Background
Roca is a forward-thinking brand that is world-famous for its bathroom design and manufacturing processes. In addition to a stock range of ceramic, brassware, furniture, showering and bathing products, the company also offers a bespoke service to provide full custom solutions for bathrooms of virtually all project scopes. Founded in 1917 in Barcelona, the company has grown to employ over 24 000 workers across 85 production facilities.With such a pedigree in the bathroom industry, Roca joined the RIBA CPD Providers Network in 2013 to begin offering RIBA-approved CPD materials to architects and designers. The company decided to join the network due to the reputation that RIBA has for upskilling architects in the UK, and the diverse range of topics offered in the curriculum – including sustainability, which is a key consideration for Roca.
Roca’s RIBA CPD programme
The Roca RIBA CPD programme focuses on key issues related to bathroom design and product development – helping architects to make the best decisions by providing the most up-to-date information on bathroom products and sustainability issues.One of the brand’s key materials is a presentation entitled ‘Shaping the Bathroom Space of the Future’. This considers the influences on current and future bathroom spaces, highlighting new technologies and innovations in the bathroom environment, with particular attention being given to sustainable and versatile solutions.
Roca’s materials are a big success with architects – with one of the most popular offerings being the guided tour of its flagship showroom, Roca London Gallery, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. During the tour, attendees have the opportunity to learn the fascinating story of how the architecture took shape. By examining the conceptual and technical development of the project, the tour analyses the initial challenges presented by the existing building, the design concept and spatial strategies, and gives an in-depth look at the processes and materials used to achieve the iconic double curvature of the interior.
This RIBA CPD video is a response to the COVID-19 pandemic (which meant that tours in person were no longer viable) and was developed into a RIBA-accredited film commissioned as part of the Architects’ Journal AJ100 Festival in 2020. Featuring Zaha Hadid Design Directors Woody Yao and Maha Kutay, this documentary film captures the stunning architecture of the interior, while delivering a detailed insight into the construction and design approach to this unparalleled space.
The benefits of RIBA CPD
For Roca, being part of the RIBA CPD Providers Network means that it can play a more active role in the architectural community in the UK. The CPD-related events and RIBA CPD Roadshows have given Roca exposure to new audiences, and have allowed it to stay at the forefront of the industry. Workshops on content development and marketing have been vital – especially following the March 2020 pandemic, and its disruption to how Roca could deliver its presentations and tours. By working with the RIBA and NBS, Roca began delivering virtual training that exposed them to wider audiences across the entirety of the UK, and even internationally.Roca’s RIBA CPD programme has been presented to over 2000 architects and interior designers since 2013 – providing an enormous amount of brand exposure, in addition to specific interest in key areas. One such area – sustainability – is becoming more and more important to architects, with Roca’s ‘Specifying Water Efficient Design for the Hotel Industry’ offering unique guidance to architects working in the hotel design industry. The presentation guides participants through the design, construction and operational stages of water management within a hotel, offering insight into new emerging technologies and techniques that reduce water and energy waste.
‘We would highly recommend joining the RIBA CPD Providers Network. The tools provided in digital marketing and content development have been invaluable. The team behind the network are highly engaged, regularly communicating to keep us informed of industry news and promptly accommodating us in any way they can’. – Saoirse Walsh, Marketing Executive, Roca
Roca’s internal team has noted the benefits of the expertise gained by the RIBA CPD Providers Network training – particularly about the digital marketing support that has allowed Roca to attract new audiences and expand content offerings to appeal to the needs and knowledge gaps of architects across the UK. In addition, content development training helped Roca’s team to identify a need for key materials and practical solutions that would appeal to architects.
