs such as train stations or airports have been transformed into a kind of commercial place that can be reached by train or plane.
Taking over the design phase, Borja Berna continued with a more creative point of view. The retail expert discussed the importance of implementing sustainability and creativity in design from the very first minute.
Sustainability allows us to create and design from a different point of view, and those who work in design must take this into account in order to be able to imagine and devise new concepts. For Borja Berna, adapting these points to the creation of shopping centres allows innovative concepts to be generated and places to be created that are not only for buying and selling, but also for the enjoyment of the consumer.
Borja, trained as an architect like Pablo and Miquel Àngel, indicated that creativity has always been at the heart of his CuldeSac studio, but in his new approach it makes no sense if it does not drive the business of the brands they work for and help them to create value. He stressed the need to "create unique experiences for consumers and tailor designs to the specific needs of each brand".
At CuldeSac, they prioritise consumer experience over product display, focusing on creating an architectural environment. To do this, a pre-design strategy is needed to offer a service rather than just a purchase, driving innovation in retail architecture.
Therefore, Borja identified the evolution of these spaces in a non-commercial way and directed towards the emotional connection with brands, mentioning the case of WOW as an example of this trend, where they have helped in the creation of the second space.
Following the debate, Alejandro Mora, CEO of Grup Idea and engineer by training, stressed "the importance of a good implementation and design management of retail projects once all the previous strategic and design part has been defined. Without good design management, there is no design". Alejandro continued the debate by showing his expertise in the field of retail and his experience with Grup Idea's vast projects in this type of buildings.
He stressed the need for architects, technical architects, specialised engineers and a good administrative team for licences and permits. These multidisciplinary teams are necessary to be able to materialise creative ideas smoothly and in compliance with regulations.
He emphasised that experience and the ability to react to unforeseen events are key to the success of the project. Therefore, "Grup Idea's work methodology, with international teams adapted to each context, guarantees efficient implementation".
The experience of Alejandro and Grup Idea means that these brands and innovative designs are implemented in the premises, adapting to the different regulations of each geography and space, whether it is in a street-level premises or inside a shopping centre where there are often additional regulations to those of the municipality or region itself.
This implementation is carried out thanks to parallel teams of architects and engineers who help to create projects based on logistics and have control at all times. Thanks to Alejandro's experience, we could see the importance of planning, especially permits, because, as he made clear, it is very different to work on a project in different countries, even in one's own region.
In the end, what the client wants is to sell and having that security thanks to the experience of great professionals makes everything run smoothly. The customer is looking for peace of mind and we have to offer it to them.
In the evolution of shopping centres, Alejandro envisions an evolution towards greater flexibility, allowing the creation of unique experiences that attract the community. Hybridisation and adaptation to current needs are fundamental to maintain their relevance.
The whole debate would not have made sense without professionals who can build everything that is designed, managed and coordinated. To this end, and finishing with the last part of the presentation, we were able to listen to Cándido Zamora, COO of Exsitu, the first industrialised construction system.
Cándido Zamora showed the importance of carrying out a construction plan with innovative and more sustainable materials. He also explained how his part was to bring the world of ideas, an intangible world, to the tangible thanks to construction or, as he presented, to the implementation of buildings with prefabricated concrete.
Cánido insisted that, for all this to be tangible, you need someone who knows how to materialise the ideas in the physical construction of a mall. As he said, it seems the greyest and least attractive part, but it is currently heading towards a future of efficient and sustainable construction.
Although the whole process is not yet automated, it is industrialised to ensure efficient pre-planning. His vision drives the implementation of more sustainable and efficient buildings in the shopping centre environment, changing its evolution towards a more environmentally committed future.
In the end, the implementation of an industrialised building system becomes a choreography, something previously thought out, being a representation of a planning that has been carried out beforehand.
To conclude, Cándido Zamora highlighted the importance of sustainable construction in the evolution of the malls. He understands "prefabrication as a way of life". He mentioned how the industrialisation of the construction process with innovative materials and precast concrete can improve efficiency and sustainability.
This panel discussion highlighted the importance of Retail in modern Architecture and Construction, highlighting its role in creating unique experiences for consumers and the need to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the design and construction process. Both Borja and Alejandro, reminded that without good construction by someone who knows how to "build design", it is very likely that the objectives set out in the design and implementation phases will not be met.
Architecture and Building are adopting innovative and sustainable approaches, especially in the field of Retail, as was also demonstrated at the "Visions of Tomorrow" pre-conference at REBUILD. Although not exclusively focused on Retail, the panel moderated by Ignasi Perez Arnal, Director of REBUILD, featured Carmelo Zappulla and Josep Cargol Noguer, whose ideas addressed relevant aspects for the sector.
Zapulla, also known for his work on Dimas Gimeno's first WOW, advocated Innovation applied to Design. The discussion highlighted "the importance of going outside the box and adopting sustainable approaches in commercial architecture".
