Inaki Abalos

Iñaki Ábalos is a Ph.D. in Architecture (1991) and Chaired Professor of Architectural Design at the ETSAM (since 2002). He was Kenzo Tange Professor (2009), Design Critic in Architecture (2010-2012), and since 2013 Professor in Residence and Chair of the Department of Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He has been Visiting Professor in Columbia University (New York), Architectural Association (London), EPFL (Lausanne), Princeton University (New Jersey) and Cornell University (Ithaca).

In association with Renata Sentkiewicz, he is a founding member of Ábalos+Sentkiewicz since 2006. The work they develop stands out for proposing an original synthesis of technical rigor, formal imagination and discipline integration between architecture, environment and landscape, an approach they have named “A Thermodynamic Beauty.” The firm has been awarded in many international competitions, being widely published and subject of individual exhibtions (Dualisms, Abalos+Sentkiewicz, Harvard University GSD, 2015; Universitá Roma Tre, Roma, 2009; Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, 2007; Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Cataluña, Barcelona, 2005 and 2000; Fundación ICO, Madrid, 2005; Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, 2004; AA School, London, 2003). Their professional activity developing research projects summarizes in an important number of experimental projects collaborating with academic and public/private Institutions (Princeton University, ETSAM, Berlage Institute, COAC, Cornell University, Harvard University, ETH Zurich, BIArch). Some of these works have been published in monographs such as Campos de Batalla/Battlefields (COAC publicaciones, 2005); Cuatro Observatorios de la Energía (COA Canarias, 2007); Laboratorio Gran Vía (Fundación Telefónica, 2010), Campos Prototipológicos Termodinámicos (CTA-ETSAM, UPM, Madrid, 2011); Arquitectura Alpina, Bruno Taut (Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, 2011); Thermodynamics Applied to Highrise Mixed Use Prototypes (Harvard University GSD, 2012).

Abalos+Sentkiewicz, with offices in Madrid, Boston and Shanghai, stands out in the contemporary scene as a firm combining a deep sense of authorship (all designs are personally directed by the partners of the firm) with a theoretical and academic activity of international impact. Their commitment and attention in the team organization and in the design process is reflected in the success of their built work, (awarded practically in its totally), recognized for its capacity to revitalize the urban realm where is settled. Their recent work has been collected in the monographs Essays on Thermodynamics, Architecture and Beauty (Actar, 2015); Abalos+Sentkiewicz. Form, Matter, Energy (AV Monografías de Arquitectura 169, 2014); New Natures. Abalos+Sentkiewicz arquitectos (Q estudio, 2014); and Abalos+Sentkiewicz arquitectos. Thermodynamic Beauty, 2G (nº 56, GG, 2011).