Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Ramon Vilalta finished their studies in Architecture at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura del Vallès in 1987, and since 1988 they have worked together in their own studio, RCR ARQUITECTES, in Olot, Catalonia, the city where they were born with a team grown beside them. Since 1989 they have been consultant Architects to the Natural Park of National Interest in the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa and during their careers they have also tutored in Urbanism and Landscape Architecture. In 2017 they create the laboratory RCR LAB·A and in 2013 they have founded RCR BUNKA foundation to increase the architecture, landscape, arts and culture values in society. Today they promote and lead a Summer International Workshop in their studio based in the ancient foundry Barberí, from its laboratory structure RCR LAB·A.
They are the 2017 Pritzker Prize recipients, and have received continuous distinctions for their work, most notably the European Architecture Awards: Industry 2017 (Hofheide Crematorium), Spanish International Architecture Award 2015 (Soulages Museum); the International Award 2011 “Belgian Building Awards”; Mies van der Rohe awards in the European Union with a finalist work (Sant Antoni-Joan Oliver Library), four shortlisted works and two nominated; four international prize Contractworld; ten FAD awards; award exaequo IV Premi Europeu de Paisatge Rosa Barba (Rough Rock Park) and Special Mention European Urban Public Space Award 2014 (Theatre La Lira Public Space). They have won various national and international competitions ranging from a Lighthouse in Punta Aldea in 1988, through the Meditel new head-quarters in Casablanca, The Edge Business Bay in Dubai or the Condal linear park and Province Courts in Barcelona to the most recent ex-aequo the Miró country house and studio Museum in Mont-Roig del Camp.
RCR arquitectes have participated in several international exhibitions such in 1990 as the III Salon International de l’Architecture in Paris; the Venice Biennal 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2016; and in 2006, On-Site: New Architecture in Spain, in the MoMA of New York and Madrid; and in 2010, Global Ends at Toto Gallery Ma in Tokyo. Their individual exhibitions (Works 1988-98) have taken place in Tokyo, (Exfoliacions) in Spain, (RCR Arquitectes) in Bielefeld of Germany, (RCR Arquitectes) in Ljubljana of Slovenia, (RCR Arquitectes Creativitat compartida) at Palau Robert in Barcelona, at Museo ICO in Madrid, at Palacio de Miramar in San Sebastián, (The Intangible Tangible) at House of Oris in Ceske Budejovice of Check Republic, (RCR: Papers) at Centre Arts Santa Mònica in Barcelona, (Landscapes of Ideas: the Sketches of RCR Architects) at Oris House of Architecture in Zagreb and the most recent (RCR. Works on paper) at Centro Cultural El Rule in Ciudad de México, (RCR Dream and Nature) in the Venize Biennale and (Geography of Dreams) at Toto Gallery Ma in Tokyo.