We were able to see great ideas and how, for them, sustainability can be transformed as a new way of building. The talk was an exchange of ideas and visions to innovate with sustainable designs, how to adapt to already built environments and how to adapt with natural environments.
This trend reflects an evolution in the perception of retail within the architectural discipline, promoting the creation of immersive retail spaces that foster community and customer experience.
Shopping centres make sense in this sector for much more than just being a building. The collaboration between retail and architecture is crucial; without these ideas, retail projects lack tangibility. The question is not really where we make that centre, but what business model is behind it.
In short, Retail drives Innovation in Construction. As Miquel Àngel said, "the future, which is already present, is (Re-)". From Retail, we rebuild spaces, challenging the established and its presence in events such as Rebuild highlights its importance in architecture.
This article is an extended version of the one that appeared in Interempresas published last May 10th. Here is the direct link to this article so that you can read it: https://www.interempresas.net/Construccion/Articulos/561884-(Re-)tail-en-(Re-)build-2024.html
Director's Team: Developed Design
The evolution of a company allows internal structures to be modified and adapted according to the needs and opportunities encountered when change occurs. New generations are part of the team's history to be written.
At the beginning of 2023, the new generation of directors made way for Miriam Modolell, Alex Guallar and Judit Pérez as the new members of Grup Idea's management team.In this interview we have the opportunity to get to know them better and to talk to them about this new organisation chart. We will get to know first-hand how this team manages and organises its work and we will learn about the objectives they share for both the national and international areas.
About the company
- Where did you specialize, what were your first jobs as professionals, how did you start at Grup Idea and how have you evolved professionally in the organisation?
(MM) My training as an architect took place at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB), where I graduated in 2000. After spending a year in England and another year in France, in 2002 I started working at Grup Idea as an architect on bank office refurbishment projects. My work evolved as project manager for retail projects, project coordinator and finally head of international projects.
(JP) I am a Technical Industrial Engineer from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). I joined Grup Idea in 2007 as a member of the engineering team. My first two years in the company were combined with a Master's Degree in Building Installations, also at the UPC. Since 2023 I am responsible for the organisation of the company.
(AG) My university education began with technical architecture and later architecture at La Salle (ETSALS) - URL. As a student, I worked on executive projects for single-family and multi-family houses. Subsequently, I worked in a surveyors' office carrying out projects in the public and private sector, such as theatres, schools, residences and housing. Finally, in 2007 I joined the Grup Idea as part of the team that at that time we called "In Creation". I worked in parallel on design and implementation projects for the office sector. Later on, I was responsible for healthcare projects such as dental clinics and medical centres, continuing as head of brand expansions for both retail and healthcare. Since 2023 I am project manager for the national area.
- How has the internal organisation of the company been restructured? What is the aim of this change?
(AG) The new structuring of the company is the result of the continuous changes in the sectors in which we develop projects. The evolution of clients and society means that we have to do the same.
We have opted for in-house people with extensive work experience. The company itself seeks the personal growth of its team, seeking greater control and organisation of personnel in order to improve profitability and work for clients.
- Looking at it from the inside, how do you assess the evolution of Grup Idea in these more than 25 years? How do you imagine your future and that of the company?
(MM) Grup Idea is a company in constant evolution, from its beginnings and throughout its history. Adaptability to change and versatility in responding to customer needs have always been its strong points in its evolution. At Grup Idea, each person finds the right position for their skills and strengths, and that is an achievement of the whole team, especially the company's management.
(JP) As my colleague Miriam said, Grup Idea is a company that has been able to adapt to changes over the last 25 years, even moving ahead of them, as with the introduction of teleworking before the Pandemic. Thanks to this capacity for evolution, Grup Idea has become a solid company and a benchmark in the market with a long history and experience, capable of adapting at all times to the new needs of its clients.
(AG) In my case, I've "only" been in business for 17 years. The evolution when you live day to day doesn't seem so much, but when you start to look back from what we used to do to what we do today, it is a gradual transformation and a huge change for the better. Even working at a global level and with increasingly important projects and brands, I believe that the original values of humility, hard work and perseverance have been maintained.
- From your point of view, what do clients value most about our company?
(MM) Clients value our professionalism and our ability to carry out the work efficiently, i.e. with optimum results in terms of quality, time and cost. Customer satisfaction is our goal.
(JP) They also value our experience and track record. Some of our clients have been with us almost from the beginning.
(AG) Apart from our professionalism and technical capacity, they also value the fact that we are always at their side, trying to adapt our knowledge and experience to their needs.
About Developed & Technical Design
The implementation phase (developed & technical design) is central to Grup Idea's activity. The company was born offering these professional services mainly in the banking sector and later grew in other sectors. In this phase, Architecture and Engineering go hand in hand in search of the best solution. Other firms, on the other hand, specialise in one of the two areas.
- How would you explain to a stranger what our brand implementation work consists of and why we do it this way?
