Spanish architect Vilalta is changing Ethiopia and Egypt

«Stop, look, think and maybe do it»

This is the maximum that Vilalta studio has engraved on his DNA and that has allowed him to do projects all over the world from Asia, Europe and Africa.

Xavier Vilalta founder and director of the studio, declares «we love nature and we care about people», connecting the old with the new, reinterpreting the best traditional solutions to create modern buildings that respect the past.

His work combines technological innovation and local culture where contemporary designs adapted to the environment are generated.

The international community has awarded him prizes such as Young Architect of the Year at the LEAF 2008 Awards, the SAIE Selection at the Bolonya Energy Fair in 2009 and 2010, the COAC International Cooperation Award in 2013 and the Versailles Award from the UNESCO 2017.

Among the different successful projects on the African continent is.-

ETHIOPIA

Lideta mercato.
Program: Commercial
Size: 14,200 m2
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Status: Completed
Time: 2011-2017
After this analysis, they based the project on the combination of a contemporary high-rise building adapted to the characteristics of the traditional market.
The entrance extends with a sloping atrium that shows all levels, establishing a continuity between them. The skin is conceived taking into account the local climatic conditions. Its geometry is a fractal pattern used in Ethiopian textiles. Protects from the radiation of the sun and rain and allows lighting and ventilation inside.

EGYPT

Teela residences
Program: Residential
Size: 30,500 sqm
Location: El Mahala, Egypt
Status: In process
Time: 2017-2020

Understanding the culture of investors and the Mahala city, “textile city” develops a mixed-use building that includes commercial use with retail establishments on the lower levels, 10 residential floors and community spaces on the deck.

References to the local culture are used to shape various elements of the project: the patterns of the traditional fabrics for the lattices, the geometry of the thread cones for the stairs and the materiality of the lofts for the social club.