Author of some of the most iconic national and international architectural projects, Fermín Vázquez is recognized for combining high quality contemporary architecture with the reliability of his team’s professional work.
Since b720 was founded 25 years ago, I have had the privilege of directing the design and construction of some particularly significant buildings in the architectural panorama of our country during this period. Some of them have become true icons of cities that are themselves considered international architectural landmarks.
The global success of singular projects such as the Encants Market in Barcelona, the Forma Itaim Tower in São Paulo or the Spanish Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 is partly explained by the experience gained working alongside extraordinary international colleagues in works of great complexity and scale such as the Agbar Tower, the City of Justice in Barcelona, the Veles e Vents Building for the America’s Cup in Valencia or the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid.
“We are proud of the recognition of our work as innovative and sustainable; innovation interests us only if it is in the service of better architecture and sustainability only if it is authentic.”
Founding Partner/Director b720
Years of experience
35
Education
Degree in Architecture E.T.S.A.M. School of Architecture of Madrid (1988).
Master’s Degree in Management of Real Estate Development Companies. Polytechnic University of Madrid (1989)
Professional memberships/ Publications
Member no. 19784-1 of the COAC (Official Architects Association of Catalunya)
Member no. 8872 of COAM (Official Architects Association of Madrid)
Member of the Executive Committee of the Urban Land Institute Spain
Professional Experience
Fermín Vázquez has been an architect since 1988. He studied at ETSAM (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid) and ETSAB (Barcelona). He directs b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos, which he founded with Ana Bassat in 1997, with offices in Barcelona and Madrid. b720 is an international practice. It operates globally from its offices in Spain, on projects in a dozen different countries.
The studio’s work, which has been exhibited in competitions and museums such as the Venice Biennale, the Cité de Paris and the MOMA in New York, has won numerous national and international awards, including two RIBA Awards, a World Architecture Festival Award, four ASPRIMA-SIMA awards, the Emporis Skyscraper Award and the “European Prize for Urban Public Space”.
Among his best-known projects are the Forma Itaim Tower in São Paulo, the Spanish Pavilion at Expo Milan 2015, the Encants Market in Barcelona, the Agbar Tower and the Reina Sofia Museum -together with Atelier Jean Nouvel -, the Lleida Airport, the Plaza del Torico in Teruel, the City of Justice in Barcelona and the America’s Cup building in Valencia -both with David Chipperfield Architects-, the Gran Casino Costa Brava in Lloret de Mar, the Fira Towers in Barcelona – with Toyo Ito Architects-. He is currently working on the transformation of the Casi Mauá harbour front in Porto Alegre, the new headquarters of the Simon Group and the La Sagrera station in Barcelona, the new Gijón train station and the new Madrid-Chamartín Clara Campoamor station, among other projects. He recently completed the La Matriz Campus building and the Polaris North offices, both in Madrid.
Academic Career
Fermín Vázquez has taught at the European University of Madrid, at l’Ecole d’Architecture et de Paysage in Bordeaux, at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura of Barcelona. He has given courses and lectures at universities around the world, such as Princeton (NY, USA), The Cooper Union (NY USA), HEC Montréal School (Canada), FAUNB (Brasilia, Brazil), Universidad Autónoma del Caribe (Barranquilla, Colombia), Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Nàpoles (Italy), UCLA (Los Angeles, USA) and more recently, at the Politecnico di Milano (Italy). He currently teaches at the IE University in Madrid.