(AG) Our job is to ensure that the image and needs of the client's brand can be applied at a technical and legal level in the desired premises. It should be noted that at Grup Idea we offer a design service for brands and their implementation in all types of premises, both on the street and in shopping centres.
(MM) Most of our clients already have an image design concept with its Style Manual. Implementation means adapting the image design to a commercial premises, so that the public identifies this space with the commercial brand that represents it. The space we conceive must reflect that image design, that is the aim of the implementation.
- What is the "DESIGN & BUILD" package for you?
(AG) Colloquially speaking, it would be a turnkey project. There are more and more brands looking for this type of commission, in which the brand has a single interlocutor who manages and coordinates the entire process, from the signing of the premises to the opening of the establishment.
- Conversely, how do you manage a project where Design & Build is not part of the services offered to the client? How do you coordinate and communicate with the client and other professionals who may be involved in a project?
(AG) There are different ways of carrying out works and projects. In those cases where we do not work on design and construction from the same "house", there is usually a project manager on the client's side who acts as a lynchpin between the two branches. It should be noted that this may seem simple, but there are multiple factors that make each client or project work in different ways, depending on the scope of each of the parties.
(MM) At Grup Idea we have been working with these premises for many years. Since it is common for some clients to already have a previous design of their image, our work focuses precisely on implementing that design. And it is also common that the construction company is not part of our team but is a company that has won the tender for the work. It is precisely in these cases when it is most necessary to carry out Project Management work for the client, which we usually do.
- SECTORS: Does your way of working vary a lot depending on the sector? Or is a different specialisation necessary for retail, workplace or, for example, a social-health space such as a dental surgery?
(AG) My experience in each of them is that the general management and organisation is the same or very similar, what differentiates them is the applicable regulations and the time taken to process licences. In general, in dental surgeries, as there is Rx equipment (Orthopantomograph), the procedures are longer than in Retail or Workplace.
- Our team is made up of engineers and architects alike. What is the main advantage of this feature?
(JP) The main advantage of bringing together architecture and engineering in the same team is that the projects are developed from a global point of view, minimising changes in the construction phase.
(MM) The work at Grup Idea is above all teamwork. Professionals from different technical fields work together and with a continuous exchange of knowledge, so that the projects incorporate solutions in all aspects: design, construction, environmental aspects, comfort, lighting, technology, etc. Our job as project managers is to make this integration between professionals and project teams possible.
(AG) The advantage is that by working together, we achieve greater control of the project as a whole.
- We start with the feasibility study. You have sometimes said that this is a very necessary task in which we become "the eyes of the client". What does this mean and why is it so important to entrust this work to a professional company?
(MM) The feasibility study is not only the beginning of the project but should be understood as a commitment to the premises and to the client. The latter will acquire the former on the basis of it and for a long period of time, and our role as technicians is to indicate to the client whether it is viable or not. It is a responsibility that the architect must take on as his own.
(AG) It is the most important point for me in a project. A good feasibility study will avoid problems and help the whole process to be successful. It should be noted that not all premises are technically feasible, or may have needs that entail extra cost. We advise clients to carry out the feasibility study before signing the premises.
- The role of the project manager is crucial: he/she is the project owner, the team leader and the only interlocutor with the brand. You have also defined him as a "peace of mind facilitator", can you explain this concept better?
(AG) The goal for everyone is to be as agile and practical as possible. This is the objective sought by all the parties involved, hence, a good job carried out by this PM backbone can guarantee the success of the whole project.
- What is the difference between Project Management and Project Management?
(JP) The mission of Project Management consists of verifying and ensuring that the execution of the works conforms to the Executive Project drawn up, and compliance with current regulations, in order to allow its subsequent legalisation. All this within the agreed planning and monitoring the costs of the work. Likewise, the Project Management is also in charge of resolving all doubts and unforeseen events that may arise during the work, swiftly executing all the changes that may be necessary to adapt the project to these unforeseen events.
The tasks of Project Management are more extensive, and apart from the above, also include the coordination of all the suppliers that must enter the site, placing orders, and coordinating with the operating staff of the establishment after the end of the work and the start of the activity.
- One of the challenges faced by the project manager is to present the client with a realistic but honest schedule, something you emphasise a lot. Why is honesty and transparency so important in the relationship with the client?
(MM) Providing the client at the start of a project with a plan that satisfies him but is not realistic is not only a risk for both parties, it is also a decision that can easily lead to the failure of the relationship between the two parties. Honesty is one of our values that our clients appreciate the most, and to achieve it requires professionalism, efficiency and experience.
- At the licensing level, we have a technician specialised in reviewing regulations and technical code. What benefit or impact does this specialisation have on the work of the rest of the team?
(JP) With the addition of our regulatory technician, we have improved the quality of our projects. It has also allowed the engineering team to focus on the technical aspects of the projects.
(AG) The fact that we have a specialised technician, who reviews all the projects, guarantees a very high level of quality at the regulatory level.
