As part of CevisamaLab 2024, the jury of the Emerging Talents Contest has awarded the work of the students from the Ceramics Chair of UIC Barcelona School of Architecture for the 18th consecutive year. This call is directed at students and aims to promote creativity and emerging talent in the field of architectural design.

The projects were led by lecturers Vicenç Sarrablo, Jordi Roviras and Cristina García Castelao. Of the four possible finalists of this call, three were UIC Barcelona students: Juan Gaitán, Estelle Orient and Pablo García, all students of the Chair. Among these finalists in the first stage of the contest, Juan Gaitán was the winner of the second stage of the contest.

Juan Gaitán won the prize with his work "Ekho", a ceramic tube that can be used both as a paving and as part of a pergola, and that also fulfils the function of lighting. "Ekho" allows you to create combinations in roofing and flooring with the same pieces. Gaitán also received the second prize in the previous edition of the contest.

Estelle Orient was a finalist with a project called "Light Sequence", a façade-oriented design. The project consisted of ceramic pieces folded in angles that allow exterior light to reflect onto interior surfaces, and the colours of the tile enamel creates a play of reflections of light and colour.

Finally, Pablo García was also a finalist with "Arrel", his design of a versatile ceramic piece based on the top of a pot that can serve both as a pergola or as a skylight, among other uses.

The Barcelona Ceramics Chair began in 2004 thanks to the sponsorship of the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers' Association (ASCER). The aim of the Chair is to promote networking between Architecture students and the industry so that future architects can focus their proposals on ceramics, innovate in new formats or develop new applications and features for existing formats.