About Nomadas Architecture
Architecture studio in Barcelona with an international vision
Nomadas Architecture is an architecture studio based in Barcelona with an international outlook. We work on residential projects, renovations and interventions in existing spaces, supporting people who live across different cultural and geographical contexts.
The studio is led by Marta Catalán, PhD architect, and Laia Martínez, architect, both with professional experience in diverse international settings. Part of our trajectory has developed in locations such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Japan, where we have worked within a wide range of architectural and cultural environments. This experience has allowed us to adopt an open perspective and a way of working that is particularly attentive to context, detail, and the different ways of inhabiting space.
Our work is based on a simple idea: today, many people move between cities, countries, and ways of life. Architecture must be able to respond to this reality by creating spaces that enable new ways of living.
We support the development of each project from the initial idea to the completed construction. We design the spaces, resolve technical aspects, and coordinate the process so that everything progresses clearly and without unnecessary uncertainty.
For us, architecture is built through dialogue. We work with you to understand how you want to live in a space and translate that into a precise, livable, and lasting architectural solution.
Bringing global design together with local construction
We combine an international perspective on architecture with a deep understanding of regulations and construction practices in Spain.
We design spaces from a global perspective and bring them to life with precision in the local context, supporting the entire process from the initial idea to the completed construction.
Architecture for clients with international mobility
We are accustomed to working with people who live between different countries or who have recently arrived in Spain to develop their projects. We understand the challenges this entails and structure the process so everything moves forward with clarity, coordination, and confidence.
Comprehensive management: from concept to key handover
We support you throughout the entire process, from the initial idea to the final delivery of the project. We handle the management of licenses and permits, coordination with public authorities, and all necessary technical aspects.
During construction, we act as project managers, coordinating the different professionals involved and continuously monitoring timelines, budget, and quality.
In this way, we ensure a clear and well-managed process, so you can experience your project with peace of mind through to the handover of the keys.
Marta holds a PhD in Architecture from the Hong Kong University, where she also taught. She previously graduated from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM). During her studies, she completed her final year in Japan, where she worked at the studio of Abe Hitoshi.
Throughout her professional career, she has collaborated with renowned architecture studios such as Sancho Madridejos (SMAO), Izaskun Chinchilla, and Andrés Jaque. She was also a co-founder of the architecture collective Zira02.
Her work has been recognized in various international awards and competitions, including Design for the Jockey Club Innovation, ACXT-IDOM, and Europan.
Track record: from Madrid to Hong Kong and Japan
Marta’s professional trajectory has developed between Europe and Asia, combining architectural practice, research, and teaching across diverse international contexts.
She trained as an architect at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM), where she completed her early academic formation and began her professional career. During her final year, she moved to Japan, where she studied and worked at the studio of Abe Hitoshi—an experience that shaped her interest in architecture within diverse cultural contexts.
Following the global economic crisis of 2009, and after receiving an offer to join a university in Hong Kong as a lecturer, she relocated to the city in 2012. In the years that followed, she developed an intense professional and academic activity there, working as an architect as well as a researcher and lecturer at several universities.
Alongside her professional practice, she maintains a strong academic profile. She has published articles in indexed journals and chapters in edited books, participated in international conferences, and has been invited to give lectures at various universities. Her work has received multiple scholarships, grants, fellowships, and recognitions, and has been exhibited at institutions such as Matadero Madrid and the Canary Islands Architecture Biennial.
Since 2021, she lives and works in Barcelona, where she continues her professional practice, combining her international experience with a deep understanding of the local context.
Timeline
2000 – 2011 — Madrid · Education at ETSAM and early professional experience
2006 — Japan · Academic stay and work at the studio of Abe Hitoshi
2012 – 2020 — Hong Kong · Hong Kong · Architect, researcher, and university lecturer
2021 – Present — Barcelona · Independent professional practice
Awards and recognitions
Her work has been recognized in various international competitions and awards across Europe and Asia. Notable distinctions include first prize in the Workstation Design for the Jockey Club Design for Innovation Competition in Hong Kong and finalist prize in the ACXT-IDOM International Final Thesis Project.
She has also received several awards in architecture and urban design competitions, including first prize in the Urbanaccion 2 Urban Plots Competition, first prize in the Sika Competition, and recognitions in Europan 9, with second prize in Lillestrøm and finalist in Loures, as well as second prize in the Iberdrola Bioclimatic Projects.
Laia Martínez, architect from ETSAB UPC Barcelona Tech
Associate
Laia Martínez is a licensed architect from UPC BarcelonaTech, where she obtained her Master’s degree in Architecture, and from the “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest. She has developed her education and professional practice within an international context, working across Spain, China, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.
Her professional trajectory includes collaborations with internationally recognized architecture studios such as Neri&Hu Design and Research Office and Bean Buro, where she has contributed to architectural and interior design projects across residential, office, hospitality, and retail sectors.
She currently practices as an architect in Barcelona, focusing on architectural design, refurbishment, and interior design projects.
Why choosing Nomadas Architecture?
Architecture for mobility
We create spaces that respond to contemporary ways of living: people moving between cities, countries, and diverse lifestyles. Our architecture supports new ways of inhabiting space.
Comprehensive project management
We handle the entire process, from the initial concept to key handover, including licenses, permits, and full construction coordination.
Global and local approach
We combine international experience with a deep understanding of Barcelona’s local context, delivering projects with both vision and local grounding.
Personalized guidance
We closely supervise every phase of the project, ensuring quality, timelines, and budget control, while providing a clear and smooth process.
Our Collaborators
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What Our Clients Say
Folke Hess & Zaza Hess
June 19 ,2024
Carrer Nou de sant Francesc, Barcelona, España
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