Common Approach: Shared Mission, Vision and Values
Unique legacy and new organisational structure. In its natural evolution, a company is born, grows and, years later, passes into the hands of new generations. Change in order to remain the same. The new generations serve to break down barriers and help the company to survive by adapting to the time in which it exists and to the constant changes in society.
This year, Alejandro Mora, Rodolfo Pérez-Martos and Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro have become the new management team of Grup Idea, taking over the legacy left by the current directors and founders of the company, Lluís Saiz and Artur Ortiz.
In this interview we have the opportunity to get to know Alejandro and Rodolfo better and to hear about the day-to-day running of the company. We will see that the new mission, vision and values for the company remain the same. We will also get to know the main purpose and objective guiding this new management.
- How did you start at Grup Idea and how have you evolved professionally?
(AM) I started as an engineer calculating installations and drawing up security plans for bank offices. I had just graduated and started at Grup Idea with another engineer who left a few months later. When we joined, the two engineers who had already been there left a week later and we had to do everything we could with the projects they had left. Those were different times. In 1999, no mobile phones, with fax...
In my career I have held various positions such as Head of Engineering, Project Management of the Retail and International areas, Director of the Mexico office and, currently, CEO of the company. This has allowed me to see the functioning of the company from multiple positions and with multiple visions and needs, which helps me in my current job and position.
(RPM) I started at Grup Idea as a student when I was at the end of my degree so that I could get started in the working world and see how real work developed. From the beginning, they had complete confidence in me, starting my experience as a project assistant. I did my PFC at the same time as my office work.
Later, as time went by and with the experience gained, the responsibility increased and I became Team Manager, Project Manager, Client Manager, Architectural Manager and up to the present day. It can be said that I have gone through all the stages in which an Architect can develop within an architecture-engineering office.
- How has the internal organisation of the company been restructured and what are you looking for with this change?
(AM) The founding partners of the company have stepped aside and allowed us to bring up the second generation and, in turn, this has allowed us to bring up a third generation of workers to management positions giving continuity to the company with the same philosophy, which is what we are looking for.
(RPM) The founding partners have promoted a generational development with organic growth that allows the company to continue with the strength and enthusiasm it has always had. To this end, the generations of consolidated technicians have been promoted to management and management positions in the company and the younger technicians have been promoted to positions of greater responsibility.
- You are respectively an engineer and an architect, do your different backgrounds complement each other? You are in turn the reflection of a large part of the technical team that makes up Grup Idea. Are they different ways of thinking but with common objectives?
(RPM) The founding partners were already architects and technical architects respectively, with different views on the same subject. It is the same with us now, but being different means being complementary and being more competent and efficient. One of the strengths of Grup Idea is the different profiles that make up our team. The different points of view depending on the training of each person enriches the work, creates debate and opens up the point of view. This allows a greater and better analysis of things for better decision making. The client appreciates this.
(AM) Our different backgrounds are perfectly complementary, because although they are antagonistic in many ways, this is what makes decision-making richer, as things are seen from different points of view, which allows us to reach common objectives with much greater certainty.
- Looking at it from the inside, how do you assess the evolution of Grup Idea in these more than 25 years?
(RPM) We can say that the evolution of Grup Idea has been incredible, going from being a small architecture firm in its beginnings to being a benchmark in its sector today. The company has been able to bounce back in times of difficulty and remain calm in times of success.
(AM) An exemplary evolution in many aspects. It is difficult to maintain a company like this for 25 years, although it is a cliché, the difficult thing is not to grow but to maintain it, and these 25 years are proof of that. In this time there have been better and worse times, but we have always been able to make the right decisions to ensure the company's continuity and independence.
"The different points of view depending on the training of each person enriches the work, creates debate and opens up the point of view." Rodolfo Pérez-Martos
- Grup Idea was one of the first to use the concept of Corporate Architecture. Is this specialisation still appreciable and different from the competition?
(AM) Grup Idea works exclusively for brands, so the concept of Corporate Architecture is still very much alive today, as it is part of our DNA. There are firms that are trying to dedicate themselves to corporate architecture, but there are very few of us exclusively, as it is something very specialised and different from traditional architecture.
(RPM) Grup Idea is Corporate Architecture, that's how it was born and that's how we have grown and learned together with our clients until we got here. Many firms are already dedicated to architecture and engineering but few are as specialised as we are. Our experience, the quality of our work and our flexibility have earned us the trust of our clients.
- Grup Idea can work on the entire value chain of a project from the initial design to its final execution: "Imagine, Design & Build". What do these three concepts convey?
(AM) It is the work we have been doing for more than 25 years. We have always adapted to the client's needs but it has always been under the umbrella of these three words, the services and project phases that they encompass.
(RPM) These concepts mean that we put ourselves in the client's shoes and offer them everything they need, totally or partially, to cover their needs. We can enter into any of the phases of a project. We adapt to what the client needs. Our job is to give you peace of mind.
