Patricia Urquiola Hidalgo (born 1961) is a Spanish architect, industrial designer and art director. Her work is featured in the MoMA in New York, Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Triennale di Milano, Design Museum in Munich, National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Vitra Design Museum in Basel, Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Design Museum in Zurich, Stedelijk Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Amsterdam, Design Museum in Barcelona, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since 2015, she has been the Art Director of Cassina.
Biography Patricia Urquiola was born in Oviedo, Spain, and studied architecture at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. She later moved to Milan to complete her studies at the Politecnico di Milano, graduating in 1989 under the mentorship of Achille Castiglioni. She worked with Vico Magistretti and later served as Head of Design at Lissoni Associati.
In 2001, she opened a studio in Milan.
Her architectural projects include Casa Brera, Six Senses Rome, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, Das Stue Hotel in Berlin, the spa at the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan, and Il Sereno Hotel on Lake Como. She has also designed showrooms and installations for Cassina, the Venice Biennale, BMW, Missoni, Moroso, Ferrari, Swarovski, and Santoni.
She has delivered lectures at universities and cultural events: Bocconi University, Domus Academy, Harvard University, and Politecnico di Milano, where she serves on the advisory board, and Design Shanghai, Istanbul Design Week, the Expressive Design Conference at the Vitra Design Museum, the Bloomberg Design Conference in San Francisco, Festarch Perugia, Festival della Mente in Sarzana, and Festivaletteratura. She is also a member of the Scientific Committee of the Fondazione Museo del Design, the Board of Directors of the Triennale di Milano, and the advisory board of Altagamma, where she holds honorary membership. She was an Ambassador for Expo Milan 2015.
Reception
In 2011 she was awarded the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes and the Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
The New York Times has described her as: "possibly the most lauded and in-demand industrial designer in Europe, on par with Philippe Starck and Hella Jongerius".
In 2023, she was named the Interior designer of the year at Dezeen Awards, and was appointed Honorary Ambassador of Marca España. In 2024, she became a member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the President of Italy.
In October 2024, she and Teresa Sapey were the recipients of the inaugural Tempietto di Bramante Award; she was inducted into the Spanish Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the same month.
Wallpaper, Dezeen, Frame, Elle Decor International, AD España, and Architektur und Wohnen have selected her for their annual Designer of the Year or Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Museum collections and exhibitions
Her work has been acquired for the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vitra Design Museum, and Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris. Her work has also been displayed in the following exhibitions: 2013 “O’clock – time design, design time”, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China. 2013 "Patricia Urquiola and Rosenthal, Landscape", Neues Museum, Nüremberg, Germany. 2017 "Patricia Urquiola: Between Craft and Industry", Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA.
Selected architecture projects
Hospitality
