De-coding the method: Design and Marketing or Marketing and Design?

Design and Marketing, what came first: the chicken or the egg? What should we first propose in business terms in order to have a coherent message?

As the closing of this cycle of articles presented under the title ‘De-coding the Method’, those of us who have been the interviewers up to now have become the interviewees. More than an interview, you will see that we have carried out a conversation that has allowed us to reflect on our work and that we simply intend to inspire you, as a reader.

With this interview we will learn how these two disciplines fill our daily lives and how they combine to complete ‘The Method’ that we have been decoding throughout the rest of the interviews.

We introduce ourselves:

• Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro: Concept Architect, partner of Grup Idea and Design & Marketing Manager.
• Andrea Garrido Espinosa: Marketing & Communications Manager at Grup Idea.

Both of us are part of the Marketing and Communications Department of Grup Idea and we will explain our functions within the company and our personal way of seeing and applying our expertise.

 

ANDREA: Miquel Àngel, you came to Grup Idea many years before me. Although I'm not the last to arrive, I feel like ‘the new one’. What were your beginnings in the company like?

MAJH: From the very beginning, Grup Idea had its Vision and Mission well defined. The founding partners established themselves in 1996 as a professional architectural and engineering services company, which was a differentiating factor at the time. Their internal organisation was also unique, with technicians acting as Client Project Managers.

When I joined, they had just created the construction line, which today we know as Abessis. Before joining Grup Idea, one of my first designs was built by them, and shortly afterwards I became the company's non-Customer Project Manager. This allowed me to work in various sectors and across the entire value chain: Design, Implementation and Construction.

For a while, I was responsible for projects that combined both Design and Construction, and so for example, we realised many dental surgeries and medical centres. At that time, Grup Idea and Abessis shared projects and the same desk with a very small team.

The growth and professionalisation of Abessis would come years later under the guidance of Juan Guaita.

One of these dental practices I'm talking about was Periogroup and it helped us to get to know each other and to start working with them. I am talking about the year 2000. Everyone was afraid of the so-called ‘Y2K effect’, but Grup Idea was never afraid of technology and was always ahead of other similar architectural studios.

 

Where did you train and what were your beginnings in the professional world?

ANDREA: I studied Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Girona. When I finished my degree, after having done my university internship in a Digital Marketing agency, I decided to spend some time in Dublin where I ended up working as a Visual in a Zara.

 

MAJH: At Zara and as Visual Merchandising, was it a kind of premonition? What did you learn there that is now useful to you at Grup Idea? Explain to us what Visual Merchandising means and what it consists of.

ANDREA: Visual Merchandising is the discipline of displaying products at a brand's point of sale to promote sales and attract customers. Its objective is to develop a visual strategy that is coherent with the brand's identity and message.

The Visual is not only strategic, but also has a creative vision to be able to play with space, colour, lighting, items in the place and the technology available, all to adapt the image of the brand so that the customer recognises where or what he/she is buying.

Although I was initially unsure of my path, my managers saw potential in me for the role and I decided to give it a go. It may sound silly but working in a shop like Visual made me realise that the world of communication is hidden in many sectors. This motivated me to get a marketing position. It reminded me of what I enjoyed most about my studies: strategic planning, objectives and brand personality.

At that time, focused on retail and communicating through space and fashion as I like to say, I never imagined that I would end up in the marketing and communication department of a company dedicated to creating retail spaces, a sector that had captivated me. I don't think I could have done any better if I had wanted to.

Back home, my career path took me through various experiences in marketing and branding until I finally arrived at Grup Idea at the beginning of March 2024.

 

MAJH: Very interesting! The truth is that something similar happened to me. Although I had a certain idea of what I wanted to do, while I was studying architecture, in reality it was work, clients and colleagues who set my professional path. In my case I was very clear about what I didn't want to do, neither interior architecture, nor strategy, nor working for brands. Things that are precisely what I do now and in which I am considered an expert. I'm happy and that's what's important.

