Architecture & Interior Design · Est. 1984

40 years of
exceptional
design.

An international practice with offices in London, Lisbon and Buenos Aires — and a new chapter in Uruguay with the B House residential line.

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Selected Work

Some of Our Work

Puerto Norte Design Hotel · Argentina

Golf Verdelago Resort · Portugal

Pine Cliffs · Sheraton Luxury · Portugal

Hotel Vacation Club · Argentina

Arcos de la Frontera · Spain

Courtyard Marriott · Peru

Ritz Carlton Penha Longa · Portugal

Ritz Carlton Residences · Portugal

B House +1 · Uruguay

View Full Portfolio →

The Practice

Architecture
as a unique act

GIAD UK is an international and interdisciplinary design practice of Planning, Architectural and Interior Design, with particular expertise in the Hospitality sector — with decades of experience in large-scale residential complexes, commercial, institutional and high-quality leisure and golf resorts.

GIAD's philosophy is to undertake each commission as a unique project. We divert our attention from trends to focus solely on our client's real interests.

Since 2020, the practice has expanded into Uruguay through B House — bringing fast-build, eco-friendly residential design to South America.

About Gabriela Iglesias →

Gabriela
L. Iglesias

ARCH. RIBA · UNR · CPAU

FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Architect and interior designer with over 40 years of international practice. Founder of GIAD UK, with offices in London, Lisbon, Buenos Aires and Uruguay, specialising in luxury hospitality, masterplan development and residential design.

Gabriela holds a degree in Architecture from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) and is a member of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and CPAU (Consejo Profesional de Arquitectura y Urbanismo, Argentina).

Her portfolio spans four decades and five continents — from five-star hotel chains including Ritz Carlton, Sheraton, Westin, Marriott and Four Seasons to masterplan developments in Portugal, Spain and Argentina.

RIBA — ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS
UNR — UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE ROSARIO
CPAU — CONSEJO PROFESIONAL DE ARQUITECTURA Y URBANISMO

B House

A new chapter

In 2020, based in Uruguay, backed up by all her 40 years experience in the UK and many other countries in the world, Gabriela has designed and registered the copyright of a modular, flexible, fast built, eco friendly family house: “B House”.

This new designed prototype is based in the use of available new technology in Uruguay:
— Prefabricated insulated light weight material
— Rational services installation
— Eco friendly infrastructure

This design reduces by half the construction time, and by a third the construction cost. This methodology can also be used for non-residential buildings.

B House →

Al Aghar Masterplan · Saudi Arabia

Large-scale masterplan development including residential units, leisure facilities and landscaping across an extensive site in Saudi Arabia.

Pine Cliffs · Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal

Complete planning including interior design. A 5-star leisure development encompassing a new town, sports centre, 9-hole executive golf club, apartment blocks, 350 villas, terrace houses and a beach club — anchored by a new 220-room Sheraton hotel. One of only two hotels in Portugal to receive the highest rating from the national tourism authority and among the exclusive Sheraton "Luxury Collection".

Marriott Resort Algarve — Alfamar · Albufeira, Portugal

Villas, apartments, spa and sports facilities. Redesign of existing buildings, new architectural and interior design of villas, apartments and spa. Landscaping for the entire resort. Design of 5-star suite units for the new spa to be included in the resort, approximately 75 hectares.

Verdelago · Castro Marim, Algarve, Portugal

Planning, architectural design from inception to construction, including landscaping and interiors. The project includes residential units, individual villas, terrace houses and apartments. 190-room 5-star hotel and spa, 9-hole golf course and golf club. 70-hectare site with 71,500 m² total construction.

Penha Longa · Sintra, Portugal

Rehabilitation of the 5-star Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort. Urban planning, architecture and complete interior design. 84 new apartment units within the Quinta da Penhalonga grounds, all with private pools and open views. Scope includes planning, general design, architectural design of units, club house and reception, with all interiors. Remodelling of a XII century historic building.

