About

Office

We founded our practice in Barcelona in 2001. Since then, we have focused on public works through competitions, alongside selected private commissions. With over two decades of experience, our practice is dedicated to carefully crafted work that understands architecture as a cultural endeavor deeply engaged with its environment.

 

We create architecture that responds thoughtfully to its context—where it is built, for whom, and by whom—while recognizing that every project ultimately belongs to unknown future uses. We embrace circumstances and contingencies as opportunities, paying close attention to social interactions and the ease of everyday use within a building.

 

We have extensive experience with low-energy buildings and low-carbon materials, working through both traditional and advanced construction techniques. By maintaining close collaborations with industry and artisans, we move fluidly between technology and craft.

 

The intentionally small size of our office allows us to accompany our clients closely throughout the entire process and remain involved in all stages and aspects of the work—design, material and construction research, consultant coordination, detailing, and site supervision. Our projects span scales and types, from urban public housing and schools to hotels, private homes both large and small, and urban consultancies.

We began combining practice and teaching early in our careers, which has enabled us to establish an office that moves between engaged practice and academic inquiry.

 

Our work has been widely recognized and published, both nationally and internationally. We have lectured on our projects at institutions including Oslo Arkitektforening, the Royal Institute of British Architects, UT Austin, the Hochschule für Architektur in Basel, Tulane University, the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, Columbia University, Harvard, Auburn University; participated in symposia at TU Munich, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Accademia di architettura USI, and Rice University; and presented and exhibited at international venues such as the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris, the Barcelona Design Hub, the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Ibero-American Architecture Biennial, the Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, La casa de la arquitectura, and the Quito Architecture Biennial.

 

A monograph on our work, Domestic Thresholds, was published in 2017 by Quart Verlag (Switzerland).

Bios

Mónica Rivera is co-founder and co-director of the office. She holds a Master of Architecture with Distinction from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design (GSD Merit Scholarship), as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD Merit Scholarship).

 

She is the Harry K. & Albert K. Smith Professor at the Rice University School of Architecture, where she also serves as director of graduate studies. Previously, she was the JoAnne Stolaroff Cotsen Professor of Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis, where she chaired the graduate architecture program for seven years, leading the Master of Architecture and Master of Science programs. At Washington University, she taught the graduate Core Housing Studio and advanced studios, conducted architectural research, and, as chair, guided curricular development, oversaw program publications, and established the school’s semester-abroad program in Barcelona.

 

She has held the Eugene McDermott Centennial Visiting Professorship at the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin and taught at ESARQ, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, and at Elisava Escola de Disseny in Barcelona. Before founding the practice, she worked in New York for Architecture Research Office and in Barcelona for Ignasi de Solà-Morales Architect and Editorial Gustavo Gili.

Emiliano López Matas is co-founder and co-director of the office. He holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, with a dissertation titled 6107 MSD. Peabody Terrace: Keys of a Design Process Led by Josep Lluís Sert. He also earned a Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design (Real Colegio Complutense de Madrid Scholarship), a Master of History with a focus on Art, City, and Architecture from UPC, ETSA Barcelona, and a degree in Architecture from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Vallès.

 

He has taught at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili School of Architecture in Reus; at ESARQ, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya; as adjunct professor and co-director of the University of Calgary’s Barcelona Architecture Program; and as adjunct and associate professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Vallès. At Washington University in St. Louis, he served as visiting professor and later senior lecturer of architecture, teaching the graduate Core Housing Studio for a decade and coordinating the course for seven years. He was appointed Eugene McDermott Centennial Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture, University of Texas at Austin, for spring 2026.

