Barcelona – Architecture Studio Session | #06 - External Reference

The Architecture Studio Sessions is a captivating series of ten events that is part of the official UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture 2026 program in Barcelona.

Curated and coordinated by Miriam Giordano, Gaia Pellegrini, and John Hill, leading architecture studios will open their doors to share their workspaces, philosophies, and creative processes across ten engaging sessions. Each event combines architecture with music, featuring playlists curated by the architects themselves to foster connection among all participants in an open cultural format.

Organized by World-Architects and generously sponsored by Laufen, Roca, and Simon, in collaboration with Labóh and L35, the Architecture Studio Sessions promise to be an unforgettable journey of discovery through Barcelona's vibrant architectural landscape.

The studio
External Reference is a studio led by architect Ph.D. Carmelo Zappulla that designs and transforms spaces into emotional experiences. Founded in 2007, the award-winning multidisciplinary architecture studio is internationally recognised for its urban design, residential and corporate architecture, retail, hospitality, exhibition and product design projects. Its key projects include the Nova Bocana seafront in Barcelona, the interactive exhibition space for the Spanish Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020, the WOW phygital marketplace in Madrid, stores for iconic brands such as VICIO and La Manso, and the restaurants Alkimia, Casa Moritz, Plaza Mahou at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and CAAA by Pietro Catalano.

The space
External Reference operates from a 165 m² two-storey studio in Barcelona, located in a modernist building in the Catalan Eixample district. The space functions as an architecture, design and experimentation workshop. The intervention respects the original structure of the building and highlights its existing elements. The Nolla mosaic ceramic floor and artistic glass, inspired by forms found in nature, coexist with a raw and direct materiality.

This historical character is combined with a contemporary layer linked to innovation and technology. The studio integrates digital tools, advanced design processes and 3D-designed and printed furniture, used both as a work support and a testing ground. At the top of the building, the communal terrace is shared with the other offices in the building and offers open views of the city.

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