library
Atmospheres: a poetic look at the landscape of La Garrotxa
The book tribute to Pep Sau Vilarrasa shows the constant transformation of the Natural Park through light, time and the soul of a territory.
Last Saturday, May 17, La Vila, in the Vall de Bianya, was the setting for the presentation of the book Atmospheres. Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa. It is a book published by the RCR Bunka Foundation - created in 2013 by the creative architecture studio RCR Arquitectes - with the support of the Garrotxa Natural Park , with the aim of supporting initiatives that connect architecture, landscape and culture. The presentation was attended by several people such as Marta Subirà Roca , patron of the RCR Bunka Foundation; Francesc Xavier Puig , coordinator of the Specially Protected Natural Areas in the regions of Girona; the writer Antoni Puigvert , and Jordi Sargatal , secretary of Ecological Transition of the Department of Territory, Housing and Transition.
RCR Arquitectes , known for their way of understanding space and territory from a sensitivity that characterizes them, promoted this foundation to expand the scope of their work beyond buildings. Since then, they have promoted activities of all kinds, from workshops and exhibitions to editions like this one. Their commitment to culture goes beyond architecture and seeks to foster a more direct relationship with the environment, with special attention to La Garrotxa, which has always been their point of origin and inspiration.
Presentació del llibre Atmosferes a La Vila, Vall de Bianya. © Ruben Lahuerta
As for the book, Atmosferes. Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa presents a collection of images by photographer Pep Sau Vilarrasa (Olot, 1963–2024), a figure closely linked to the cultural and artistic life of the region. Self-taught and always restless, Sau made photography a tool to observe the world from a different perspective, opting for a more refined, almost minimalist look. Throughout his career, he was responsible for photographing many of RCR Arquitectes' projects and was closely linked to the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa, with whom he collaborated continuously. He also participated in initiatives promoted by the Observatori del Paisatge de Catalunya and in photographic actions, both at the local level and in solidarity projects in various African countries, always from an associative and non-profit context.
Atmosferes is not just a collection of nature photographs, but a visual journey that invites you to rediscover the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park and, at the same time, pays tribute to the artistic and human legacy of Pep Sau. Far from focusing on the most emblematic places, the book seeks to capture those moments that often go unnoticed, but that reveal the authentic beauty of the landscape. The title, Atmosferes, reflects this essence, how light, climate or the passage of time can turn the same place into a different experience each time.
Antoni Puigvert durant la presentació del llibre Atmosferes a La Vila, Vall de Bianya. © Ruben Lahuerta
The work is completed with a prologue by Antoni Puigvert and an introductory text by Francesc Xavier Puig . Puig i Oliveras writes: “As you can see, Pep Sau's images remind us that, often, the most extraordinary things are found in the most everyday places, and beauty, in the simplest details. His passion for photography, nature and his land has left us an invaluable legacy.” For his part, Puigverd adds: “Looking at his photos is like talking to him. It is like establishing a dialogue about beauty, about the shape of things, about the soul of the landscape.”
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