On 27 November, the final jury gathered in the Aula Jardín at UIC Barcelona to celebrate the 17th UIC Barcelona School of Architecture Ceramics Chair, this year titled “Ceramics and Health”. For five weeks, students worked on developing their proposals and building their ceramic prototypes, which aim to help optimise our built environments and architecture with a focus on health and well-being. 

The latest jury line up included Patricio Martínez, founding partner of PMMT Arquitectura that specialise in health architecture; Sonia Hernández-Montaño, an architect specialising in bio-construction and founder of the studio Arquitectura Sana, and Pablo Alonso, a former UIC Barcelona School of Architecture student and currently Senior Project Architect for Azuvi. The event was also attended by the director of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, Josep Lluis i Ginovart; the director of the Chair, Vicenç Sarrablo, and the coordinators and lecturers Cristina Garcia-Castelao and Jordi Roviras. 

Winning projects
By mid-afternoon, all three winning projects had been revealed. “Ceramical”, by student Meital Schtaierma, was praised by the panel “for its strong geometric design and the great versatility of its composition, offering a wide variety of patterns both in terms of vertical partitioning and in latticework”. The “Gabi” proposal, developed by student Taha Haitami, was also named a winner “for combining elements that normally work separately on a façade, and which here stand united in a unique piece with such great combination possibilities”. The third winning project was “Bioalgae” by student Jessica Dang, praised "for its very interesting geometric design, reminiscent of the shape of a leaf, and for its ability to produce a natural texture on the façade". 

Following the event, the director of the Chair, Vicenç Sarrablo, commended the high quality of all the proposals and stated that “they are the result of two fundamental ingredients: high standards and a balance of complicity and competence demonstrated by the students”. 

The UIC Barcelona School of Architecture Ceramics Chair has been running for 17 consecutive years under the sponsorship of the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association (ASCER) and aims to strengthen ties between the university and the Spanish ceramics sector, one of the most consolidated and relevant in the world.