LABASAD Trip in Barcelona 2026
Last week, the streets of Barcelona became an extension of our virtual classrooms.
Students from various Master’s programmes, both from Spain and abroad, landed in the city to experience three days of total immersion in visual culture and real-world design.
It was the perfect opportunity to put faces to names from the chat, share a coffee before a visit, and understand, on the ground, how the major studios leading the industry today actually operate.
We kicked things off at home, at LABASAD, with that essential first meeting over coffee and croissants to break the ice. Our first stop took us to Morillas, an agency that continues to prove why it is a pioneer of branding in Spain. Guided by their Art Director, Albert Navarro, we learned that longevity in design is only achieved through inexhaustible curiosity.
In the afternoon, the pace shifted as we entered THE OTHERS. Roger Vicente opened the doors of this animation studio, where 2D and 3D come to life through technical and creative collaboration. We rounded off the day at the DHub (Disseny Hub Barcelona), exploring their graphic and product design exhibitions, a necessary dose of archival and historical reference to fuel any future project.
The second day began with a masterclass in craft at Nova Era Publications. Pedro López showed us that paper and ink remain a language of artisanal precision, working for the likes of Bad Bunny and Rosalía. It is this level of detail that marks the difference between a good design and a collector’s piece.
We continued to Fuego Camina Conmigo, an agency that has masterfully hybridised strategy and creativity. Our thanks to Neo Galcerán (Creative Strategist) and Flavià Boleda (Art Director) for sharing their team’s characteristic energy, and to Luis Conde for welcoming us to the agency. To finish, we soaked up the atmosphere of the Gràcia neighbourhood, exploring its squares and sharing a dinner that served to strengthen bonds beyond the professional sphere.
On the final day, we headed into the Raval to visit DAQ, an illustration and animation studio that works for titles such as The New Yorker and The Washington Post. Anna Miracle and David Acevedo, Directors of the Online Master’s in Illustration, shared their workflow, reminding us that illustration is, above all, a powerful narrative tool.
After a group lunch to savour Catalan gastronomy and dive deeper into networking, we returned to LABASAD for the grand finale: a stamping and linocut workshop led by illustrator Natalia Ros. It was the perfect finishing touch, returning to the physical, carving and printing by hand. A vital reminder that, although we live in a digital environment, tactile sensitivity is the essence of our profession.
We would like to thank Rosana Viloca, Director of the Máster Online en Diseño Gráfico y Visual Content con IA, and Marina Soto, Director of the Máster Online en Diseño Gráfico Avanzado, for guiding the group with such care, and all the studios for opening their doors so wide.
See you again soon, either on screen or at the next destination.