Productivity and Wellbeing Go Hand in Hand at nanimarquina’s Barcelona HQ

Daring, bold, and definitely avant-garde, the Barcelona rug company founded in 1987 by Nani Marquina has earned its reputation because of the brand’s exciting artist collaborations (most recently Lucia Eames), non-traditional patterns, and the desire to experiment with everything from die-cut felted wool and recycled bicycle tubes to 3D volume techniques.

That said, nanimarquina’s business team needed a more subdued vibe for their 2025 headquarters redesign in Barcelona’s artsy Gràcia neighborhood. Located in a former textile factory, the HQ was renovated by interior designer and nanimarquina creative director Paula Brusés Marquina and Spanish architect Robert Pallí Vert, who reconfigured the space for better flow and maximum access to natural light. The new atmosphere is calm, warm, and neutral—the kind of place where the business side of the company can do their best thinking.

On the same floor as the creative studio, the new HQ is home to business development, operations, sales, marketing and communication, finance, administration, customer relations, and management. The space was designed to support both focused individual work and collaboration among departments.

According to María Piera Marquina, nanimarquina CEO/managing director and daughter of company founder Nani Marquina, a serene workspace has a direct impact on wellbeing, concentration, and creativity. “The intention was to create an environment that is not overstimulating, that reduces stress and helps people focus more clearly,” María Piera says.

Since the beginning, the company has worked to elevate the rug from a purely functional object into a central design element capable of transforming spaces and creating atmosphere. “In many ways, the office itself becomes an extension of the emotional qualities that nanimarquina creates through its products,” she adds. “Rather than a highly corporate environment, the offices feel domestic and welcoming, closer to the idea of a Mediterranean home or atelier.”

Some of the brand’s most iconic rugs lend their personality to the space: Pearls in the entrance, Wabisabi in the lounge, Ceras in the meeting room, Talk Talk on the walls, and Shade in the reception hall. The design team specified Santa & Cole lamps made from environmentally friendly and locally sourced materials. The Vitra office chairs are fully recyclable and ergonomic.

Also influenced by Nordic design, the nanimarquina HQ is a functional, comfortable, and healthy workspace with efficient climate control and proper soundproofing. Abundant natural light floods the interiors, highlighting the warmth of pine wood and the neutrality of beige microcement. Both materials were chosen to keep the space light and understated, allowing the nanimarquina rugs to become the true protagonists of this design narrative.

— Diana Mosher