Laura Encinas Ortega studied architectural technology at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Spain and completed her degree at Vitus Bering University in Denmark. In 2003, she moved to the UK where she studied interior architecture at Oxford Brookes University.
Laura has worked in international projects located in the UK, Europe, and Asia within the environs of award-winning architectural practices. Laura has experience working on commercial, high-end residential, cultural and educational projects from large-scale master planning to bespoke furniture solutions.
She also developed specialised knowledge in visual merchandising at BAU School of Design in Barcelona, which led her to work in private commissions involving marketing strategy, retail interior and furniture design as well as collaborating with both national and international retail companies.
In 2018, Laura founded Bicbloc; an architectural design studio focused on creating design solutions to reimagine living spaces that are socially and environmentally sustainable.
I studied Architectural Technology in Barcelona (Spain) and Interior Architecture in Oxford (UK). I remember, as a child, how much I liked to look at the decoration magazines I found at home. The bit I liked most about them was when they showed the architectural transformation of a space.
Since then I’ve always been concerned about how many spaces where we interact, live and spend most of our lives are not designed for people but rather for just aesthetics, full of unnecessary objects, badly positioned and that don’t contribute to making the interior space more pleasant. I am passionate about reinventing interior spaces to improve people’s lives. When I get involved in a project, I am always looking for the best solution, exploring solutions that will make a big difference in every single project and that will definitely improve the user’s experience.
I started teaching at a university in the UK by chance. In fact, I always thought I didn't have the skill to teach but a colleague told me that the school needed a teacher in design... and I gave it a try. Surprisingly, that experience transformed me. I realised how much I enjoyed passing on my knowledge to the students and working on their skills, challenging them and bringing out the best in them. Since then, 10 years have passed and I confess that I love to combine my practical project work with teaching.
Be very observant, curious and possess the eagerness to explore the world.
Despite taking three years to complete, I enjoyed working on the biggest kindergarten in the world for 2100 students. The School, located in Singapore, is currently operating.
I also enjoyed working on a smaller scale project that was challenging in terms of the limitation of space. I created a multifunctional, compact system to fit a kitchenette, bedroom, bathroom and storage in one single unit that was replicated in 14 apartments with no regular structure.
Some people are born with a sense of aesthetics, but the important thing is to understand who you are designing for. For that, you have to leave your designer ego behind, do active listening, and put your skills into practice to offer a functional, aesthetic design adapted to the end user.
Space planning is the area that I like to pay more attention to. The students can pick beautiful pieces of furniture for their projects, but if they don't understand the space they occupy, for me it's a failure.
‘Less is more' is not only my design motto but also my lifestyle. However, I would not say I am a minimalist in its pure meaning, but I admit that, whereas I appreciate the richness in patterns, colours , accessories, etc... my soul feels calm when I design functional and pleasant spaces.
Mies van der Rohe, I love the simplicity in his architecture, the honesty in the exposure of materials, and the clean and smart interior layouts. Luis Barragán is the master in colour but the way he plays with light and the geometry is just brilliant! Eva Jiřičná, I love how she can make something that looks so complex like a glass staircase, look so elegant and simple.
Bringing out the full potential of my students.
Do not think so much about the result and concentrate on the learning process. Be humble, observant and dare to explore outside your comfort zone.
Image source: Laura Encinas Ortega from @bicbloc.
I really loved the 'flow' of the course and how it began with background knowledge of design trends and then flowed into how you would actually support a client step by step in real life.
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