"I hope that Barcelona will once again be at the centre of the international design scene", by Guendalina Perelli

Guendalina Perelli, 56 years old, separated with one child. Born in Milan, Guendalina moved to Barcelona 6 years ago. She is a public relations specialist, owner of the public relations and media agency GWEP and editor in chief of the online design magazine thesignspeaking. She is co-founder and the soul of TERRASZA, the first international phygital platform for outdoor design that will debut from Barcelona in October 2023.

Why did you choose Barcelona?

I moved here out of love for my son. My ex-husband had moved here nine years ago and wanted our son to come to Barcelona to study at an Italian high school. I thought it was the right thing for a teenager to stay with his father, but the temptation not to leave him was stronger, so I decided to move too. I also chose it because it was well connected to Milan, where I still work, and it gave me the opportunity to test myself again, to open a new chapter in my life. I arrived here when I was almost 50 years old, without knowing anyone and without speaking the language, or rather languages... I never thought I would study Catalan and Spanish. Quite an act of faith.

What are the city’s strengths?

I fell in love with Barcelona from the very first moment. I travel a lot, part of my work is in Milan, but when I come back I feel at home. It's an open, inclusive, cheerful city. The climate undoubtedly influences a lot, and the sea, perhaps I could no longer live in a city without the sea. And then the outdoor life, the terraces, which inspired my new project TERRASZA, a tribute to the Catalan capital, in itself a Manifesto of the pleasure of meeting friends and family in a cosy outdoor space.

Which aspects of the city need to be improved? How?

I would like the city to offer more quality cultural content, art exhibitions of international scope. It should be able to create a community around the world of design, as it already exists in the world of art. Creative people, designers, graphic designers, architects, interior designers and many companies in the sector live here, but there is not the participation that I see in Milan in events.

That's why I'm working in this direction: my project TERRASZA, a phygital platform dedicated exclusively to outdoor design, sees its debut in the city that inspired it. A circuit that connects different places in the city, such as showrooms, hotels and public spaces, offering an unprecedented experience of installations, exhibitions and cultural encounters, which aims to shed light on key contemporary issues, encouraging dialogue and reflection, in order to find sustainable and avant-garde solutions.

What do you expect from Barcelona in the coming years?

My dream is to provide this city with a distinctive and unique event that will put it back at the centre of the international design scene. I would like it to be pioneering, avant-garde and a protagonist once again, with an identity project that distinguishes it so that design lovers come to Barcelona. Some of the best brands in exterior design are here, in Barcelona and in Catalonia.

Which city do you consider to be your home city? What do you miss most?

The truth is that, as an Italian, I don't miss anything in Barcelona. You can find everything you need, I don't feel homesick for the country where I was born... my home is here now. And also the Italian community is very big, so if I miss speaking my own language! And it seems to me that, in many ways, Milan and Barcelona are similar. Also because of the possibility to quickly reach beautiful places surrounded by nature. Besides the sea and the Costa Brava, Catalonia offers beautiful landscapes and mountain resorts... the offer of nature is invaluable for spending time outdoors.