Villa La Angostura · Neuquén, Argentina

Master Plan and Architectural Design, including interiors for three new 60-room hotels on 17 hectares of parkland fronting Lake Nahuel Huapi.

Hotel and Resort Novo Carthago · Murcia, Spain

New residential and hotel complex. 268 apartments, 37 terrace houses, 6 villas. Total residential construction area: 33,500 m². Hotel with 170 rooms and 26,300 m² built area.

Domaine de la Grange Neuve · Côte d'Azur, France

Planning and architectural design through to detail design. 226 apartments, 1 hotel, 1 apart-hotel of 10,000 m².

Rhodes Hotel Golf and Residential · Rhodes, Greece

Planning and architectural design through to detail design.

Hotel Santa Ana Vacation Club · Gomera Island, Canary Islands, Spain

Architecture, interior design and landscaping. Buildings designed to incorporate all features contributing to a clean environmental maintenance. Full specification and contract administration. Apart-hotel of 94 apartments with 15,700 m² built area, plot of 37,000 m². Residential: 75 terrace houses and 15 villas, total plot area of 7 hectares.

Tavira · Tavira, Portugal

Architecture and design for 50 apartments (1, 2, 3 bedrooms). Construction area: 57,300 m². Commercial and services area. Plot area: 10 ha. 11 villas, 61 terrace houses, 426 apartments.

Benagil · Algarve, Portugal

68 terrace houses, 44 townhouses, 28 villas, 85 apartments. Residential area: 56,500 m². Hotel with 40 rooms and 5,500 m² built area, 12 apartments with 3,500 m² built area, 82,000 m² construction on a 263-hectare plot.

Arcos de la Frontera · Andalucía, Spain

Architecture and design for 300 villas, 300 terrace houses, 185 apartments — 268-hectare urbanisation on a mountainside. Total residential construction area: 160,000 m². Hotel with 170 rooms and 26,000 m² built area.

Pine Cliffs · Portugal

Golf Verdelago Resort · Portugal

Penha Longa · Portugal

Benagil · Portugal

Villa La Angostura · Argentina

Tavira · Portugal

Arcos de la Frontera · Spain

Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau · Argentina

Club Vista Ana · Spain

Ritz Carlton Hotel Arts · Spain

Ritz Carlton Residences · Portugal

Ritz Carlton Restaurant Arola · Portugal

Hotel Marriott Courtyard · France

Marriott Bristol Royal Hotel · United Kingdom

Marriott Bournemouth Highcliff · United Kingdom

Reval Hotel Moscow · Russia

Marriott Courtyard Aberdeen · United Kingdom

Marriott St. Pierre · Wales

Adriana Hotel · Croatia

Marriott Cusco · Peru

Marriott Meon Valley · United Kingdom

Marriott Renaissance Warsaw · Poland

JW Marriott Puerto Vallarta · Mexico

Marriott Renaissance Lucerne · Switzerland

Ritz Carlton Restaurant Midori · Portugal

Hotel Marruecos · Morocco

Hilton Puerto Madero · Argentina

Marriott Renaissance Barcelona · Spain

JW Marriott Bucharest · Romania

Puerto Norte Design Hotel · Argentina

Four Seasons Carmelo · Uruguay

Courtyard Marriott Miraflores · Peru

Rochester Esmeralda · Argentina

Wyndham Buenos Aires · Argentina

Urban Development Puerto Norte · Argentina

Club House Golf Carmelo · Uruguay

Al Aghar Masterplan · Saudi Arabia

Carmelo Golf Project · Uruguay

Paraná Project · Argentina

Prefabricated Project Maldonado · Uruguay

Umbrella House · Uruguay

CO.SE.GA. Hotel · Argentina

Plaza de Mayo · Argentina

South Convention Center — Lobby Upgrade · Argentina

Social Housing — Villa 20 · Argentina

Social Housing — Barrio Orma · Argentina

Fast-Build
Residential

OMA extends the 40-year experience of GIAD UK into eco-friendly, fast-build residential design using dry construction (isopaneles). Each project is tailored to the specific needs of the client — there is no single standard product.

