A Frank Chat with Joan Roig

As a born-and-bred Ibicenco, it is perhaps no surprise that renowned architect Joan Roig maintains a profound
connection to the island and, beyond that, a deep appreciation for the natural landscapes within which he
works.

Combined with an impressive technical and academic background, Roig’s unique approach to understanding not only the vision of his clients, but also the land, has established him as an in-demand architectural visionary far beyond the Balearic archipelago.

After qualifying as a Quantity Surveyor from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in 2007, Roig went on to complete his degree as a Senior Architect at the same university in 2011. In 2013 he founded Size Arquitectura, where he honed a distinctive way of working that combines a flair for design with solid technical knowledge. Finally, Joan Roig Architects was conceived in 2021, a studio through which he develops high-end residential projects ranging from historic countryside houses to contemporary luxury villas.

One of the key elements that makes Joan’s work stand out in the field is the precision and an almost obsessive attention to detail he dedicates to his designs. Each project begins with an extensive process of analysis and hand drawn sketches that look like pieces of art in their own right. Lucky to secure a little of Roig’s valuable time, his passion and meticulous attention to detail become evident throughout our chat. As we listen intently, he pulls out an in-depth presentation about his work created for the specific purpose of this interview - complete with his signature illustrations and arranged exactly as his studio would present a project to the client.

“When you invest your soul, your time and effort in something, I think it's important that you show it in the way that this quality deserves,” he says.

Thank you so much for your time, Joan. Ibiza is an island of contrasts and has an incredible range where property styles are concerned. Do you have a preference when it comes to working with the traditional, old country houses or creating sleek new designs?

Being honest, I like both - super new or super old. The only thing is that old houses can be really, really difficult to project because of the local heritage law. It's super subjective, and that's the reason why you have a committee. It's not like the new houses, where you have a law in writing, and you know what you have to face. So for old houses, you have to do a proposal, and then sometimes they accept it, sometimes they don't. And it can also be difficult to manage the client, because everybody wants to make big changes - and this is not always possible. However, as a local, I enjoy the old houses a lot because it's my heritage.

What first drew you to architecture, and was it inspired by growing up on Ibiza?

To be honest, it was something super casual because when I was 18, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. First, I trained as a building engineer - I didn't start in architecture. However, at my university, if you were inside the 15 best of your class, the university gave you the option to complete a double degree, building engineer and architect together. And because I was part of these 15 best, I said okay, I am studying for one degree and maybe I can do a second one. Why not? Initially it was really difficult because in engineering, you need to have a really closed mind - and architecture is absolutely the opposite. The first years it was difficult to adapt my mindset to this new degree. However, nowadays I'm doing absolutely nothing to do with engineering. I'm just working in architecture. But obviously I have this background that is allowing me not just to control the design, but to control the technical part as well.

In your own words, how would you describe the philosophy of your studio and your work?

I can show you - I have prepared a presentation with some examples! The first thing that I always like to do is to undertake a profound study of the place, because in my philosophy, I like to be humble as an architect. I consider myself as the last piece of a puzzle to be introduced into the environment, not the first one. And in order to introduce this last piece, this last element, you need to see the complete image - because otherwise it's impossible to find a place. In architecture I like to do the same. I think if you see a house and the first thing that you say is “who is the architect?”, it's because the value of the house is nothing. For me you need to discover the house first, and the secondary or the third thing is when you say, okay, who made this? Because if we want to put the architect first, this is because it's not in balance with the landscape.

What do you explore when you study the plot of land?

I look at the size of the plot, the main vegetation, if there is an old ruin, perhaps... The shadows of the vegetation, the sun exposure, the wind, the sea levels, the highest and lowest points. We study the predominant winds depending on the time of the year or the weather. We study the road, the sun exposition. Sometimes we even go deeper than that. Normally we make a historical study, we go to the archives of Ibiza in order to see if the plot or the area has some kind of history. I noticed you incorporate light in every illustration, and Ibiza is famous for its beautiful lighting.

Is natural light a key element of your designs?

Light is the main material that I use in my houses. For me, it is the key point of my architecture. On one side there is learning about the language of a certain space, to try to speak the same language and adapt the house to the specific area where we are working. And on the other side the treatment of the light.

Talking about Ibiza as a unique ecosystem - with climate change and environmental pressures - how does that affect your work?

I always say the same to my clients: you can't go against nature. Nature is always going to be stronger than you. When you have a natural disaster, it's impossible to avoid from a human perspective. So I think what you need to learn is that humans are not as big as we tend to think. But I'm not changing my style because in the end, my approach to architecture is already humble. Nature is the most important thing. It is the most powerful thing. If you think you can control it, you are always going to lose.

And in terms of sustainability and protecting the island - renewable energy, environmentally-friendly materials - how do you approach that?

For me sustainability is not something that my client could choose. It's mandatory. If you don't want to respect the house and the island, I'm not your architect. Because I'm a local. For example, this house is 70% underground. Sometimes, if I can merge the house inside the mountain I do it, because the idea is to project less, to show less, and to invade less of the landscape. My own house is 600 square metres but it looks super small because it's integrated in the terrain. The idea is not to change the scenery of the local area too much.

We also have to address your beautiful drawings - it seems there was an artist lost in you?

I use art in my architecture in order to develop a specific language to show the client that for me, the project and the experience start when you sign the contract. And signing a contract is, by nature, something quite cold. However, with these drawings I change this cold thing to a warm thing. For many architects, the project starts when we put down the first stone. But in my case, your experience starts one or two years before that, because the whole process from the moment we make the commitment with the contract is something that fun, and that we can learn from even from my side. And I do ‘action painting’, fast like polo, because I like to paint in front of my clients. When we speak, I draw really quickly and it's funny because many clients say that when we finish, and I send them the drawings that I made during the meeting, they say that it's incredible how I turn a meeting into art.

Can you give us a rough average of how long it takes to complete one of your projects?

Between two and three years for the execution. The problem in Ibiza is that the licences take a long time. But the project itself takes around a year. So, more or less, it is around one year for the project and between two and three years to build.

How would you say your style has developed over your career?

My main objective is to learn. In every project that I can learn, for me it is not important if it is big or small. Yes, many people say that at the end I build houses for wealthy people and big projects. That is true. However, if I see a small project where I can learn, I will do it as well. My main objective is not to get a specific project. My main objective is to be a better architect every day. I study every day. I draw every day. And I like to draw architecture of older architects. Because the difference between a picture and a drawing is that the picture is automatic, and drawing forces you to understand the space, the dimensions, the textures, and how the light is coming. And when you draw architecture from other people, you build a background in your mind that helps you find solutions in your own work.

For people interested in working with you, what should they know?

For me the most important thing is the project. And when I say the project, I mean the client, the location, many things. I don't take projects just for money. Money is a consequence, but it is not the objective. The most important thing is to have a project where I can learn and where I can become a better architect.

Discover more about Joan Roig and his team here. To find out more about properties and plots in Ibiza, get in touch with Jason and Izabela via ibiza@fantasticfrank.com.