- How do you organise the work teams for brand implementation projects? What makes Grup Idea a benchmark in brand expansion projects?
(RPM) The working groups at Grup Idea are multidisciplinary, open and made up of technicians from different fields (architects, engineers, etc.). They are made up of technicians from other working groups who contribute different visions to those that a closed group specialising in a single subject may have.
(AM) This is part of the secret of Grup Idea and could be better explained to us by those who are now in charge of organising them, who are Alex, Judit and Miriam, responsible for the different business areas.
In large part, the secret is knowing how to combine quality with the speed/agility of a multidisciplinary team with very different mentalities.
- From your point of view, what do clients value most about our company?
(AM) What they value most about us is our professionalism, quality and agility in resolving all issues, rigour and professional ethics.
(RPM) Professionalism, quality, flexibility, availability, adaptability and experience.
- What is Grup Idea's greatest strength and weakness, and what is the biggest challenge you are currently facing?
(RPM) Our strengths are the people who make up Grup Idea, their involvement, dedication and knowledge. Working as a team. And our clients, who trust us, are also part of our strength. Our weakness could be the uncertainty in which we live. Society is apparently chaotic, disorganised, unpredictable, indecisive? But one of our greatest skills is active listening and this allows us to adapt our services in a flexible way.
(AM) Our greatest strength is our team and our greatest weakness is the market itself. Our biggest challenge is to adapt to the new ways of working and requirements of brands, as well as to overcome the new players in the market.
"What they value most about us is our professionalism, quality and agility in resolving all issues, rigour and professional ethics." Alejandro Mora
- What do you think has been Grup Idea's greatest success (in the short term, the last 5-10 years)?
(RPM) Consolidating as a company. Rebounding in times of difficulty and remaining stable and proportionate in times of success.
(AM) Maintain the company at its right size despite crises or pandemics.
- What are Grup Idea's goals in the short, medium and long term?
(AM) The same as in recent years, to keep the company providing the same professional, agile and quality service.
(RPM) To continue the company as it is now. We have achieved a good balance between size, staff, clients and projects and it should stay that way in the future. Growth for growth's sake will get us nowhere, but maintaining size, quality and confidence will.
- What does "being international" mean to you?
(AM) Working for brands in our country or in other countries regardless of where they come from and/or where they have to carry out their work. We have all the tools to carry out projects outside our country of origin and that is something that is valued.
(RPM) Adapting to geographical circumstances in order to respond to the needs of our clients regardless of location.
"Growing for the sake of growing gets us nowhere, but maintaining size, quality and confidence does". Rodolfo Pérez-Martos
- How will the current mission, vision and corporate values help to achieve these objectives?
(RPM) The mission, vision and corporate values must be the basis from which Grup Idea is maintained and developed.
(AM) By maintaining them as they are today.
- With your entry into the management of Grup Idea, what is going to be preserved and promoted and what is going to change with respect to the mission, vision and values of the company?
(AM) As I said before, we are continuing with what we have been doing and our idea is to preserve the company as it is, but adapting to the times. The Grup Idea of today is not the same as it was 10 or 20 years ago, nor will it be the same in another 10 or 20 years, we will adapt to the times we live in.
(RPM) Our aim must be to maintain the legacy we have received and the values of the company that have defined us up to now and have been a guarantee of success, but adapting to the new challenges that are ever more changing, faster and more demanding so that Grup Idea will continue to be Grup Idea for many more years to come.
The origins of Grup Idea: purpose and heritage
Every company, and every brand, has a unique life journey. It is born with a purpose, grows in size and prosperity, builds customer loyalty and grows its team. And over time, it generates a legacy that will be inherited by the new management.
As of this year, Lluís Saiz and Artur Ortiz, founders of Grup Idea, have become advisors of the company. In this interview we talk to both of them about their new stage, after 30 years at the forefront of the business. The new management team is formed by Alejandro Mora, Rodolfo Pérez-Martos and Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro.
- It all started when an architect and a technical architect met, worked together and wanted to join forces to offer implementation services to financial institutions, both banks and savings banks. Why did you decide to take this path together and start on your own?
(AO) Lluis and I met in an engineering firm working in a team that developed projects for a well-known financial institution. We complemented each other well, we began to share other projects and we decided to create our own office given the possibilities offered by the market.
(LS) It was a time of great expansion of banking agencies in our country. We thought that a firm that united the two disciplines could offer added value to the client.
- Those were years in which architects found it difficult to have a business vision. You were ahead of the market.
(AO) We were clear from the start that we wanted a firm that offered comprehensive technical services and that was formed up of architects, technical architects and engineers. That's why we created the professional company Idea Arquitectura i Enginyeria, and years later the brand Grup Idea was born.
(LS) This differentiation was key. Instead of working with external engineering firms, at Grup Idea we opted from the outset for an internal team of architecture and engineering professionals. We knew that this was a feature that clients would value highly and that few companies offered.