I was lucky enough to start working as an architect long before I graduated and to be able to combine studies and work in parallel. I worked in one of the best architecture studios in Barcelona, TAC arquitectes, and I started doing projects on my own, such as an Internet Gallery Café in Ciutat Vella or a Dental Clinic in Paseo de Gracia. This allowed me to see that many architectural projects are born from defining a good Business Model and a good Branding Strategy.

 

By the way, we have introduced two closely related concepts, but they are not the same: Marketing and Branding. What differentiates one from the other for you?

ANDREA: Marketing encompasses all the decisions that a company makes with the aim of selling its service or product so that the customer is satisfied and wants to repeat.

Branding, on the other hand, is what comes once the philosophy of the business model has been outlined and, sometimes, once the strategy has been thought out. In the end, it is how we present ourselves to others once we have done our analysis and defined our objectives.

 

How do you differentiate between branding and marketing, and do you see them as the same thing?

MAJH: No, they are not the same, even though they are related. As Apple's marketing guru Regis McKenna would say, ‘Marketing is everything and everything is Marketing’. This is the phrase I usually say as ‘Retail is everything and everything is Retail’.

Marketing is closer to the activities you do to sell. Branding is naming, corporate identity, visual identity and much more. It is how we convey our essence as a brand. Branding is discovering and enhancing the essence of the brand and its principles.

At Grup Idea we do not offer Marketing or Branding as a service, but we work on projects together with specialised agencies and the marketing departments of our clients. We know how to interpret their work, and that is why we implement branding as we know how to apply it to the spaces we design and execute. Studios and agencies we have collaborated with include Mario Eskenazi, SUMA, CLA-SE, Morillas and CÈL·LULA.

 

ANDREA: You also often talk about Marketing and Sales as two independent but complementary concepts and actions. What is the difference between Marketing and Sales?

MAJH: As we have said, Marketing is a tool that helps to sell. And therefore it is at the service of commercial work. But at Grup Idea, we all sell, the partners, the directors... That's why I like to say that you and I are not a department of two, because each and every one of us at Grup Idea is Marketing. In the same way that we all can and must carry out commercial actions. We all sell. We are always better than me. Because nobody knows as much as all of us together.

ANDREA: I agree that it's important to be nuanced. Marketing represents the company's management philosophy and focuses on building and communicating the value proposition. Whereas Sales focuses on the direct relationship with the customer and on negotiation. That is why as a department we work closely with the company's management.

 

ANDREA: And why work on Marketing and Design from the same department?

MAJH: You know I don't like the word department at all. It seems that we are talking about a watertight place, disconnected from the rest of the company's activities, and at Grup Idea we are very transversal in all processes. Both creative and productive. We know how to design and we know how to understand and manage the design of others.

Communication, both internal and external, does not occur only at the end of a project, but from the beginning, because when a good project is finished, this is not the end of it, but the beginning of the next one. That's why we say that ‘our best project is always the next one’. How do you see it?

ANDREA: For me, in a company like Grup Idea, it goes hand in hand. Understanding the previous marketing strategy is essential to effectively design or implement an action plan. Thanks to the strategy you can understand the objectives and what actions and tactics are carried out. Then comes the design.

Understanding this, it makes sense for the design team to work alongside the marketing team as it allows us to draw on each other's experiences to better understand the client's needs.

 

But what does the Design phase consist of at Grup Idea? What does it mean for you to have this Strategy prior to the Design?

MAJH: It is important to know the strategy that has been defined in the Business Plan prior to the Design that the client provides us with and on the basis of which he commissions us to carry out and/or implement a project.

Identifying the client and understanding their context is key to carrying out segmented and personalised actions. This gives meaning to the design and prevents it from being empty. It is not a matter of offering the same design service to everyone, but of proposing what is really appropriate, which allows us to grow in experience and build a diverse portfolio of clients.

