Who We Are

MGM Morales de Giles Arquitectos is an architectural firm internationally recognised lead by José Morales and Sara de Giles.

José Morales and Juan González Mariscal founded the architectural firm in 1987. In 1998 Sara de Giles Dubois joined the studio as a new partner. Since 2004, the firm has been consolidated under the name of MGM Morales de Giles Arquitectos SLP.

José Morales and Sara de Giles  have been guest professors at several universities such Universidad Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain), École Supérieure Nationale d’Architecture Paris Val de Seine (France), Universidad de Navarra ETSA de Pamplona (Spain), University of Applied Sciences Hochschule in Bochum (Germany) and Washington University in Saint Louis (USA).

The teaching experience of José Morales and Sara de Giles is manifested in their deep interest in typological and formal research, as well as their constant exploration of new architectural, urban and landscape scenarios.

The work of MGM Arquitectos reflects a careful study on its entire development process, both in the technical projects and in the execution of the works; recognised by various public and private institutions which highlighted the quality of these works thorough numerous national and international awards.

Some of the most important awards for their completed works include: the prestigious Spanish Architecture Award in 2013, the International Spanish Architecture Award in 2017, the Spanish Superior Council of Architects Award in 2003, 2016 and 2019. Additionally, they were finalists for the Mies Van der Rohe Award in 2001 and 2009. Other recognitions include the First prize from The orden of the Architects of Cadiz in 2008, the NAN Fist prize in 2012 and 2017, the AIT International Awards First prize in the «Housing» category and the AIT International Awards First prize in the «Health care» category in 2014. They were also awarded at the Spanish Architecture Biennial in 2016 and 2019, the X Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism in 2006, and the Bigmat International Architecture Award in 2017 and 2019. Other recognitions include the COAS First prize in 2006, 2010 and 2019, as well as the International FAD Award in 2024.

Their work has been exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2016; in the ON-SITE: New Architecture in Spain exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA); and at the Spanish Architecture Biennial in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015. Their work has also been exhibited at the Palace patrimony of Chaillot, Paris, France in 2008 and 2009. In 2019, MGM Morales de Giles held an exhibition of their work at the Plateforme de la Création Architecturale, at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine de Paris.

Their projects, essays and works have been published in books and international architecture magazines such as El Croquis, BAU, A+U, ON Diseño, Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture, C3, Architecture d’aujourd’hui, Casabella, AV, Lotus international, Detail, Taschen among others. Monographs on their work include MORALES, DE GILES, MARISCAL. MGM. EN FAVOR DE UNA ARQUITECTURA INSTALADA published by Rueda Editorial 2004. ARQUITECTURAS DE AUTOR: MORALES, DE GILES, G. MARISCAL, published by the publish service of the University of Navarra 2004, MORALES DE GILES, MARISCAL. MGM. CENTRO DE ARTES ESCÉNICAS EN NÍJAR by Editorial Lampreave 2006, la CASA DEL PLATANO by Irreversible editores Editorial 2009, MONOGRAFÍA 2G nº 51, by Gustavo Gili editorial 2009 and Revista MONOGRAFÍA TC Cuadernos nº 104 by TC Cuadernos Editorial 2012.

