Manuel de Solà-Morales

The internationally renowned architect and urban planner Manuel de Solà-Morales (1939-2012) was an exceptionally articulate contributor in the fields of urban space and contemporary architecture. After studying with Ludovico Quaroni in Rome and Josep Lluís Sert in Harvard he, too, came to be outstanding in his theoretical and teaching work. Professor of Urban Planning at the Barcelona School of Architecture and founder and director of the Laboratory of Urban Planning of Barcelona since it was established in 1968, Manuel de Solà-Morales taught Urban Design in numerous universities around the world and received prizes and awards both inside and outside of Spain. The curator of several exhibitions, and editor of a series of collections and architectural reviews, he was also the author of numerous studies, articles and books, notable among the latter being Deu lliçons sobre Barcelona (Ten Lessons on Barcelona) and De Coses Urbanes (On Urban Matters). His architectural studio played a very influential role in Barcelona’s urban planning, especially during the Olympic Games and in the transformation of the waterfront with the refurbishment of the Moll de la Fusta wharf. Also outstanding were the construction of the Illa Diagonal shopping mall, on which he worked on with Rafael Moneo, and his projects in other European cities such as the renovation of the Atlantic waterfront in Porto, the transformation of the port area of Saint-Nazaire in Brittany, and the intermodal transport hub in Leuven, Belgium.

Manuel de Solà-Morales worked with the CCCB on a regular basis and was President of the Jury for the 2008 European Prize for Urban Public Space.