The Spanish Design Pavilion, designed by GGstudio for the World Design Capital Frankfurt Rhein-Main 2026, draws inspiration from the dragon at Park Güell in Barcelona to create a temporary, accessible and demountable structure. Entitled ‘DRAC: Gaudí and the Inhabited Form’, it is installed in the garden of the Instituto Cervantes in Frankfurt as a space for gatherings and activities linked to Spanish design. The project has been developed in collaboration with the craftsman Manolo García and under the supervision of ICEX and ASCER. It will remain open until the end of October 2026.
Its envelope consists of a modular timber structure clad in a hybrid skin of ceramic and textiles. More than 14,000 ceramic pieces, in different shapes, colours and finishes, form a continuous surface that evokes a dragon’s scales and establishes a contemporary link with Antoni Gaudí’s trencadís. The cladding thus combines expressiveness and tactility, integrating traditional craftsmanship with industrial ceramic manufacturing processes.
The project approaches temporary architecture based on the principles of circularity and reversibility. Its components are dry-assembled, without permanent foundations, allowing the pavilion to be dismantled, moved and rebuilt at other sites. During its time in Frankfurt, it serves as a meeting place and a venue for cultural, professional and business activities. In this way, DRAC combines craftsmanship, industry and contemporary design to showcase the potential of Spanish ceramics in an architectural structure designed for multiple life cycles.
