The Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola is responsible for the interior design of Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona. Born in Oviedo (Asturias), she studied architecture in Madrid and completed her studies at the Politecnico di Milano, graduating from this institution with a thesis supervised by the prestigious Italian architect Achille Castiglioni.

From 1990 to 1996 she managed the De Padova firm’s new product development office, in collaboration with the designer and architect Vico Magistretti, and she later headed Piero Lissoni’s design team for five years.

In 2001 Urquiola set up her own studio in Milan, specialising in product design, architecture, installations and concept development. She has designed for the revered B&B Italia, Bisazza, Alessi, Foscarini, Mutina, Panasonic and Viccarbe. In the architecture arena, she has worked with the reputed Roberto Torretta, Valentino, Max Mara and Moroso among others.
 
Patricia Urquiola’s designs have been distinguished with many awards: ADI Design Index, International Design Yearbook, IMM Cologne Award, Good Design Awards of the Chicago Athenaeum, Red Dot Award and the Elle Decoration International Awards. Her Fjord armchair and foot stool for Moroso and her Bague lamp for Foscarini are part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.