Let us also remember that we all design, and there is design at all stages of a project, even during the construction management phase. Designing is thinking before doing.

 

Andrea: When I joined Grup Idea, I found it curious that in social networks it only has a presence on Linkedin, but not on Instagram, Facebook or X. I think it was the result of an analysis by all the partners and expert collaborators. I think it was the result of an analysis by all the partners and expert collaborators. Why?

MĀJH: The era of digitalisation has awakened various behaviours that make us have to adapt to different ways of communicating with our clients and team depending on the platform. Many companies try to reach everyone, but they do so without criteria and without common sense. The key is to know who you want to target and to be only where they are. If you don't do it right, as Alfons Cornella would say, the only thing you generate is ‘infoxication’.

We don't see the need to be on a social network where our target audience is not going to see or hear us. That's why we prefer to segment our channels to offer content that drives our strategy and shows results.

ANDREA: Exactly! I think it's important to be present on the channels where our target customer spends the most time and where they unconsciously look for us, rather than trying to cover all platforms. Perhaps many companies have not been able to identify their target.

 

By the way, Miquel Àngel, can you tell me about the origin of the ‘Idea PikaPika’?

MAJH: The Idea PikaPika was a cycle of conferences created to bring together professionals from the design, architecture and construction sectors around three key factors: meeting, talks and ‘pika pika’.

The aim was to promote synergies between clients and professionals from different disciplines, with a prominent panelist sharing topics of interest.

To culminate the event and to encourage conversation between the audience and the speaker, a snack was offered. Years later, it is interesting to remember many of the contents generated, as many of the topics are still current and thanks to our Vimeo channel we can continue to see them.

 

ANDREA: And why did you stop doing them? What links do they have with ‘ENcuentros de ENtresuelos’?

MAJH: At Grup Idea we devise and execute concepts that we like to give a beginning and an end and therefore draw conclusions and apply them to new projects. The Grup Idea Calendar, IDEALAB, IDEACOWORKING, NUKLEE or IDEAPIKAPKA have always given rise to new concepts, such as the new ‘ENtresuelos meetings’.

Andrea: One of the first things I had to manage when I joined the company were our internal activities such as training courses and team building days. All of them are created and organised by Marketing, always with the support of the other partners.

 

Tell us about the curious origin of your Christmas celebration in Spring.

MAJH: After Covid we saw that we preferred not to have the typical Christmas dinner and we implemented an activity so that the whole team could enjoy 2 days of disconnection and so that we could get to know each other better.

Two years ago we saw that the Ebro Delta was the perfect place to meet our colleagues from Abessis. They were from Valencia and we were from Barcelona and halfway to the Delta. Together with them we enjoyed a day in May or June to enjoy the area, the good weather and the equipment. Now even when we think and do things together we call it ‘making a delta’.

Although we no longer have a company dinner at Christmas, we do celebrate with a get-together and a glass of cava to wish each other happy holidays.

 

 

ANDREA: Changing the subject Miquel Àngel, how would you explain the ‘DESIGN & BUILD’ concept offered as a pack?

MAJH: Increasingly, clients have less time and are looking for a single interlocutor. Although it may seem more economical, cutting up a project can be more expensive because of all the coordination effort involved. With the Design & Build solution, you know that what you design is what ends up being built.

As Judit told us in the interview we did with her, for our clients we are ‘facilitators of peace of mind’. This service, when required by the client, is possible thanks to the joint work between both companies, Grup Idea and Abessis. This requires our own working method, and we have it.

 

ANDREA: Having our own working method means having an adaptable tool to offer our services, what does this mean and what advantages does it have for the client?

MAJH: The advantages for the client are incredible as he can have the three main parts of ‘The Method’ (Imagine, Design & Build) or just the ones he chooses.

In other words, we can offer all three services thanks to our multidisciplinary teams that will carry out each part with the utmost care or, if the client prefers, we can adapt to the phase they need. We can implement and have someone else build it or we can do it ourselves. At the same time we can design and have someone else implement or the other way around. We adapt to the needs of each client to make the project a reality.