- And how did the company evolve in the following years?
(AO) In October 1993 we started working in a small office on Aribau Street in Barcelona, which we expanded shortly afterwards with the adjoining premises. From that moment on, we did not stop growing with new clients, projects and teams. After an internal continuous improvement session with all our employees, we realized that we needed more space to be able to work better and so we decided to relocate.
(LS) In 2005 we moved to Plaça de l'Àngel, in the heart of Barcelona. We remodeled the building and designed our own offices according to our vision, mission, business values and needs. Over time, we became specialists in the design and implementation of banking and corporate offices. We went on to work for more than 25 financial institutions. Then we made the leap to retail when it was still a fairly unknown world for architects. At that time we grew with concepts, spaces and services such as: IdeaLab, IdeaLoft, IdeaCoworking or the IdeaPikaPika conferences.
"Instead of working with external engineering firms, at Grup Idea we opted from the outset for an internal team of architecture and engineering professionals. We knew that this was a feature that clients were going to value highly and that few companies offered" Lluís Saiz
- At what point did you decide to take the leap and offer a 360º service from design to construction?
(LS) Many clients asked us for a turnkey service, so it was a natural evolution. The field of design began to be visible when Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro, partner and current Director of Design and Marketing, started working with us. It was at the same time that we started to offer construction services through our construction company, Abessis, and Juan Guaita, partner and current CEO of Abessis, joined the group from a new office we opened in Valencia, and that was the beginning of "Design & Build".
(AO) We thus had the three phases that helped us to better explain our services: Imagine, Design and Build. We have our own method that we have been developing and improving over the years, as a result of working with and learning from the needs of our clients and adapting to them.
- Grup Idea imagine, design and build corporate spaces, but also social and healthcare spaces, hotels and restaurants and retail premises. What has this diversification meant?
(AO) From the beginning, our expertise was in banking. We had to evolve at a business level to broaden the types of projects we did and we decided to broaden our needs and grow in other areas. We therefore specialised in what we then called Corporate Architecture. Thanks to this new approach we were able to overcome the crisis that hit the banking sector in 2008 and continue to grow. We are not "marketing gurus" but time has proved us right.
(LS) After this diversification, we naturally evolved towards internationalization. Working with retail clients expanded the geographical area in which we operated and helped us to become international, develop business muscle and be able to carry out and develop projects throughout Europe and Latin America.
- Precisely how did you make the leap to working outside Spain?
(AO). Our internalization came about as a result of the 2008 crisis. We designed a Strategic Plan to expand our territorial scope of action to other countries and created subsidiaries in Mexico, France and the United Kingdom, bringing new professional partners into the company: Alejandro Mora, Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro and Rodolfo Pérez-Martos.
(LS) The step prior to competing abroad was to accompany national brands that wanted to make the leap abroad, so we grew with them. We also looked for foreign retail brands that wanted to come to Spain.
Nowadays we not only carry out projects in Spain but we also work in many other EU countries as well as in the UK and even in South Africa.
(AO) That's why we are based in Barcelona and have subsidiaries in Valencia, London and Paris that allow us to be closer to our clients.
"From the beginning, our expertise was in banking. We had to evolve at a business level and minimize risks by growing in other sectors in which we could also offer our professional services" Artur Ortiz
- How did COVID affect you?
(LS) The pandemic affected us like the rest of society, but we were lucky enough to be able to continue working because we were prepared. Now people are talking about teleworking, but before we were confined we had already made the digital transformation to be able to better combine work and personal life by working remotely. We called it "Home Office" and we had already integrated it into our day-to-day work on a recurring basis.
(AO) When the confinement ended, we decided to move to a new location and continue to evolve the way we work, thus maintaining the option of teleworking.
(LS) We have recently extended our new office in order to have a more suitable space for our team's work meetings and also with clients, where we can hold internal training days, workshops or events.
- You will soon be celebrating the company's 30th anniversary. If we have to take stock of these years, what do you think our customers value most?
(LS) A client told me years ago that our greatest virtue was that we were always there when he needed us. Both for singular design projects and for projects in which we have to give an extra to solve problems and which require a lot of experience. We are always at the client's side to listen to them. Active listening is one of our main virtues, to gain their trust.
(AOE) As Lluís says, trust. We are always there to help them with their projects and expansion plans, adapting to their needs. The new services that we have been creating always arise from specific needs on the part of clients who are looking for solutions.
"One client told me years ago: "Whenever we need you, we find you". Both for singular and eye-catching projects and for projects in which we have to give an extra to solve a problem (...), we are always at the client's side to listen to them".
- What legacy do you leave to the new management, what future do you wish for and imagine?
(AO) The new management has grown up with us. It has shared a large part of our history and carries our DNA. As you were saying, in 2026 Grup Idea will be 30 years old and I am convinced that this transition was necessary to ensure continuity and achieve new successes.
