OAB - Office of Architecture in Barcelona

OAB, the Office of Architecture in Barcelona, is the practice founded by Carlos Ferrater with Xavier Martí, Lucía Ferrater and Borja Ferrater. Its contemporary Mediterranean architecture covers collective housing, hotels, public buildings and public space, including Barcelona's Botanical Garden, Benidorm seafront promenade and the Microelectronics Institute in Seville.

For a first meeting, bring the brief, approximate areas and an indicative budget, together with photographs and plans of the site. Saying which spaces are essential and which are flexible helps the practice propose a clear layout without oversizing the building.

It is also worth asking for references to completed works of a similar scale and visiting one if possible, to check materials, construction details and how the building has aged. Choosing a practice should rest on its track record and on how clearly it explains its working method.