
Belén Moneo, jury member of the 16th GANDIABLASCO Contest
July 5, 2024 | Contest /
Hello Belén, how are you? Thank you very much for being part of the jury of our competition, we would love to see you soon at La casa Gandia Blasco.
You have a great sensitivity and a long, established career as an architect. We would like to hear your thoughts on this year’s theme: designing upholstered furniture for outdoor use, a characteristic traditionally reserved for indoor furniture.


Moneo Brock Studio
Belén Moneo and Jeff Brock Founders
We observe that the extension of interior elements of the home to the exterior arises from a series of socio-cultural circumstances, especially as climate change fosters a more direct and prolonged interaction with outdoor spaces. This necessitates various solutions, among which architects include: care for our surroundings, for the environment, the extension of architecture as an element of social and inclusive cohesion, the hybridisation of private and public environments, and the design of furniture suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Belén Moneo Interview
https://moneobrock.com/
How do you think climate change and the consequent rise in temperatures affect our interaction with the outdoors?
Climate change drastically impacts our coexistence with the outdoors. The heat island effect, drought, pollution… these are some of the consequences of climate change that explicitly affect our daily lives. Now that summer is approaching, it’s almost impossible to take a short walk in the city. That’s why I advocate for the renaturalisation of the city. By creating a large, continuous, permeable, carpeted park, we would have a subsoil that could reduce the city’s temperature by up to four degrees in summer.




Casa Velázquez
©Fernando Calzada · Dominican Republic · Residential
Do you think this demand for open-air spaces has increased particularly after COVID?
Absolutely. During the pandemic, terraces were adapted, and streets were filled with outdoor spaces for bars and restaurants. However, there’s still much room for improvement in urban outdoor spaces. Noise and pollution affect private terraces too. Governments and local administrations should be the ones promoting active mobility, electric car use, rainwater collection for reuse, among other actions.



Thermal Baths in Panticosa
©Roland Halbe · Spain · Wellness, Sustainability
It’s important to distinguish between open spaces and green spaces. What do you think are the most notable differences in private and public projects?
In all our projects, whether public or private, we aim to create or enhance outdoor spaces, or the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. For example, for one of our latest public projects at the Plaza de La Villa de Sencelles in Mallorca, we transformed a car park into a restful, accessible space with local vegetation — a space given back to its citizens.




Plaza de la Villa de Sencelles
©Michael Moran · Spain · Urban, Sustainability
Conversely, the refurbishment of Trafalgar Hotel in Madrid, a very different example, posed challenges in introducing open and green spaces. Despite being an existing building, all the apartments already had large sources of natural light and terraces, but we introduced elements like mirrored ceilings to reflect street trees, enhancing the sense of space and greenery indoors.
In the Casa Monterrey, in Monterrey, the entire design revolves around the existing trees. We preserved them all, creating courtyards and articulating spaces around them. We focused on local species to enjoy lush vegetation year-round, including flowers, cacti, and tropical plants.


Casa Monterey
©Moneo Brock · Mexico · Residential, Interior Design, Sustainability
Indoor furniture attributes like comfort, textured fabrics, and cushioning, are being transferred to outdoor furniture. Do you think this is a trend or part of a deeper change in how we live outdoors?
This trend of domesticating outdoor spaces has been ongoing for a couple years now, and furniture is one of the key elements in the creation of pleasant outdoor environments. This domestication has been influenced by biophilia and our search for a connection with nature. This has been reflected, for example, in the choice of more natural colours.



Parábola
©Moneo Brock · Multiple · Product Design, Sustainability
Textile companies have done a great job in developing weather-resistant materials with finishes almost identical to indoor fabrics, often using sustainable and recyclable materials like PET. This will continue to evolve, changing how we relate to outdoor spaces.
Does furniture influence the articulation of indoor and outdoor spaces, and does it affect people’s behavior?
Absolutely. Furniture plays a crucial role both indoors and outdoors. In our interior design projects we consult clients to understand their needs and how they use their spaces. In fact, in many cases, we have designed some of the pieces of furniture ourselves to meet a specific need.

Chromodular
©Moneo Brock · Multiple · Product Design
For outdoor spaces, the process is similar, though the requirements are somewhat different. For urban spaces, furniture is essential to provide pedestrians with pleasant places to rest. Beyond just benches or armchairs, the variety of options for outdoor spaces is much broader. The use of pergolas, canopies, and vegetation can create diverse garden styles, ranging from formal to organic. All these elements contribute to creating pleasant spaces that offer shelter from inclement weather.
On our recent trip to London, we noticed a trend towards biophilia, with gardens allowed to grow organically… in order to get closer to wild nature. This approach benefits biodiversity and fosters a more sustainable habitat.


Lost Boys
©Moneo Brock · Multiple · Product Design
Architects often have a holistic approach to projects. Can we consider the design of outdoor spaces as another discipline of architecture? How about environmental care and contact with nature?
Definitely. Designing outdoor spaces is a hybrid of architecture, landscaping, and interior design. These spaces are for rest, relaxation, and contemplation, deserving significant attention from architects. We have always believed that our projects must be anchored within their environments, aiming for sustainable and coherent solutions.



Spanish Chromatic Still Lifes
©Moneo Brock · Japan · Curatorial, Interior Design
Currently, we are working on a winery project, and apart from the design of the buildings, we are devoting a great deal of effort to restoring the countryside around the wine-growing landscape. We found a winery with a very industrial character, and we wanted to bring it back to the countryside and give it back all the potential it had lost. In a way, we are re-naturalising it by introducing species that enhance the cultivation and productivity of the winery.
How does space affect our physical, psychological, and emotional state? We recently read “The Emotional Power of Space” by Ila Beka and Louise Lemoine. How do perception and sensoriality play a role in your work?




_2B space to be
©Moneo Brock · Spain · Curatorial
It is scientifically proven that spaces affect our physical, psychological and emotional well-being. We are passionate about colour, using it to enhance ergonomics and comfort. We love to create open, cheerful spaces that enhance the environment in which we live, often incorporating vegetation and large inlets of light to generate a sense of spaciousness.
Thank you very much for your insights, Belén.
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