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Awards to Built Work

• • Title: FAD Awards 2016
  • Project Awarded: Rehabilitation of the St. Mª de los Reyes convent
  • Awarded Position: Selected
• • Title: FAD Awards
  • Project Awarded: Lecture building at Pablo de Olavide University. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Finalist
  • Year: 2012
• • Title: AIT Award 2014
  • Project Awarded: ICTAM hospital in Seville
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 2014
  • Others: Category Health and Care
• • Title: Premio Europeo di Architettura Ugo Rivolta
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Honorable Mention
  • Year: 2013
• • Title: XII Spanish Architecture and Urban Planning Biennial
  • Project Awarded: ICTAM hospital in Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2013
• • Title: Mies van der Rohe Awards
  • Project Awarded: 
  • Awarded Position: Proposed
  • Year: 2009
• • Title: AIT Award 2012
  • Project Awarded: Lecture building at Pablo de Olavide University. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2012
  • Others: Category: Bildung / Education
• • Title: AIT Award 2012
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 2012
  • Others: Category: Wohnen/Living
• • Title: VIII Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura y Urbanismo
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Preselected
  • Year: 2012
• • Title: FAD Awards
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2011
• • Title: Detail Prize 2010
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2010
  • Others: Main Prize Category
• • Title: Swiss Architectural Award 2009-2010
  • Project Awarded: Nijar theater. Almeria
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2010
• • Title: Swiss Architectural Award 2009-2010
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2010
• • Title: Swiss Architectural Award 2009-2010
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2010
• • Title: Awards of the Technical Spanish Association of Galvanizing
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Honorable Mention
  • Year: 2010
• • Title: Mies Van der Rohe Awards
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2009
• • Title: X Spanish Architecture and Urban Planning Biennial
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: 1st Mention
  • Year: 2009
• • Title: Premio Sánchez Esteve
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 2008
• • Title: Wallpaper Design Awards
  • Project Awarded: Nijar theater. Almeria
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2008
  • Others: Category Best New Public Building
• • Title: FAD Awards
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2008
• • Title: Saloni Awards
  • Project Awarded: Nijar theater. Almeria
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2007
• • Title: Award of The Spanish Federation of Employers of Wood
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: Finalist
  • Year: 2007
  • Others: Competition Name: Vivir con Madera - Living with Wood
• • Title: IX Spanish Architecture and Urban Planning Biennial
  • Project Awarded: High school in Galisteo. Caceres
  • Awarded Position: Finalist
  • Year: 2007
• • Title: Mies Van der Rohe Awards
  • Project Awarded: Nijar theater. Almeria
  • Awarded Position: Proposed
  • Year: 2006
• • Title: Awards of the Spanish Technical Association of Galvanizing
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in San Jeronimo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 2003
• • Title: Council Awards Top Colleges Of Architects of Spain
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in San Jeronimo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 2003
  • Others: Project Awarded: Corporeal Housing (Project Presented at the Venice Biennale in 2002). Category Future
• • Title: Council Awards Top Colleges Of Architects of Spain
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Monte Hacho. Ceuta
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2003
  • Others: Category Work Completed or in Development
• • Title: Council Awards Top Colleges Of Architects of Spain
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in El Populo. Cadiz
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2003
  • Others: Category Work Completed or in Development
• • Title: Council Awards Top Colleges Of Architects of Spain
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in San Jeronimo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 2003
  • Others: Category Work Completed or in Development
• • Title: FAD Awards
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in San Jeronimo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2002
• • Title: Mies Van der Rohe Awards
  • Project Awarded: Herrera house in El Garrobo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2001
• • Title: VI Spanish Architecture and Urban Planning Biennial
  • Project Awarded: Herrera house in El Garrobo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2001
• • Title: II Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura e Ingeniería Civil
  • Project Awarded: Herrera house in El Garrobo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 2000
• • Title: FAD Awards
  • Project Awarded: Herrera house in El Garrobo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2000
• • Title: Antonio Camuñas Foundation Award
  • Project Awarded: Herrera house in El Garrobo. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 2000
• • Title: V Spanish Architecture and Urban Planning Biennial
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Santiponce. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 1999
• • Title: FAD Awards
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Santiponce. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Selected
  • Year: 1998
• • Title: Antonio Camuñas Foundation Award
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Santiponce. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 1998
• • Title: IV Spanish Architecture and Urban Planning Biennial
  • Project Awarded: Coripe’s city hall. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 1997
• • Title: Award of The Colegio de Arquitectos de Andalucía Occidental
  • Project Awarded: Social housing in Santiponce. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Runner Up
  • Year: 1997
• • Title: Award of The Colegio de Arquitectos de Andalucía Occidental
  • Project Awarded: Coripe’s city hall. Seville
  • Awarded Position: Accesit
  • Year: 1995
• • Title: Award of The Colegio de Arquitectos de Andalucía Occidental
  • Project Awarded: Award of The Colegio de Arquitectos de Andalucía Occidental
  • Awarded Position: 1st prize
  • Year: 1991
  • Others: Project Awarded: Malaver House

Exhibitions

• Title: Mies Van der Rohe Awards
  • Year: 2009
  • Locations: Barcelone. 23 october - 12 december 2009. || Institut Français d'Architecture, Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine Paris (France). 2 february - 14 march 2010. || Zollverein World Cultural Heritage Site exhibition gallery: Coking Plant. Essen (Germany). 21 march – 20 april 2010. || Arquerias de Nuevos Mnisterios. Madrid. 13 may - 13 june 2010. || Architekturzentrum Wien – AzW Museumsplatz 1. Viena (Austria). 23 june - 20 september 2010. || Triennale di Milano, Viale Alemagna 6. Milano.(Italy) 1 october - 31 october 2010. || M – Museum Leuven. (Belgium) 6 november - 12 december 2010. || Forum d'Urbanisme et d'Architecture. Niza (France). 20 december - 20 february 2011.
  • Sponsored by: Fundación Mies Van der Rohe, Ministerio de Vivienda, Ayuntamiento de Barcelona, Generalitat de Catalunya.
  • Curator: Diane Gray
• Title: Biennale di Venezia 2006
  • Exhibition: “España, nosotras las ciudades”
  • Year: 2006
  • Locations: Venecia (Italia) 8 septiembre 2006 || Sala Arquerías de Nuevos Ministerios, Madrid 30 abril 2007 || Shanghái (China) 14 noviembre 2007
  • Sponsored by: Ministerio de la Vivienda
  • Curator: Manuel Blanco
• Title: On-Site: New Architecture in Spain. MOMA. Museum of Modern in New York
  • Year: 2006
  • Locations: MUSEUM OF MODERN ART MOMA DE NUEVA YORK (MoMA) || Pabellón Villanueva del Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (CSIC). 1 October-26 january 2007
  • Curator: Terence Riley