A look at the Mediterranean. Nutura pavilion by Benedetta Tagliabue/EMBT

Benedetta Tagliabue was born in Milan (June 24, 1963) and graduated from the University of Venice in 1989. In 1991 she joined Enric Miralles’ studio eventually becoming a partner. Her work with Miralles, whom she married, includes several high-profile buildings and projects in Barcelona: Parque Diagonal Mar (1997-2002), Head Office Gas Natural (1999-2006) and the Market and Quarter Santa Caterina (1996-2005), as well as projects across Europe, including the School of Music in Hamburg (1997-2000) and the City Hall in Utrecht (1996-2000).

In 1998 the partnership won the competition to design the new Scottish Parliament building. Despite Miralles’ premature death in 2000, Tagliabue took leadership of the team as joint Project Director and the Parliament was completed in 2004, winning several awards.

She won the competition for the new design of Hafencity Harbor in Hamburg, Germany, a subway train station in Naples, and the Spanish Pavilion for Expo Shanghai 2010 among others.

Today under the direction of Benedetta Tagliabue the Miralles-Tagliabue-EMBT studio works with architectural projects, open spaces, urbanism, rehabilitation and exhibitions, trying to conserve the spirit of the Spanish and Italian artisan architectural studio tradition which espouses collaboration rather than specialization.

Their architectural philosophy is dedicating special attention to context.

Benedetta has written for several architectural magazines and has taught at, amongst other places, the University of Architecture ETSAB in Barcelona. She has lectured at many international architectural Forums as, for example, the RIBA, the Architectural Association and Bartlett School in, London, the Berlage Institut in Amsterdam, and in the USA, China and South America.

Miralles Tagliabue EMBT is an international acknowledged architecture studio formed by Enric Miralles (1955-2000) and Benedetta Tagliabue in 1994.

The studio has experience in public spaces and buildings in both Europe and China working for State and Local Governments as well as Corporate and private clients.

EMBT’s mature approach to architecture, interior design, facility planning includes experience with educational, commercial, industrial and residential buildings, restoration of buildings as well as special purpose landscape architecture.

Each project evolves from the specific client requirements and innovation emerges through the design process. This approach is combined with strong technical and management skills to provide cost effective and personal service.

The studio maintains a highly personal level of service throughout the design process and offer strong technical and structural solutions through close collaboration with engineering offices.

The majority of the EMBT projects are commissioned by public clients with special emphasis on urban space and the coherence between the built environment and the public space. Each project brings with it a new client and special cost constraints. To achieve the desired solution, EMBT believe that the design process must be a collaborative effort between the client and the designer.

EMBT ensures that clients take an active role in defining their needs, bringing client and solution together, and is backed by a support team with a capability of responding rapidly to projects demands.

The studio put great emphasis on each individual projects context, history and culture and aims to enhance these aspects through their unique design process.