On February 10, Roca Barcelona Gallery hosts “Experience as Material: When Architecture and Innovation Elevate the Brand,” a talk by PhD Architect Carmelo Zappulla, CEO and Head of Design at External Reference.
The event proposes understanding spatial design as an active medium of communication, capable of translating values, vision, and innovation into meaningful experiences. From this perspective, architecture becomes a language that builds brand identity and shapes the relationship with users.
Drawing on projects and reflections from professional practice, Dr. Carmelo Zappulla will analyze how, in many cases, brand and marketing strategies are articulated through space.
The conversation expands the notion of brand beyond its traditional scope: a fashion label, a chef who builds an identity through a place, or a country presenting itself at a World Expo. The Spain Pavilion at Expo Dubai, Michelin-starred restaurants such as Alkimia by Jordi Vilà or CAAA Lucerne by Pietro Catalano, and retail brands like Pinko, La Manso,or WOW Concept are explored as examples of how space is used to communicate vision, create connections, and consolidate commercial relationships—ultimately turning the country itself into a brand.
The journey is structured around different categories that allow the projects to be read at multiple levels: the country as brand, the creator as brand, the fashion brand as a cultural system, and more. In all cases, space acts as an interface between identity, experience, and innovation.
The event is conceived as a space for shared reflection among brands, creatives, and cultural agents interested in understanding how architecture can operate as a cultural and strategic tool, beyond the object and the product.
The session will conclude with an open conversation with attendees, followed by a networking moment featuring an installation that will include several pieces designed by External Reference.