Portfolio:

"Gabinete del Color" are colourists, architects and restorers specializing in the study of colour and restorative materials of in architecture. We create 'colour cards' and plans for the restoration of historical centres and conduct analysis of construction materials for buildings, archaeological deposits and monuments as well as developing proposals for the renovation of building facades and the design of industrial colour samples.

Joan Casadevall Serra, architect, founded the company "Gabinete del Color" in 1989 as a consultancy advising on colour related materials for coating and restoration of buildings to urban associations and local groups aiming to conserve the traditional finishings of their building's facades. Since the inception of the business the company has developed a unique methodology of 'analyzing' the facades of historical inner city buildings, including creating a 'colour card' and also establishing a strategy for the effective rehabilitation of the urban landscape.

"Gabinete del Color" has undertaken numerous urban studies in various Spanish towns and cities (Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Sevilla, Melilla, Málaga, Toledo, Sitges, Vic, Prat de Llobregat, etc) and has participated in several international forums dealing with the regeneration of historical inner cities. In this field we primarily focus on installations and technical material as well as developing human resources in the area of preparation of projects and collaboration with other professionals for specific investigations (for example historians, geologists, chemists, informatics and archaeologists etc).

Joan Casadevall holds the title of "Master Artisan in Stucco" from the Department of Work of the Generalitat de Catalunya. From 1986 to 1989 he held the post of sub-director and chief of the studios of the Heritage Workshop School of Restoration of the Barcelona Council which was a department dedicated to the upholding of professional standards of restoration.

As an architect he has undertaken numerous projects of new work as well as conducting historical monumental restoration. He is a member of ICOMOS, the Organization of Architects for the Defence of the Heritage of the College of Architects of Catalunya, and of the Academy del Partal (The Free Association of Professionals of Monumental Restoration) as well as the Technical Group of Conservers and Restorers of Catalunya. He is also an associated member of the FAD and has supervised more than 100 masters courses of national and international restoration. He has also to his credit a large number of articles and publications.

"Gabinete del Color" also specializes in the design and creation of cards, plans and collections of colour samples for manufacturers working in the field of architectural restoration both nationally and internationally.

The following is a small selection of current distinctions, publications and prizes:

1986, City of Barcelona Prize: for the best work of restoration. Awarded for work on the restoration of the facades of "Casa dels Velers", Via Laietana, 50, Barcelona.

1991, City of Barcelona Prize: for a treatment of the handling of the restoration of the Salas Thyssen at the Monastery of Pedralbes in Barcelona. Prize for the best work of restoration at Pere López Iñigo, arq.

1992, "Rehabitec" Prize: chromatic study for the restoration of a modernist building in C. Padua, 75, Barcelona. Prize for residential rehabilitation at Alonso/Balaguer, architects.

1993, "The Colours of the Eixample" Exhibition: exhibition sponsored by the district of the Eixample in Barcelona in the Casa Elizade. Published as a catalogue of the exhibition: "Els Colors de l'Eixample".

1995, National Prize of Culture of the Council of Catalunya: report on the restoration and treatment of decoration in the Basilica Monastery at Montserrat for the architect Arcadi Pla.

1996, "Rehabitec" Prize, Special Mention: report on the restoration of the facade of the "Casa dels Cargols", C/Entença, 2, Barcelona. Mention for the integral restoration by architect Josep Zazurca.

1998, "Best Practices to Improve the Living Environement" United Nations "Habitat": colour plan for city of Málaga cited in the UN "URBAN" programme as the best example of urban regeneration. In 1999, the town Hall of the Málaga Council published the book "Study of the Colour of the Historical Centre of Málaga".

1999, "Barcelona Posa't Guapa" Prize for the Best initiative in Restoration and Landscaping: restoration of the Baroque facade of the street C. Escudellers 44, Barcelona and the programme "Raphael" (for the restoration of European Cultural Patrimony). Also, the "Best Project - Facades" prize for the chromatic study of the facade of the Paseo Lluís Companys, 2, Barcelona, by Vedisa.

1999, "Gabinete del Color" - Exhibition at the Ministry of "Fomento", Madrid: in the Hall of Arcades of the New Ministries. The General Directorate of Architecture and Urban Renewal organized the exhibition "Architecture, Colour, City", a retrospective of the first ten years of Functionalism. It was published in the collection of architecture "Temas n° 3".

2001, "Archival 2001" Prize: for the regeneration of the historical centre of Málaga.

2003, "Royal Foundation of Toledo" Prize: His Majesty King Juan Carlos I awarded this prize for the Colour Plan of the historic centre of Toledo.

Credits:

All of the associates and collaborators of "Gabinete del Color":

...and many more external professionals and technical municipal services without whom it would have been impossible for us to complete the above named projects.