Jose Manuel Ferrero (Valencia, 1978) is the soul of estudi{H}ac. He defines himself as an atelier of product design and architecture.
Jules Verne’s character Phileas Fogg inspires the team because of its creativity and ingenuity.
Ferrero feels passion for detail and an elegant and exclusive design, searching for the meticulousness of the tailors from Savile Row road in his daily work. For him, each project is a unique piece tailored towards customer needs.
Leading the estudi{H}ac Ferrero has worked with outstanding companies such as Porcelanosa, L’ Antic Colonial, Sancal, Vondom, Toyota, Punt and Gandia Blasco. His work has obtained numerous awards and nominations such as the ArchDesignClub award for the Menhic collection for L’Antic Colonial, the Best Industrial Designer prize, awarded by the Valencian magazine Tendencias and the Best of Year Awards by the Interior Design magazine for Tea para Sancal collection.
We let him speak:
-Tell us a bit about your career.
I studied Industrial Design and Engineering in the University of Jaume I of Castellón, from there I moved to Barcelona to work in the studio of the designer and architect Oscar Tusquets. Later I joined the team of the companies Manterol and Gandia Blasco developing projects in the industrial design and exhibitions field.
In 2003 the opportunity arose to participate in the Nude lounge of young designers of Habitat exhibition in Valencia and this marks the beginning of estudi{H}ac. I was very lucky to arrive to the exhibition introducing two products that were going to be manufactured by companies. Do+Ce and Gandia Blasco invested in my designs, and this is how the estudi{H}ac history starts.
Estudi{H}ac was started with own initiative. My curiosity along with the perception of the design world led me to establish my own workspace, which is conceived as a design atelier.
That’s how it all started, the race to work with more clients and new projects, always providing something new. Currently I am lucky to be working with reputable international design companies such us Toyota Asia, Porcelanosa, Sancal, Vondom, Toulemonde Bochart and in interior projects with Hard Rock Hotel, Paco Roncero, Poncelet, Solan de Cabras, among others.
A project you feel affection towards and why.
Every project has its own distinctive features; this is what they makes me excited when I see them. But nowadays the last batch collection ARO-KRION Bath, developed by one of the companies belonging to PORCELANOSA group, stands out. A project that took a long time on the design concept and technical development but that is worth it since the final results are fantastic.
From architecture I would choose the Paco Roncero restaurant Estado Puro inside the Hard Rock hotel in Ibiza. It was an amazing project in collaboration with Paco (Michelin Chef) and all of the architectural and technical team from the hotel. In a limited time we achieved a design that satisfied Pacos needs and surprised Hard Rock hotel with details such as a Jam Corner where we interpret the popular guitars as a Spanish Ham and where a ham was going to be cut over a big podium…
You work in the architectural field and the design field. How do both disciplines relate?
Both disciplines have always been a part of the framework of estudi{H}ac. I think they are very complementary and all the knowledge and needs that we see when creating interior projects is later transformed into future product projects and vice versa. They have the common denominator of design projects. In every project there is a strong creativity stage that starts by searching for a story. Every project of estudi{H}ac arises form a story and idea are established from the project. This leads to the creation of each detail that will shape the new product or space.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Every projects starts form a story and a material. Our projects respond to a Bespoke elegance, they are detail-orientated and expressive; they combine textures and materials tailored to inspire unexpected emotions. This is our philosophy, but when we are starting a new project we always come up with more ideas which means our project could turn 180 degrees.
Do you believe in the ability of the products and the areas to transmit values? What values do you try to transmit in your projects?
Values such as honesty, naturalness, proximity, elegance, good finishes, don’t leave anything to chance, all is thought through, worked out, and resolved in order to give a professional response to our clients. This is reflected in every project.
You have been designing for many years, have you changed your values, aspirations or workflow during your career?
During these 13 years we have been growing in professionalism as in creativity. The values have not changed and honesty has always been our identity. Create unique projects for every customer that surprises them and adds value.
The evolution of estudi{H}ac during these years has been very positive. Little by little all of the objectives framed in the Passat are being achieved and thanks to the effort, passion, and honesty big design companies begin to trust us.
Woodlovers is a page dedicated to the world of wood. This material is key in some of your projects like in Tea Chair or in the restaurants Estado Puro or Poncelot Cheese Bar. Do you like to work with this material?
Wood always has been very important in all of our projects, from the beginning. It transmit warmth, naturalness, proximity, originality, strength, texture… and all together well conceptualized in every type of project, whether product or interior, this helps to make it very well accepted. Wood is life.
And finally, can you give us any little excusive?
Generally I don’t usually say which projects are being developed in estudi{H}ac, but I can say that another surprise is in store because of the typology of the project, as much with product as with interior since we are immersed in various large projects that I am sure will soon be released.