2025: Jumeirah Capri Palace, 5 suites, Anacapri, Italy IGNIV Restaurant, Andermatt, Switzerland 2024: Casa Brera, Milan, Italy The Emory Hotel, third and fourth floors, London, United Kingdom 2023: Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli, restaurant, Verona, Italy Six Senses Rome, Rome, Italy The Rome EDITION, Rome, Italy 2022: Laguna Faro Suites, Grado, Italy Raemian Gallery, Seoul, South Korea 2021: Ca Di Dio, Venice, Italy Four Seasons Hotel, Common Areas, Milan, Italy Haworth Hotel, Holland, Michigan, USA 2020: IGNIV, ristorante, Zurich, Switzerland IGNIV, ristorante, Bangkok, Thailand 2019: JW Marriott Hotel Lounge, Seoul, South Korea 2018: Nika Private Residence, Velaa Private Island, Maldives Eskalduna Eneko Restaurant, Bilbao, Spain 2017: Il Sereno Spa, Como, Italy 403030 Kitchen, Milan, Italy 2016: Hotel Room Mate Giulia, Milan, Italy Villa Pliniana, Como, Italy Hotel Oasia, Singapore Berton Al Lago Restaurant, Como, Italy Igniv Restaurant, Badrutt's Palace, Saint Moritz, Switzerland Igniv Restaurant, Grand Resort, Chef Andreas Caminada, Saint Moritz, Switzerland 2015: Hotel Il Sereno, Como, Italy Heart Disco Restaurant, Ibiza, Spain 2014: Hotel Mandarin Oriental Extension, Barcelona, Spain 2012: Hotel Das Stue, Berlin, Germany Cinco Restaurant, Chef Paco Perez, Hotel Das Stue, Berlin, Germany The Casual Restaurant, Hotel Das Stue, Berlin, Germany Bar Stue, Hotel Das Stue, Berlin, Germany 2011: Four Seasons Milano Spa, Milan, Italy 2010: Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain W Hotel, Vieques, Puerto Rico Boujis Bar Promenade du Port, Porto Cervo, Italy Bankers Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain Moments Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain Blanc Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain Mimosa Garden, Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain Terrat Restaurant, W Hotel, Vieques, Puerto Rico Sorcé Restaurant, W Hotel, Vieques, Puerto Rico Wet Bar, W Hotel, Vieques, Puerto Rico W Café, W Hotel, Vieques, Puerto Rico Doha Airport Bar and Museum Shop, Doha, Qatar
Installations
2025: The Other Side Of The Hill, Biennale Architettura, Venice, Italy Elle Decor Alchemica, Palazzo Bovara, Milan, Italy Kettal Stand, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Among Us, Heimtextil, Messe Frankfurt, Germany The Cassina Perspective, Cassina Durini, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades Installation, Louis Vuitton 2024: El Paron, Interni Cross Vision, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy Cimento Stand, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Haworth Neocon, THE MART, Chicago, Illinois, USA The Cassina Perspective, Cassina Durini, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades Installation, Louis Vuitton 2023: Le Voyage Recommencé, Cartier Installation, Lucca, Italy Haworth Neocon, THE MART, Chicago, Illinois, USA Technogym Booth at ARCOmadrid, ARCO, Madrid, Spain Echoes Cassina, 50 Years of iMaestri, Milan, Italy The Cassina Perspective, Cassina Durini, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades Installation, Louis Vuitton 2022: Il Galateo, 2022 Milan Design Week, Buccellati, Milan, Italy Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades Installation, Place Vendôme, Doha, Qatar Cimento Stand, Salone del Mobile 2022, Milan, Italy Haworth Neocon 2022, THE MART, Chicago, Illinois, USA The Cassina Perspective, Cassina Durini, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy 2021: Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades Installation, Design Miami, Miami, USA Sixième Sens Cartier Installation, Torno, Como, Italy 2019: The Cassina Perspective, Cassina Durini, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Progressive Luxury Meets Creative Intelligence, BMW Welt, Munich, Germany 2018: Life In Vogue, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy Electa Bookstore, Milan, Italy 2017: Cassina 9.0, Fondazione Feltrinelli, Milan, Italy 2015: Signorina Misteriosa, Ferragamo, Milan, Italy The Revolving Room, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy 2015: L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Opera Scenography, Oviedo, Spain The Dwelling Lab, BMW, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy
Exhibitions
