What happens when materiality becomes the driving force of design? How can a cultural infrastructure express its own identity? THE Spanish Design Pavilion for World Design Capital Frankfurt Rhine-Main 2026 brings together the country’s creative innovation to address contemporary challenges through a reinterpretation of it Gaudiits architectural heritage. Designed as a reversible cultural infrastructure, the project activates public space while expanding the discussion around material use, circularity and reuse. Instead of reproducing historical forms, the kiosk takes a modern, functional approach. It highlights the collaboration between Spanish industry, design and culture, exploration of structural and constructive principles rooted in geometry, material efficiency and the relationship between form and system.
The Spanish Design Pavilion for the World Design Capital Frankfurt Rhein-Main 2026 | all images courtesy of ICEX
Since his student years, Antoni Gaudi he displayed a creativity and heterodoxy that often confounded his professors. At just 26 years old, he was already signing the draft for Vicens Houseshowing his ability to incorporate the traditional decorative arts—ceramics, stained glass, wrought iron, and furniture—into his architecture. Drawing from close observation of nature, he developed an organic, innovative architecture rooted in tradition. During his studies at the School of Barcelona Architecturehe became familiar with styles from different cultures and historical periods while at the same time absorbing the theories of forms such as Viollet-le-Duc and William Morris.
This knowledge shaped his artistic vision, which continued to evolve over the years through new ideas and influences. The organic form of the installation, located in the garden of the Cervantes Institute in Frankfurt, is inspired by the famous salamander in Park Güell in Barcelona. From April 30 to October 30, as part of World Design Capital Frankfurt 2026, ICEX and the Cervantes Institute present the walking sculpture “DRAC: Gaudi and the Residential Form”. The project takes the form of a lightweight modular structure that combines Mediterranean material culture with technical innovation.
the sculpture is titled DRAC: Gaudí and the Inhabited Form
The connection between the 150 m² pavilion, designed by José Ramón Tramoyeres and Manolo García of ggstudio, and the dragon figure in Park Güell reveals how materiality defines both works, from construction to symbolism. Dressed in the “trencadís” technique, the giant reptile stands as both a guardian and a symbol of the park, evoking the dragon that, according to Greek mythology, protected the fountains of the Temple of Delphi. Created in 1906, the figure was fashioned from a metal grid designed by Gaudí to produce a prefabricated piece of thin brick. After it was placed, it was covered with ceramic fragments adapted to its curved volumetric form. The dragon marks the starting point of the staircase’s fountain system, fed by rainwater filtered from the large square and stored in the market cistern.
a 150 m2 pavilion, designed by Jose Ramon Tramoyeres and Manolo Garcia of ggstudio
While the “trencadís” technique became ubiquitous throughout the park’s architecture – as in all of Gaudí’s works – the lightweight modular construction system of the Spanish Pavilion combines Spanish ceramics, wood and textiles. The wooden structure features a hybrid skin made up of more than 16,000 ceramic pieces, providing colour, texture, durability and depth, alongside fabric elements that regulate light, ventilation and the pavilion’s relationship to its surroundings. These materials create a dynamic envelope in which every element adapts to the organic logic of the installation, from the components that form the structural base to the scale-inspired outer skin. Taking this approach a step further, the installation translates this logic into the current European context, demonstrating architecture’s capacity for social, urban and economic transformation.
the wood structure features a hybrid skin made up of more than 16,000 ceramic pieces
Assembled dry, without permanent foundations, the structure can be completely dismantled and the space completely restored, enhancing its itinerant character. Designed to leave no trace of the existing building structure, it is intended to undergo multiple life cycles and be transported to different locations. In fact, a complementary exhibition in the lobby of the Cervantes Institute at Frankfurt documents the development of the project, offering insight into both its artistic and technical aspects, from Valencian ceramics to the traditional wooden ‘vareta’ technique. A video documenting the creation process also captures the entire development of the project.
the structure can be completely dismantled and the site fully restored
THE Spanish pavilion explores the possibilities of a demountable, reusable and touring structure to accommodate different audiences and activities within a model of cultural architecture. A multidisciplinary collaboration brings together the work of several companies to highlight the dynamism and innovative capacity of Spain’s construction sector. Emedec is responsible for the supply and processing of the wood, while Francisco Simó Pinturas oversees the protection systems. Natucer, Decocer and Cevica contribute customized ceramic solutions, while Idelightec represents the lighting sector and Lastra & Zorrilla the textile sector.
the Spanish Pavilion hosts diverse audiences and activities in a model of cultural architecture
As a contribution from ICEX and the Cervantes Institute to Frankfurt am Main World Design Capital 2026the installation invites visitors to walk through it, inhabit it and contemplate it, while also serving as an event space. A sequence of spaces with sloping levels and habitable surfaces introduces an artificial topography into the garden. The installation becomes a living room, gathering space and graphic platform, while also functioning as a device to reorganize urban space and encourage social interaction and cultural programming.
acts as a device to reorganize urban space and encourage social interaction and cultural programming
A continuous program of cultural, professional and business activities strengthens the dialogue between Spain and Germany, creating new opportunities for cooperation in design, architecture, crafts and creative industries. Following the principles of the New European Bauhaus, sustainability, manufacturing precision and social engagement are integrated into a model of circular, permeable and reversible cultural architecture. Its organic and continuous geometric design combines different materials in a way reminiscent of Antoni Gaudí’s working method throughout his work. As José Ramón Tramoyeres of ggstudio explains: “The project explores how the ceramic tradition can be integrated into modern systems of prefabrication, digital fabrication and reversible assembly.” Translating the principles of structural optimization and material efficiency into a contemporary architectural language, DRAC activates public space as a platform for collaboration, cultural exchange and collective engagement.
Guest Feature by Agustina Iñiguez / ArchDaily