(LS) We have been working together for many years, side by side designing, building and offering the right services to each client. The legacy we left and still share is, above all, enthusiasm for projects, accumulated experience and a continuous desire to improve. It is not in vain that one of the phrases we like to repeat is that "Our best project is always the next one".
Catalunya Ràdio - Section "Mirades transVersals" in the programme "Perspectiva"
Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro, Director of Design and Marketing at Grup Idea collaborates in the programme "Perspectiva" of Catalunya Ràdio, the Catalan radio station of the Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals (CCMA). "Perspectiva" is a programme created and led by Josep Lluís Blázquez that shows trends and debates on architecture and urban planning through the personalities of Catalan architects around the world. Different experts in different subjects collaborate in the creation of contents and the participation of different sections such as "La biblioteca del arquitecte" (The architect's library), where Marc Longarón, Director of "la Capell", presents and comments on new publications on architecture and design.
During the 2023 season, Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro has started his own new space for collaborations within the programme under the title "Mirades transVersals". The aim of Josep Lluís and Miquel Àngel is to take a different look at the conventional view of architecture and all the disciplines that go with it. Reflection and connecting ideas in a transversal way are the best way to show, observe and understand architecture. For this reason, they have visited studios, exhibitions and buildings, talking not only with architects, but also with historians, branding and communication experts, designers, graphic designers, light designers, interior designers,...
In total, there have been 6 collaborations (in Catalan) where the following themes have been given visibility:
Perspectiva - The Next: Working with light, the senses and the emotional states of the individual.
Perspectiva - Manual Thinking: Luki Huber's method of collective creation.
Perspective - Gina Barcelona Architects: The Catalan architecture with the greatest projection
Perspective - "Lluís Morillas and his innate ability to know when it is the right time to walk away
Perspectiva - The universe of Carles Ferrater unfolds at the Centre Esplai de Fundesplai in El Prat de Llobregat
Perspectiva - We visit "Visions of Catalonia" with Òscar Guayabero and Jesús Angel Prieto
As Miquel Àngel has told us many times, to have a Mirada Transversal is not to look sideways at who you have next to you, but to share and learn from them. What will you visit and with whom will you talk in 2024? We are sure that in the next editions we will talk about architecture and design from the teaching point of view.
8 keys to compete successfully in the Retail of the Future
Retail Future, the annual trade fair on digitalisation and trends in the retail industry, held its 6th edition this October at the Caixa Forum building in Valencia. With a full programme of round tables, experts discussed topics ranging from the economic perspectives of retail, new forms of sales and business management, as well as examples of successful and innovative projects.
As in previous editions, we attended the Retail Future fair to learn about new trends in the retail sector and network with speakers and attendees. After the day, we have reflected and synthesised what we consider to be the 8 essential keys that will mark the path of the Future of Retail, both for small retailers and for large fashion brands:
Knowing our customer well
The first and most valuable lesson for successful retailing is to learn everything about our customer. Rosa Pilar López, business director of the Fashion & Beauty section at Kantar, presented her conclusions on current customer behaviour. In a post-pandemic context of rising inflation, consumers are buying less but spending more, especially in the food sector, simply because of price increases. "Consumers have become more rational when it comes to shopping," he added.
On the other hand, according to Enric Ezquerra, from Realfooding, despite the context of difficulties and headwinds, the 'value' factor is increasingly more important than the 'money' factor in users' purchasing decisions. "Customers can behave differently depending on their interest in your product and go for what pleases them and matches their lifestyle," he said. Therefore, this situation opens a window of opportunity for brands. If we are relevant, we will have a better chance to compete successfully.
Opening up to uncertainty
Today's world is characterised by being difficult to predict and to understand, both for organisations and retailers. In this scenario of uncertainty, visionary and expert Jaime García Cantero shared his thoughts on the trends that are going to be crucial for Retail companies, starting with understanding the "WOW effect", the idea that customers' decisions are made quickly and emotionally. As companies, it is necessary to generate this opportunity to surprise customers, but also to resist the actions of the competitors. According to García Cantero, one of the current and most significant "wows" is the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence, the branch of Artificial Intelligence that focuses on generating original content from existing data.
Another challenge for companies, according to the expert, is the way we organise and function as a group. "Organisations have a fundamental objective which is to change our solid, rigid structures and make them open to change. Roles are changing, repetition is not enough and the ability to improvise is much more important," he said.
Use the technology that best suits our business
Uncertainty and this concept of "liquid society", introduced by sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, also relocates to retail businesses. In recent years we have seen how the integration of online and offline retail has given way to a Figital Retail experience (physical and digital), which we have already discussed in depth in the Es Design monograph "Retail Figital, the renaissance of commerce", as well as other trends such as the incursion of the Metaverse, the use of smart fitting rooms or RFID tags on clothing, among other examples. In this new scenario, it is essential for brands to analyse and understand what each channel brings to the customer and how they should adapt the trends to their own business.
