Lluís Dilmé

Born in 1960 in Salt (Girona), Lluís Dilmé studied architecture at Barcelona s School of Architecture (ETSAB). Before completing his degree, he began collaborating with Ignasi de Solà-Morales studio, working on the Teatro de Valls and Teatro de Torelló projects from 1985 to 1988. After graduating, he and Xavier Fabré founded the Dilmé & Fabré studio, implementing projects in the spheres of education, social care, housing, museums and public spaces: L escola d Ensenyament Integrat de Música i Dansa Oriol Martorell (1995-1997), the park in the Sant Narcís neighbourhood in Girona (1994-1999), or several housing complexes in El Prat de Llobregat (2002), Girona (2004) and Figueres (2004). Lluís Dilmé s collaboration with Ignasi de Solà-Morales on theatre projects led the architects, together with Eulàlia Serra, to take on the reconstruction of Barcelona s Liceo opera house after it was ravaged by fire in 1994. They were initially tasked with refurbishing the theatre and, given the extent of the damage, the commission was extended to include the reconstruction; in 2002, they were awarded the project for the Liceo s shop. The Catalan Government awarded the three architects its Premio Nacional de la Generalitat in the category of Cultural Heritage for this project.

As a designer, Dilmé s creation of specific furniture for the new opera house was notable, conceived in a contemporary language that takes into account the context. This furniture includes the red velvet armchairs and the Liceo pendant lamp, installed in the theatre foyer at the Carrer de Sant Pau entrance and the service entrance, re-edited by Santa & Cole.

After the outstanding Liceo project, Lluís Dilmé and Xavier Fabré went on to revamp several performing arts and music venues. These include Teatro Guastavino in Vilassar de Dalt (2002), Teatro Principal in Sabadell (2002, built in 1860) and the renovation of Teatro Cal Ninyo in Sant Boi de Llobregat (2004).

In 2012, Lluís Dilmé, Xavier Fabré were among the founding partners of DFT arquitectes, an architectural studio focused on the refurbishment of auditoriums, theatres and opera houses.