Excm. Sr. André RICARD i SALA

Barcelona, 1929
Arts Section (7th)
Speciality: Industrial Design
Ingress date: 2011.10.11
Medal: 49

Education: Private Art Academy 1944-1049 (Barcelona) French Baccalauréat 1948 (Bordeaux) Training in Switzerland 1949-1950 (Neuchâtel – Geneva) Interior Design 1951 (London). Appointments: Pioneer and champion of industrial design in Spain. He contributed to both the institutional and professional development of this discipline in Spain. He has been President of the ADI-FAD (Design Association of the Fad), Founding President of the ADP (Association of Professional Designers), Vice-president of the ICSID (International Council of Design), Vice-president of the BCD (Barcelona Design Centre), Member of the Faculty of the Art Center ( Switzerland), Head of Department of Product Design in the Barcelona Eina design school as well as Patron Eina Foundation, President of Design for the World (NGO of design). At present he is Honor Patron of the Loewe Foundation, Member of Honour of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Sant Jordi and Academic of the Barcelona Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences. Main fields of artistic creation: His projects have aimed to improve the function of a great variety of everyday objects. His works for the Olympic movement must be highlighted, especially the Torch for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and the Crucible for the Olympic Flame in the Musée Olympique in Lausanne (Switzerland). In his role as promoter of the profession at a national and international level, as well as writer and teacher, he stands out for his ethical conception of design linked directly to the improvement of usefulness. Publications: “Diseño ¿porqué?” Editorial Gustavo Gili 1982 - “Diseño y calidad de vida” Fundación BCD 1985 - “Hablando de diseño” Editorial Hogar del libro 1986 - “Le design au quotidien” Musée Gruèrien (Switzerland 1995 - “La aventura creativa “ Editorial Ariel 2000 - “En resumen…” Editorial Angle 2003 - “Conversando con estudiantes de diseño” Editorial Gustavo Gili 2008 - “Hitos del diseño” Editorial Ariel 2009 - “Casos de diseño” Editorial Ariel 2012 Awards and honors: Spain’s National Design Award ,Sant Jordi Cross from the Generalitat of Catalonia, Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee, Gold Medal for Artistic Merit from the city of Barcelona and both Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and Chevalier of the Légion d’ Honneur from France.