In this sense, humanist and lecturer Xavier Marcet defended the idea of listening well to customers and being consistent with them. "How can we be consistent? We should not speed up with technology but serve the future only half a step ahead", he said. While technology will be important, so will proximity. For Marcet, retailers need to be aware of putting technology to their advantage and think about how technology can make us better: "Think about customers and how you want to evolve with them".
Generating trust with the customer and the community
In line with offering a closer and more personalised service, the visionary and expert Jaime García Cantero stressed during his speech the importance of building trust. "The centre of retail is once again the physical shop. We want a quick shopping experience but we also like a place where we can share and empathise", he explained. In his own words, a shop should be understood as a safe space for the community. This is why there are retail projects such as bookshops that organise workshops or book presentations in their spaces.
Pepa Casado, founder and researcher at Futurea, reflected along the same lines. "Physical retail has the capacity to curate, to select products with more care, thinking about the customer's experience and the brand", she said. This 'curation' also has to do, according to Casado, with the concept of 'selection': supporting and helping the customer when deciding between millions of options in the market with the product that truly connects with him or her.
"Moreover, when a brand appeals to us, it not only appeals to us in one product category but can appeal to us in many categories because we are talking about how we connect and how we vibrate in the same tune", she added. For this reason, multi-category brands are beginning to appear that offer fashion and habitat, as is the case of Sessun, which sells women's fashion while offering an exhibition of selected handicrafts in its shop.
Humanising retail
In order to create community and build trust, physical shop workers are the best brand ambassadors. In this sense, the retailer Marcos Álvarez insisted during his talk on the importance of attracting workers to the brand they represent.
"We retailers are not aware that our salespeople are our first customers. If we are not able to sell our product to our shop assistants, they will not be able to sell it to our customers", he explained. In other words, Alvarez said retailers must learn to empathise with their salespeople, ensure that they are comfortable in their position and that their aspirations and desires are accommodated in their professional experience. "The people who work with us are talent and capital within the organisation. Let's do everything we can to keep talent with us," he said.
Understanding the changes in the system
At the round table "Lab Retail: Discover the shop of the future in key sectors" we had the opportunity to learn how shops are evolving from the point of view of several experts and consultants. Pepa Casado, expert in the habitat sector at Futurea, spoke about "furniture as a service", a trend that consists of selling not only the equipment or furniture but also the after-sales services, throughout the useful life of the product. An example of this is Nornorn, a company that offers a subscription to fully circular office furniture. According to Casado, this "servitisation" has to do with changing lifestyles and new ways for customers to purchase products.
On the other hand, another trend that responds to the new way in which customers approach products is the creation of "shoppable spaces". According to Casado, these spaces are the result of users' need to interact in a more natural and organic way with the product. A great example is shoppable hotels, where users can buy any product in their hotel room by reading a QR. Another example is showrooms such as the Bernadí Hub in Barcelona, where the professional prescriber is encouraged to go not only to buy but also to experience the product, exchange knowledge and enjoy a community space.
Embracing sustainability in all its dimensions
Sustainability and environmental care is a radical and urgent issue in order to align with the wishes and expectations of our customers and to avoid environmental and economic impact. According to Bloomberg data, 9.7 million tons of furniture were discarded in 2018, an amount equivalent to 80% of the furniture that was manufactured that same year. As we have seen above, many reference projects have a business model that has at its core the concept of circularity. "Increasingly, we see how conditioned furniture has become a valuable product: we are abandoning the 'pre-used' label to talk about 'pre-loved', which says a lot about how the perception of users has changed over time", reflected Pepa Casado from Futurea.
Another very present topic at Retail Future was the idea of considering sustainability in all its dimensions and especially considering people. In this line, the visionary and expert Jaime García Cantero made the following reflection: "When we talk about sustainability, everyone thinks about the environment, but there are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and only 5 are related to the environment", he said. The fight against poverty, diversity, democratic quality and equal opportunities are also SDGs and, in García Cantero's opinion, this is a huge opportunity for retail, especially small retail.
Finding our competitive edge and competing successfully
As we have seen, Retail Futire has taught us some great lessons. If we can get to know our customers well, build trust in our business, be resilient in the face of change and use technology to our advantage as well as understand the changes in the system and embrace sustainability in all its dimensions, we will be able to compete successfully.
In the scenario that opens up in 2024, physical shops, particularly the own shop, have regained their weight against the online channel as the most important channel for fashion. This is confirmed by the latest edition of the Veepee-Modaes Barometer of Fashion Companies in Spain. The physical store is the visible face of the brand, a unique space where we can show what makes us unique and connect with the consumer.
At Grup Idea we have more than 25 years of experience accompanying brands in their expansion processes, from design, architecture and engineering services to the final construction of the commercial premises. Discover all our work with international brands and do not hesitate to contact us for a no-obligation quote.
