Josep Acebillo (born in Huesca, Aragon, Spain, in 1946) is a Spanish architect and is currently Research Professor at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. He obtained his Architecture degree from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (ETSAB-1974).

Josep Acebillo
Born1946
NationalitySpanish
Alma materPolytechnic University of Catalonia
OccupationArchitect
AwardsHonorific Medal of the City of Barcelona (1999)
RIBA Gold Medal (1999)
PracticeASoffice - Architectural Systems Office
Projects1992 Summer Olympics
2004 Universal Forum of Cultures
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Biography

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From 1974 to 1979, Acebillo worked independently or in collaboration with the MBM studio (Martorell, Bohigas and MacKay). During this period he was awarded the following awards: First prize of the National Competition of School Prototypes in Spain (1979), First prize for the redaction of the Master Plan of the Vall de Bohí in Lleida-Spain (1980), First prize for the redaction of the Master Plan for the Towns of Sitges and St. Pere de Ribes-Barcelona (1980) and the Second National Price of Urbanism in Spain (1982).

From 1981 to 1987, Acebillo was the director of Urban Projects Barcelona City Council, his tasks involved the design and construction of 140 urban spaces, infrastructures, monuments and facilities buildings promoted by the Municipality. The Public Urban Spaces of Barcelona constructed during this period were awarded for the quality with the Prince of Wales Prize in Urban Design of the Harvard Graduate School of Design (1990).

From 1988 to 1994, Acebillo was the director of IMPUSA, Institute for Urban Development (Olympic Holding) of the city of Barcelona, in charge of leading the projects and building the main infrastructures for the 1992 Summer Olympics. He was the recipient of the Honorific Medal of the City of Barcelona in 1992 for his contribution to the urban transformation.

From 1993 to 2011, Acebillo was the CEO (chief executive officer) of the Metropolitan Agency Barcelona Regional, a "think tank" spearheaded for the development of strategic urban projects and infrastructures in the city. His efforts were awarded with the Special European Price of Urbanism 1997/1998 of the European Commission for the project Infrastructure and General Metropolitan Systems.

Later in 1998, Acebillo was appointed "Commissioner of Infrastructures and Urban Planning" of Barcelona.

In 1999, Acebillo became the Chief Architect of the city of Barcelona. During the same year he was named an honorific member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).[1] In 1999, Barcelona was also the recipient of the RIBA awards with the Royal Gold Medal[2] for Architecture due to the contribution of: Narcís Serra, Pasqual Maragall, Joan Clos, Josep Acebillo and Oriol Bohigas.

From 2003 to 2006, Acebillo was the coordinator of the Barcelona Urban Strategy Advisory Council which was composed of Richard Rogers, Dominique Perrault, Oriol Bohigas, Ramon Folch, Antoni Marí, Manuel de Solà-Morales and Joan Trullén, to advise the municipality on global strategies.

From 2007 until 2016, Acebillo founded and operated Architectural Systems Office, a consulting firm based in Switzerland and specialized in urban development in collaboration with Architect Stanislava Boskovic Sigon. During these years, the practice has won numerous international competitions such as the 1st Prize for the Urban Transformation in Bar, Montenegro (2008). Further relevant projects include the Strategic Project of Kazan, the Masterplan for the Universiada Kazan 2013, a Mix-Use development Tower complex in Kazan, the Strategic Urban Project in Ekaterinburg or the Riverfront redevelopment in Cheboksary.

Under the urban leadership of Acebillo, Barcelona has received worldwide recognition for the positioning of the city in the international architecture field. Following this recognition, Josep Acebillo was frequently called on to assess other cities such as London, Ostend, Kazan, etc. and guide their urban transformation endeavours. In 2003, in the case of London, Acebillo was appointed a member of the International Design Committee (London Development Agency) to assess the city development.

In his current capacity Josep Acebillo is Research Professor at the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona and acts as Senior Advisor for several governments including the Strategic Project for the Socio-Economic development of the Vesuvian Plateau in Italy.

Academic experience

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Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "1999 - The City of Barcelona". Architecture.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. ^ "ILAUD - Urbino 1977". www.ilaud.eu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. ^ "ILAUD - Urbino 1978". www.ilaud.eu. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  5. ^ "William Henry Bishop Visiting Professorship of Architectural Design | YSOA | Yale School of Architecture". Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  6. ^ "Accademia di architettura". www.arc.usi.ch. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Accademia di architettura". www.arc.usi.ch. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  8. ^ "USI - Ricerca cooperazione Urban System / Urban Models". www.usi.ch. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Deutsche Sexfilme".
  10. ^ "Multimedia - PublicSpace".
  • Peter G. Rowe, Building Barcelona.A second Renaissance, 2006. ISBN 84-96540-28-6.
  • i.CUP - IRE, La Nuova Lugano, Mendrisio, Accademia di architettura USI, 2008. (Italian text)
  • Josep Acebillo; Ramon Folch, Atles ambiental de l'àrea de Barcelona, Barcelona, Ariel Ciencia, 2000. ISBN 978-84-344-8025-4 (Spanish text)
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