Writings

Josep Lluís Sert y lo superfluo. La residencia de estudiantes casados de Harvard
Autor: Emiliano López. Este ensayo reconstruye el proceso de concepción arquitectónica de la residencia de estudiantes casados de Harvard, una de las obras más significativas de Josep Lluís Sert, atendiendo al contexto social, cultural e ideológico, y permite ahondar en su conocimiento y comprensión para así poder revelar algunas claves de la obra del arquitecto. El proyecto de las 499 viviendas destinadas a acoger de manera temporal a estudiantes casados dentro del campus de la Harvard University presenta numerosos paralelismos con el debate de la vivienda colectiva actual y, a pesar de las diferencias, sigue teniendo vigencia como un referente metodológico. Puente editores, Barcelona, 2020. ISBN: 978-84-121981-4-0. Visit puente editores
The Need for the Superfluous
Essay by Emiliano López, p. 159-169, in 419 International Housing Studio 2014-2016, Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design at Washington University in St. Louis, March 2018. ISBN: 978_0_9885244_4_6.
Other Glòries. Proposal for the Renaturalization of Barcelona
Authors: bosch.capdeferro arquitectures, Josep Bunyesc, Francisco Cifuentes, Data AE, Harquitectes, Emiliano López Mónica Rivera Arquitectos, Núria Salvadó, David Sebastian, TEd'A, unparelld'arquitectes, vora. Editors: Claudi Aguiló, Pere Buil, Emiliano López. dpr-barcelona, 2016. ISBN: 978_84_944873_0_9. Visit dpr-barcelona
Calibrar
Essay by Mónica Rivera and Emiliano López. Circo, (9th series) El doble del mundo, 2015.202. Circo es una publicación editada por CIRCO M.R.T. Cooperativa de ideas, integrada originalmente por: Luis M. Mansilla, Luis Rojo y Emilio Tuñón. Con la colaboración de Jesús Vassallo y Coco Castillón. Calle Artistas 59, 28020, Madrid. Visit Circo website
Moving Air and Light
Essay by Mónica Rivera. Review of Sergison Bates architects Casa Voltes in Cadaqués. The Architects' Journal num. 6, vol. 237, February 2013 (english). View pdf (1020KB)
Sert: Married Student Dormitories vs San Gimignano
Author: Emiliano López. The text analyses the compositional relationship between the architecture of Josep Lluís Sert’s “Married Student Dormitories” at Harvard (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and the mediaeval village of San Gimignano in Tuscany. The text takes part in a debate initiated shortly after the completion of the project in 1964, which enquires into the genealogy of the urban space proposed by Sert. The question is interesting as it arises at a time when the modern movement’s capacity to create the city is being questioned. earjournal num. 02, June 2012 (Print Edition 2008). Journal of Theory, History of Art and Architecture of the School of Architecture of Reus, Universitat Rovira I Virgili. ISSN 2014_6833. Visit cait for pdf version
Fazer a Habitação, Habitação Social para jovens em Barcelona
Essay by Mónica Rivera and Emiliano López, p. 150-156 in Habitar Pensar Investigar Fazer , Colóquio Internacional. Departamento de Arquitectura. Universidad Autónoma de Lisboa. Centro de Estudios de Arquitectura, Cidade e Territorio. Scientific editors: Filipa Ramalhete e Ricardo Carvalho. ISBN 978_989_8191_41_0.
Lleping. The Architecture of the Object
Quaderns d'arquitectura i urbanisme 259, p. 90-97. Barcelona 2009 (español, català, english) Article written collectively by La Lloca and published in the Construction section of Quaderns by invitation of architect Coque Claret. Authors: La Lloca (Coque Claret, Claudi Aguiló, Dani Calatayud, Emiliano López, Javier Belil, Josep Ricart, Mónica Rivera, Roger Tudó). View pdf (581 KB)
The Strategic Detail
Quaderns d'arquitectura i urbanisme 260, p. 86-91. Barcelona 2010 (español, català, english) Article written collectively by La Lloca and published in the Construction section of Quaderns by invitation of architect Coque Claret. Authors: La Lloca (Coque Claret, Claudi Aguiló, Dani Calatayud, Emiliano López, Javier Belil, Josep Ricart, Mónica Rivera, Roger Tudó). View pdf (829 KB)

