Ala Zreigat, Co-founder, Astet
Astet, founded by Óscar Engroba and Ala Zreigat is a multidisciplinary design studio located in Barcelona. The studio unites Architecture, Interior design, Industrial design and branding to create spaces and products that are honest and true to the studio’s values.
With more than a decade of experience in interior design, Industrial design, and branding, nationally and internationally, Óscar Engroba, a graduate of A Coruña university and later of ELISAVA; the Barcelona school of engineering and design, is the creative director at Astet. Committed to creating unique projects with a distinctive character, Óscar unites his expertise in design with his passion for details, materials and branding to bring about projects with a great personality and a high level of sophistication and detail refinement.
Architect and cofounder of Astet, Ala Zreigat moved to Barcelona in 2010 to study a master’s degree in Architecture at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) at which he later became an Assistant Professor. Before founding the studio with Óscar; a partner and a long-time friend, Ala collaborated for more than ten years in different internationally renowned Architecture and interior design studios in the Middles East and Spain. Combining his sociability with his management skills and strategic thinking, Ala always seeks to establish a fluid communication between the studio and the client while always upholding Astet’s core values.
Seeking to always create unique and personalized experiences, Ala and Oscar’s cultural backgrounds help diversify their ideas and add a fresh layer to their concepts. They always have the clients’ needs as well as Astet’s vision at the heart of every project.
Dr. Andrew Dent, Executive Vice President, Library & Materials Research, Material ConneXion, and Chief Material Scientist, Material Bank
Dr. Dent is known for his integrated approach to problem solving. He has worked in both academia and industry at Cambridge University, Rolls Royce, the U.S. Navy, NASA, and the British Ministry of Defense. For over 20 years Andrew has helped clients from start-ups and Fortune 500 companies take their products and spaces to the next level through innovative material selection and a unique cross-industry perspective.
Co-author of the Material Innovation book series published by Thames & Hudson, and a frequent speaker on sustainable material strategies at events such as TEDxGrandRapids and TEDNYC, Dr. Dent is ever ready to solve design problems with unexpected material solutions.
Avinash Rajagopal, Editor in Chief, Metropolis
Avinash Rajagopal is the editor-in-chief of Metropolis magazine. He is an expert on product and interior design in the digital age, as a historian of contemporary design as well as a frequent speaker at key industry events.
He is the author of Hacking Design (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2013). and has contributed to numerous volumes on architecture and design, including Adhocracy (Istanbul Design Biennial, 2012), Making Africa (Vitra Design Museum, 2015) and Atlas of Furniture Design (Vitra Design Museum, forthcoming). He has lectured on design history and writing at the School of Visual Arts, New York; the University of Texas at Austin; and the National Institute of Design, India.
Ryan Fasan, Technical Consultant and Ceramic Tile Specialist, Tile of Spain
Ryan Fasan has over twenty-three years’ experience in the ceramic tile industry. His divergent arena of experience comes from showroom & architectural sales with a major distributor; in the manufacturing sector as a specification consultant, as an apprentice installer under master European tile-setters and finally in product design and creative development with a Canadian manufacturer. This hands-on learning has given Ryan a uniquely encompassing command of all aspects of the ceramic tile industry.
Currently, Ryan is a technical consultant, trainer and senior partner of Professional Attention to Tile Installations, an internationally renowned tile consulting firm working in Canada, United Kingdom, USA and Europe. Specializing in stone and ceramic tile research, Ryan has created and delivered seminars for Harvard's Graduate School of Design; BCIT’s Interior Design applied material study course; Multiple Trade Expo's across the USA and worked internationally to promote the use of tile and natural stone with private and commercial sectors. In addition to creating and delivering seminars, Ryan is a member of ANSI/ISO working groups with the CSC (Canadian Standards Council). His passion inspires industry associates and design professionals to expand their knowledge and technical expertise when using ceramic tile and stone in innovative applications.