2020: Nature Morte Vivante, solo exhibition, Madrid Design Festival, Spain 2018: A Castiglioni, Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy Don't Treat Me Like an Object, VR installation with Federico Pepe, Fuorisalone, Milan, Italy 2017: Ferrari Under The Skin, The Design Museum, London, United Kingdom Ferrari Under The Skin, Maranello, Italy Patricia Urquiola: Between Craft and Industry, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA 2016: Stanzas, Elle Decor Grand Hotel, Catanzaro, Italy 2011: O'Clock - Time Design, Design Time, Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy Ossimoro, Casabella Lab, Milan, Italy Not For All, Nilufar Gallery, Milan, Italy 2010: Cosas, Feria Habitat Valencia, Spain 2008: Nowhere-Now-Here, Contemporary Art Museum, Gijón, Spain 2006: Pelle D'Asino, Abitare il Tempo, Verona, Italy
Naval
2022: Sanlorenzo SD90 Yacht interior Sanlorenzo SD118 Yacht interior 2019: Yacht SD96, Sanlorenzo Yacht interior 2018: Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Edge Tui Cruise, Mein Schiff
Residential
2024: Private Apartment in Milan, Milan, Italy 2022: Private Mountain House Bormio, Bormio, Italy 2020: Lodha Residential, common areas, London, United Kingdom 2019: Private House, Laglio, Como, Italy Lodha Clubhouse, Mumbai, India 2018: Private Villa, Ibiza, Spain 2016: Private Villa, Melbourne, Australia 2010: Private Villa, Udine, Italy 2009: Apartment, Milan, Italy 2006: Beach Villa, Punta del Este, Uruguay
Retail
2024: Santoni – Boutique 2025, Milan, Italy 2024: Andreu World Showroom, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Andreu World Showroom, Tokyo, Japan Andreu World Showroom, Milano, Italy 2023: Ecoalf Shop, Milan, Italy 2022: Fabiana Filippi Flagship Store, Milan, Italy 2018: Missoni Boutique, Bangkok, Thailand Missoni Boutique, New York, USA Swarovski Crystal Studio, retail concept and store, Via Dante, Milan, Italy 2018: Gianvito Rossi Boutique Donna, Rome, Italy Missoni Boutique, Jakarta, Indonesia Gianvito Rossi Corner, Nihonbashi, Japan Missoni Shop, Daegu, South Korea Gianvito Rossi Boutique, Monte Carlo 2017: Panerai Boutique, London, UK Gianvito Rossi Boutique Uomo, Milan, Italy Gianvito Rossi Boutique Uomo, Paris, France Missoni Boutique, Dubai, UAE Panerai Harrods, London, UK Panerai Harrods, Los Angeles, USA Panerai Harrods, Beverly Hills, USA Panerai Harrods, Dubai, UAE Panerai Harrods, Shanghai, China Panerai Harrods, Melbourne, Australia 2016: Missoni Boutique, Florence, Italy Gianvito Rossi Boutique, Los Angeles, USA Officine Panerai, Paris, France Panerai Toronto, Canada Panerai, Las Vegas, USA Panerai, Singapore, USA Panerai, Ginza, Japan Panerai , Hangzhou, China 2015: Panerai, Milan, Italy Missoni Flagship, Paris, France Gianvito Rossi Boutique, NYC, USA Panerai, Miami, USA Missoni Boutique, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Missoni Boutique, Singapore Officine Panerai, Paris, France 2014: Missoni Boutique, Florence, Italy Officine Panerai, Florence, Italy Gianvito Rossi Boutique, London, UK Santoni Boutique, NYC, USA Missoni, Hong Kong 2013: Missoni Flagship, Milan, Italy
Showrooms
2020: Haworth, Lyon, France Casa Mutina, Milan, Italy 2019: Budri, Milan, Italy Haworth, NYC, USA BMW Welt, Munich, Germany 2018: Cassina, Milan, Italy Haworth, Madrid, Spain 2017: Cassina, Paris, France Haworth, Frankfurt, Germany Kettal, Barcelona, Spain 2016: Haworth, London, UK Laufen, Madrid, Spain Cassina, Madrid, Spain 2015: Molteni & C, Tokyo, Japan Cassina, NYC, USA 2011: Scholtès, London, UK 2009: Flos/Moroso, London, UK 2007: Moroso, NYC, USA 2006: B&B Italia, Barcelona, Spain 2004: Knoll, Milan, Italy 2002: Moroso, Milan, Italy
Offices
2024: IXC Cassina Offices, Tokyo, Japan 2022: Mutina Headquarters, Fiorano Modenese, Italy 2019: Marienturm & Marienforum Towers, Frankfurt, Germany 2018: Cassina Via Durini, Milan, Italy 2017: Cassina Headquarters, Meda, Italy 2016: Haworth Headquarters, Holland, Michigan, USA 2012: Patricia Urquiola Studio, Milan, Italy
Design projects
2025: Coffee Table, Merlate Coffee Table, for Bitossi Bed, Mon-nid Bed, for Cassina Rug, Cryptid, for cc-tapis Bathroom collection, Balcoon, for Duravit Side tables, Opalia Tables, for Glas Italia Console, Lepid, for Kartell