Selected Work Publications

Domestic Thresholds
Emiliano López Mónica Rivera Arquitectos Monograph. With texts by: Stephen Bates, Ricardo Carvalho, Jan Olav Jensen, Gillermo Zuaznabar, and Emiliano López and Mónica Rivera. Quart Verlag, Luzern, 2016, 352 pages, 21 × 26 cm 450 images, 62 sketches/plans. German/English ISBN 978_3_03761_140_1. Spanish/English ISBN 978_3_03761_141_8. Out of print. Visit Quart Verlag
Natural Building Materials S M L
Cork Houses in Catalonia, p.32-43. Edition DETAIL, Munich, 2024. ISBN 978-3-95553-624-4. Visit DETAIL
El croquis IBAVI 219
18 Temporary Cohousing Units, Ca L'Onclo 1, p.200-209. El croquis editorial, Madrid 2023. ISBN 978-84-125323-5-7. Visit El croquis
PERSONAE
Wohnhaus Palafrugell, ES, p.14-15, 32-33, 54-55. Edition Institut für Baukonstruktion, Braunschweig, 2023. ISBN 978-3-927115-96-5. Visit Ikon Institute
Manual of Biogenic House Sections
Two Cork Houses, p.196-199. ORO Editions, 2022. ISBN 978-1-957183-09-1. Ver ORO
ZU HAUSE-AT HOME. Architecture for Rural Living
Wrapped in Cork, Cork Houses in Palafrugell, ES, p.108-119. Edition DETAIL, Munich, 2021. ISBN 978-3-95553-554-4. Visit DETAIL
Resilience and Joy. Porto Academy 2013-2020
Two Cork Houses, p.138-139. Indexnewspaper, Porto, 2021. ISBN 978-989-53200-0-4. Ver Indexnewspaper
VIII Premio de Arquitectura Enor
Two Cork Houses, p.159-178. The winning projects for 2020. Vigo 2020. ISBN 978-84-09-24130-9. Ver Enor
best architects 19
Two Cork Houses, p.70-75. best architects 19 publication. The winning projects for 2019. Düsseldorf, 2019. ISBN 978-3-946021-03-2. Visit best architects
Housing and Climate
Spanish Collective Housing & Climate. 1990-2019. GIVCO (Grupo de investigación en vivienda colectiva) Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Viviendas para jóvenes en Sant Andreu, p. 206-213, 168. TC cuadernos, Valencia, 2019. ISBN 978_84_17753_02_3. Visit TC cuadernos
Collective Housing
Vivienda colectiva en España 1992-2015. GIVCO (Grupo de investigación en vivienda colectiva) Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Viviendas para jóvenes en Sant Andreu, p. 170-173, 343. TC cuadernos, Valencia, 2016. ISBN 978_84_944646_8_3. Visit TC cuadernos
Immaterial World. Transparency in Architecture
Hotel Aire de Bardenas, p. 152-161. Marc Kristal. The Monacelli Press, New York, 2012. ISBN 978_1_58093_314_8. Visit Monacelli Press
Feeling at home
Finding common ground in six urban housing projects in Europe. Publication by Stephen Bates and Jonathan Sergison as part of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Sant Andreu housing, p. 40-45. Publistampa, Pergine Valsugana (TN) Italy, 2012. ISBN 978_0_9542371_6_5. Visit SBa
Architecture Catalane 2004-2009. Portrait d’époque
Hotel Aire de Bardenas, p.120-121. Catalogue exposition Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine, Paris Octobre 2009-Janvier 2010. Visit Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine
HOCO, Density Housing Construction & Costs
López-Rivera Arquitectos, Sant Adrià 33. Aurora Fernández Per, Javier Mozas, Javier Arpa, a+t Density series, Vitoria-Gasteiz, 2009. ISBN 978_84_613_3080_5. Visit a+t
AV Monographs 281-282, Spain Yearbook 2026, p.200-207.
18 Intergenerational Social Housing Units, Esporles (Mallorca).
werk, bauen+wohnen 3-2026, p. 14-23.
Stein, Holz und Sonne. Mehrgenerationenhaus, Esporles.
AN Interior Fall/Winter 2025, p.62-66.
The Stones of Aiguablava
CASABELLA 969, p. 2-13.
IBAVI, Viviendas sociales, Mallorca.
Arquitectura Viva 271, p. 46-49.
Alma de aldea. 18 Social Dwellings, Esporles (Spain).
On diseño 435, p. 58-65.
18 viviendas sociales intergeneracionales.
Quaderns 273: The Thing Trade, p. 94, 95, 137.
Two Cork Houses.
CASABELLA 932, p. 26-33.
House in Arteaga.
On diseño 416, p. 60-65.
House in Arteaga.
DETAIL 11.2019, p. 46-51.
Cork Houses in Catalonia.
av proyectos 093, p. 22-23.
Can Batlló, Barcelona.
CASABELLA 882, p. 46-54.
López e Rivera Arquitectos, due case a Llafranc. A cura di Federico Tranfa. Una passeggiata nel bosco. Text by Stephen Bates.
rita_09, p. 26-29.
Desde Iberoamérica_España, obra 04. Dos casas de corcho. Visit redfundamentos
On diseño 369, p. 56-61, 108-114.
Two Cork Houses. Lattice House.
MONOCLE 103, may 2017, p. 195-196.
Who we’d Hire/Global. How to fit in. Emiliano López y Mónica Rivera Arquitectos, Barcelona.
Arquitectura Viva 196, p. 12.
Piel Porosa, Casa Celosía by López & Rivera.
av proyectos 080, p. 44-45.
Lattice House, Palafrugell.
AV Monographs 165-166, Spain Yearbook 2014, p.182-187.
High School, Begues.
Quaderns 264, p. 44-47.
Expositor de sabates per a Pedro García.
Domus 921, p. 39-45.
Gone With the Wind Hotel. Text by Stefano Casciani.
MARK 14, p. 153-163.
Any Where the Wind Blows. Text by Bartosz Haduch.
a+u 465, p. 58-63.
Emiliano López and Mónica Rivera Architects. Hotel Aire de Bardenas.
oris 64, p. 146-153.
Hotel with a Landscape. Text by Alicia Guerrero Yeste & Fredy Massad.
Quaderns 258, p. 26-29.
Hotel Aire de Bardenas.
C3 294, p.74-87.
Hotel Aire de Bardenas.
summa+ 116, p. 20-27.
Aridez y contemplación.
AV Monographs 129-130, Spain Yearbook 2008, p.206-211.
Aire de Bardenas Hotel, Tudela (Navarre).
El croquis 148, p. 160-189.
Hotel Aire de Bárdenas. 27 Social Dwellings for Young People.

