The ceramics hub in Barcelona
“Every idea starts with a dream and each dream is born from passion. We define ourselves, first of all, as passionate. Passion for clay and its infinite possibilities is what has brought us together from so many different corners of the world to give birth to our international team.”
How we got here…
The idea of ElTornBarcelona comes up in the middle of a dinner in Geneva, while living in Switzerland. We pushed the plates and began to draw a draft on the tablecloth of the restaurant. The size of the project was directly proportional to the amount of wine that accompanied us. We still have that tablecloth. We are in 2004.
We’d already been abducted by ceramics, but we were still in hobby mode. After 2 years, we were presented with the opportunity to take over a ceramic’ school (¨LePot; it still exists! It’s in Lausanne). That’s when we started with our double life: during the day our jobs and at night and weekends (read: all our free time) we enjoyed teaching and sharing experiences with ceramic friends. Finally we decided to jump in the deep end and dedicate 100% to it – we moved to Barcelona and created ElTornBarcelona
The concept was clear from the beginning: a place to enjoy making ceramics, in a alive environment and in constant evolution, where you could learn, practice and exchange experiences. We both came from international backgrounds and we enjoyed this cultural mix very much, so this was an important factor in the equation.
And in 2006 we took the step: we moved to Barcelona with great enthusiasm, with butterflies in the stomach, typical of when you don’t know what you’re going to find. What we imagined and “invented” didn’t quite match reality, but we adapted to the path, as we walked.
We opened ElTornBarcelona in 2007. We started giving the courses ourselves and a few months later the team grew. In 2010 we decided to add one more concept to our project: a ceramic coworking where the infrastructure could be shared. But we didn’t fit in the space we had so we rented a second place. If you allow my modesty, I’m sure it was the first coworking in Barcelona dedicated fully to ceramics.
Soon we realised that the strength was in joining the two concepts under the same roof: courses and coworking. And at the end of 2010 we had already moved – school and coworking sharing 500m2 space, with lots of light, high ceilings, super wide, in the 22@ sector of the emblematic neighborhood of Poblenou.
And this is the space that we offer to you today. We remain faithful to our 2004 dream, offering you a place where you learn to work with ceramics, developing your skills, exchanging ideas, creating your projects, in an international and inspiring environment. In addition, as said nowadays, ceramics are almost the “new yoga” – combining creativity with a meditative twist, centering your soul and spirit.
ElTornBarcelona comprises the school, with weekly, week-long, weekend and monographic courses; the coworking space (ideal option to combine with weekly classes to practice and progress on your own what you’ve learned) and private spaces, for when ceramics is already firmly established under your skin.
Adding up our students of continuous courses; ceramic lovers in coworking and in private spaces, we count no less than 12 different nationalities! Come and meet us. Will be a pleasure to receive you.