Antón García-Abril, (Madrid, 1969) is European PhD Architect by the Polytechnic University of Madrid (ETSAM-UPM), Registered Architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Professor at the School of Architecture and Planning of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since 2012. He received the Spanish Academy Research Prize in Rome in 1996, and in 2000 established Ensamble Studio, a cross-functional team that he leads with his partner Débora Mesa. Balancing imagination and reality, art and science, their work innovates typologies, technologies and methodologies to address issues as diverse as the construction of the landscape or the prefabrication of the house. From their early works –SGAE Headquarters, Hemeroscopium House or The Truffle in Spain– to their most recent –Ensamble Fabrica in Madrid and Ca'n Terra in Menorca, Spain–, every project makes space for experimentation aiming to advance their field. Their work is extensively published in both printed and digital media, exhibited world-wide –2019 Cooper Hewitt NYC Design Triennial, Chicago Architecture Biennial 2017, Venice Architecture Biennale 2016 and 2010, MOMA NY 2015, etc.– and awarded with international prizes –2022 American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Architecture, 2021 Marcus Prize, 2019 RIBA Charles Jencks Award, 2017 Architizer A+Award, 2016 NCSEA Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards, among others. Beside his professional career, Antón keeps a very active research and academic agenda: has been invited professor and lecturer at numerous universities and architecture forums and founded with Débora the POPlab (Prototypes of Prefabrication Research Laboratory) at MIT.