Awards

Distinctions

Collaborators

Studio collaborators:
Ricardo Javier López, Manuel Sánchez de Boado.
Former collaborators: Naiara Albizua, Jon Ander Aguirre, Giulia Anserini, Sergio Azpíroz, Anna Badia, Bruno Bechis, Franco Bechis, Jeanne de Bussac, Mària Canel, Agustín Cepeda, Catarina Crespo, Laura Coladas, Albert Farell, Catalina Ferrer, Juan García, Francisco Garrido, Josep Garriga, Romina Giay, Florencia Grieco, Jaime Gutierrez, Ivo Henriques, Sandra Hernández, Sofía Houtman, Soledad Loyola, Marc Mallorquí, Joan Massagué, Ángel Moya, Sara Navazo, Dominik Oczkowski, Mariana Oggero, Karen Pinheiro, Javier Redondo, Karmele Rekondo, Cristina Ros, María Eugenia Seligra, Mikel Soro, Daniela Trigo, Helen Wyss. As students: José M. Ahedo, Anna Badia, Gerard Bartomeu, Álvaro Borrajo, Daniela Bueno, Luis Cepeda, Aina Coll, Laura Cornides, Miguel Domper, Mar Esteve, Alba García, Josep Garriga, Sergi Garriga, Carla Isern, María Nayach, Didac Oliva, Pere Anton Perellada, Rita Pérez, Manuel Sánchez de Boado, Guadalupe de San Félix, Marcos Santamaria, Yeray Sarmiento, Álvaro Solís, Lorenzo Uribe.

Vacancies

Si deseas presentar tu candidatura, puedes enviarnos muestras impresas de tu trabajo a: López Rivera Arquitectes, slp Carrer Pintor Fortuny, 28 2do 08001 Barcelona. Los portfolios recibidos serán archivados y tenidos en cuenta en un futuro proceso de selección.

Sentimos mucho no poder responder a todos los candidatos ni devolver el material que nos remitan.

Rogamos abstenerse de hacer consultas por teléfono o hacer visitas a la oficina sin cita.