Juan Palop-Casado is the founder of the Lab for Planning and Architecture (LPA). With a background in both Architecture and Urban Planning, he earned his Masters Degree in Design Studies (MDeeS) from Harvard University (U.S.A.), where he was part of the research team Harvard Project on the City. He is a licensed consultant and part of the panel of experts of the sustainability assessment BREEAM ES.

Juan directs the work of LPA and has fifteen years of experience in managing and designing urban and landscape projects in highly sensitive environmental and geographical locations such as tourist destinations and coastal areas. During this time, he has accumulated substantial experience in applying ecosystemic principles to the singularities of southern regions—the so-called subtropics that feature Mediterranean and arid climatic conditions.

Parallel to his professional practice, Juan has been carrying out research on topics related to urban design and planning. Projects and essays by Juan Palop-Casado have been published in significant international publications such as “Harvard Guide to Shopping”, “The “Tourist City Berlin ”, “What People Want” and “Architects Talk”.

In 2012, he co-founded the Twenty Degrees Institute (20°i), a leading organization with the purpose of developing, in parallel to Juan’s professional practice, an innovative and speculative approach to sustainability and urban development in the subtropical south. His work has been acknowledge in international competitions, including, among others, the first prize for the Integral Development of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Waterfront and the second prize in the Coastal Renovation of the Municipality of Calvia, in Mallorca. His work has received accolades at international project awards such as UIA and Architizer.