‘Barcelona’ blog category archive

Vinçon

Like moths to a flame Vinçon’s warm glow of red neon has been drawing shoppers since the late 1960’s.

Offering products from the classic to the quirky, Vinçon sits in a privileged position on Passeig de Gracia. A contemporary home design store and Barcelona institution of chic. Oozing cool in an age of internet shopping and Amazon deliveries. Vinçon remains box fresh.

Fernando Amat

Based in the former home and studio of Catalan artist Ramon Casas, it’s architectural structures and form create the perfect frame to highlight the products and furnishings, and a terrace overlooking La Pedrera forms the perfect backdrop.

Formerly a porcelain imports firm founded in 1934. Fernando Amat, architect, interior designer and co-owner, re-vitalised the store in the late 60’s. Amat, the second generation owner, turned the retail concept on it’s head, taking inspiration from Terence Conran’s London store. Instilling a philosophy in which the products themselves were the exhibits, and the store a relaxed public space to view and enjoy.

You can have any colour, as long as it’s black!

And so began mass production and the Ford Model T. Whether Henry Ford actually uttered the famous quote is a matter of debate. What’s not in question, however, is the process behind it – Fordism.

In the early 1900’s, an industrial revolution in manufacturing began. A system designed, literally, to spew out low cost, standardised products, offering workers better pay and working conditions.

The ripple effect grew into a tidal wave, crossing countries and continents. From North America to Stalin’s Russian, leading into war production and then onto Japan’s post-war electronic boom.

Design and manufacture from the people for the people, an endless conveyer belt of identical products. The choice was yours, as long as your choice was the same choice.

Designers and architects are now, more then ever, facing their greatest challenge – the future of the city. With recent statistics showing that 41% of Europe’s energy consumption accounts solely for heating and cooling buildings. It’s apparent, by continuing our current model of fossil fuel reliance the demand for consumption is unsustainable. If we examine our constructed environment, it’s clear that the buildings where we work and co-habit are actually working against us. A typical 21^st century city consists mainly of inert architecture that consumes enormous quantities of resources. Should we therefore fear the cities of tomorrow?

Designers and architects are now, more then ever, facing their greatest challenge – the future of the city.

With the launch this month of a new store in 5^th Avenue, New York. The Camper brand continues to push the boundaries and defy the convention in retail design.

So how exactly did a Mallorcan family business grow to the dizzy heights of downtown Manhattan, with 52 stores based in 4 continents & an expanding hospitality sector of hotels & restaurants?

The story is one of duel contrasting philosophies. Since the birth of it’s first sales outlet in Barcelona in 1981, the product has maintained it’s strong identity. It’s sole firmly entrenched in Mallorcan soil, speaking the same visual language whichever continent it crossed.

Walking up Passeig de Gracia it’s clear that Gaudí certainly left his footprint on this famous design city.

With the landmark buildings of Casa Batlló and La Pedrera focusing attention, some may fail to notice that the streets here are literally paved with (design) gold.

Since 1596 when the Talavera potter Lorenzo de Madrid first produced ceramic tiles for the Government Palace. Catalan tile design & production grew to reach a peak in the Modernista era in the late 19th century.

In recent years Barcelona has fallen back in love with the famous ‘baldosa’. In 1996 Escofet, a historical Barcelona company specialising in urban design, re-introduced ‘Panot Gaudí’ – the original tile designed for the interior of La Pedrera. Using their original molds Escofet manufactured the tiles to pave Passeig de Gracia and the surrounding areas.

Anyone who has walked this famous boulevard will have felt the sense of prestige and historical grandeur, following the footsteps of Gaudí on these dark green hexagonal aquatic mosaics.