 

ANDREA: We've said before that the DESIGN & BUILD process works like a funnel from more room for imagination to a more concrete process of implementation and construction. Can you give us an example? Can you explain this aspect better? Does the design part always come first?

MAJH: We say that the project process is like a funnel because in the ‘IMAGINE’ phase we allow ourselves to explore and rethink ideas, while in ‘DESIGN’ and the ‘BUILD’ the process becomes more structured and defined, translating the intangible into the tangible. These phases are essential and must be worked on by a strong team.

Let's take as an example the cases of Banc Sabadell in London and Bank Degroof Petercam in Madrid. We started by understanding the client, conducting interviews and preparing sketches that became layouts, moodboards for inspiration, look and feel and materiality.

During the implementation, layouts are made and, if necessary, we create a White Paper to then make the implementation project concrete by applying the manual in any space.

We talk about Design Thinking, an innovation process focused on finding creative solutions to human needs. Our team adopts this concept in our work methodology, looking for answers to problems that at first sight seem very complex, following its 5 phases: empathise, define, devise, prototype and evaluate, which allows us to innovate and improve continuously.

Also interesting as a design methodology is the concept of the ‘Double Diamond’, a visual representation of the design and innovation process. It is a simple way to describe the steps involved in any design and innovation project. It represents the broad exploration of the problem (divergent thinking) and the adoption of concrete solutions (convergent thinking).

Although we often work with companies' internal design departments, we facilitate communication between all parties involved, ensuring that regulations and expectations are met.

 

 

 

MAJH: By the way, do you think that in the era of AI and remote work that we are living in, does the marketing that we carry out at Grup Idea make sense?

ANDREA: Yes, if our objectives are clear and every action is aligned with the strategy defined to achieve them.

Right now our objective is to increase awareness, especially at an international level, in order to expand the geographical area of orders. We achieve this by creating quality content that explains who we are, what we do, how we do it and who we do it. It's not just about sharing on social media, it's about being consistent and showing who we are.

MAJH: That's why we adopted Simon Sinek's ‘Golden Circle’ concept to define how we want to communicate and to help them know our purpose effectively. But within the Why (Purpose), How (process) and What (services and result) we like to add another factor, Who (our team), because the important thing in a company is the people who make it up. This is how we achieve that connection with our audience.

 

ANDREA: And you, where do you think the Marketing and Design we do at Grup Idea is going?

MAJH: The only constant is constant change. The acceleration of Big Data and AI will transform society and, therefore, the consumer. We as Retail Designers must be constantly updating and training ourselves.

But I don't care, nor do I care about the famous algorithm. I am convinced that Creativity and Innovation are more closely linked than ever to Natural Intelligence, which is more analogue than digital.

 

ANDREA: Why is it important to know the trends in the sectors we work in, such as retail or workplace?

MAJH: In retail, the consumer experience is central to the design of spaces. These experiences are exposed to constant change because of all the new technologies that we are experiencing more and more. That's why it's vital to be aware of new developments in order to adapt spaces and share emotions. It is necessary to see the wave before it arrives. If possible, even surf it.

Marketing seeks to identify business opportunities and create products and services that satisfy them, relying on market research to understand needs and trends.

We relate this very much to what I call the ‘Innovation Spiral’ and its seven variables: Customer, Quality, Communication, Project, Technology, Management Style and Knowledge.

 

ANDREA: I still don't know which came first, the chicken or the egg?

MĀJH: I like to say that ‘Designing is like cooking!’ At this point, the only important thing is to know how to design, i.e. cook the best omelette. And please Andrea, don't ask me if with or without onions.

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by Andrea

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.

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by Andrea

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!

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by Andrea

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/

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by Andrea

(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

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by Andrea

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.

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by Andrea

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".

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by Andrea