B House — Available in Different Variants

Select a variant

B House +1

B House +2

B House +3

B House +4

B House +5

B House +6

B House +7

B House +8 · Office Use

Kilafen Offices · Uruguay

Get in Touch

Contact

Principal

Gabriela Iglesias

+598 97414387 (Uruguay)

giaduk@hotmail.com

Marriott Cusco · Peru

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Pine Cliffs

Hotel Sheraton · The Luxury Collection · Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal

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Verdelago

Hotel Golf Verdelago Resort · Westin (Starwood) · Castro Marim, Algarve, Portugal

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Penha Longa

Hotel Ritz Carlton · Quinta da Penhalonga · Hotel & Golf Resort · Sintra, Portugal

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Benagil

Hotel Benagil and Residential · Westin (Starwood) · Benagil, Algarve, Portugal

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Villa La Angostura

Hotel Vacation Club · Provincia de Neuquén, Argentina

Master Plan and Architectural Design, including interiors for three new 60-room hotels on 17 hectares of parkland fronting Lake Nahuel Huapi.

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Tavira

Urbanization Tavira · Tavira, Portugal

Architecture and design for 50 apartments (1, 2, 3 bedrooms). Construction area: 57,300 m². Commercial and services area. Plot area: 10 ha. 11 villas, 61 terrace houses, 426 apartments.

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Arcos de la Frontera

Residential Resort Hotel & Spa · Conference Centre · Sport Facilities & Shopping · Andalucía, Spain

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COMPETITION ENTRY

CO.SE.GA. Hotel

General Acha · La Pampa, Argentina

Competition proposal for a new hotel in the city of General Acha, La Pampa province. The design responds to the regional climate and local building traditions with a contemporary circular plan that maximises natural ventilation and community interaction.

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COMPETITION ENTRY

Plaza de Mayo

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The proposal treats Plaza de Mayo as Buenos Aires' oldest living document — a space whose accumulated memory must be preserved while being physically upgraded and re-integrated with its surroundings.

Core concept: Pedestrianise the streets around the plaza and reclaim that space as a symbolic extension — lined with metal “tree-sculptures” in the form of raised arms, evoking the marches, protests and celebrations that have defined the plaza.

• Avenida de Mayo axis: Two granite platforms bearing a dove (peace) and a bronze X (Nunca Más). At night they project crossing light beams framing the May Pyramid.
• Cathedral & Cabildo: Each receives a garden plaza with trees and water features.
• Underground museum: 500m², accessible through the granite platforms, with ramp, exhibition panels and glass skylights.

Guiding principle: Maximum symbolic and environmental impact with the least possible disruption to the plaza's heritage image.

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COMPETITION ENTRY · IN COLLABORATION WITH GRUPO DGP

South Convention Center — Lobby Upgrade

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tender proposal for the interior refurbishment and upgrade of the lobby and public spaces of the South Convention Center — a joint submission by GIAD UK and Grupo DGP.

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COMPETITION ENTRY

Social Housing — Villa 20

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Social housing competition for Villa 20 — an urban integration proposal for the formalisation and densification of an informal settlement in southern Buenos Aires.

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COMPETITION ENTRY

Social Housing — Barrio Orma

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Two submitted proposals (Proposal 1 and Proposal 2) for a social housing development on the Riachuelo riverfront — part of the Buenos Aires Housing Institute (IVC) public tender.

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COMPETITION ENTRY · IN COLLABORATION WITH TOMÁS “WIMPY” GARCÍA

Social Housing — Barrio Orma

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Two submitted proposals (Proposal 1 and Proposal 2) for a social housing development on the Riachuelo riverfront — part of the Buenos Aires Housing Institute (IVC) public tender.