Mobile: (+34) 633 720 700
Email: joanna.o.thomas@gmail.com
Nationalities: British and Swedish
Date of birth: 11.06.63
Language skills: English (mother tongue), Spanish (fluent),
German (advanced), Catalan (advanced), French (intermediate)
Education
1974 – 1981 Runnymede College, an independent school, Madrid.
1981 – 1983 Architectural Association School of Architecture, London.
1984 – 1989 University of Westminster, London, graduated as architect: B.Arch (Hons) II.I Dipl.(Arch)
2009 – present Official tourist guide in Catalonia, exam and title issued by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Spanish, English, German and Catalan).
Academic prizes
1988 CLAWSA Award (Central London & Westminster Society of Architects) – Diploma project prize: a university library (published in Building Design / 936).
1989 Sir Banister Fletcher Award (issued by the University of Westminster) – Diploma dissertation prize: El Govern Civil de Tarragona de Alejandro de la Sota: “…un edifici harmònic, jeràrquic i noble “.
Competition prizes
1998 Manacor Furniture Competition, Mallorca – a folding table design (open competition – second prize)
1997 A new cemetery in Rubi, Catalonia – Preliminary design 1:200 (open competition – second prize)
1994 A secondary school in Berlin, Germany – preliminary design 1:200 (invited competition – first prize)
Professional experience
Guided tours
2001- present Tourist and technical guide and tour designer in Barcelona, Lleida and Tarragona, in Spanish, English and German, for tourists, professionals, students and VIPS of different nationalities, in collaboration with private and public companies such as Scanditravel, Mickitravel, Artchitectours, Vestregionen,Värmdö Kommun, amongst others.
2016 – 2019 Guide and tour designer in Barcelona and Tarragona for the German agency Barcelona.de.
Wine tourism
2016 – present Clos Figueras: Guide in the winery and Travel Priorat: Guided tours of the Priorat and Tarragona.
2011 i 2017 Espai Priorat: Hostess.
Trekking
2013 – present Design and organization of guided or self-guided walks in southern Catalonia, such as “Priorat” for:
- On Foot Holidays: https://www.onfootholidays.co.uk/routes/catalonia-el-priorat/
- Wandern in Europa: https://www.wandernineuropa.de/touren/prio/
Architecture
2004 – 2008 Head of the itinerary service at the Association of Catalan Architects (COAC):
· design and coordination of site visits, itineraries and conferences on architecture and urbanism, for professionals, students and VIPS.
· design, coordination and tour leader of trips focused on architecture and heritage: Stockholm & Helsinki (June 2007); India (Dec. 2008).
1983 – 2001 Architect in various architectural studios in London, New York, Madrid, Berlin and Barcelona such as Multhaup & Niebuhr, Engel & Zillich, Junquera & Perez Pita, among others.
2018 – present Renovations of barns, houses and flats in El Priorat
Courses & workshops
2009 Training course for tourist guides in Catalonia, organized by Barcelona Guide Bureau.
2008 Victorian Summer School, London: 2 week workshop on Victorian art and architecture in England.
1996 – 1997 CAD course, Berlin: autoCAD 12, Allplan / Nemeschek, 3D Studio, Pagemaker, Freehand.
Other activities & publications
2005 – present Translation of Spanish, French, Catalan and German into English (Columna Música label among other clients).
1998 – 2002 Design of toys and furniture:
· design and production of “Bauhaus”, a dolls’ house distributed by Vinçon and published in the book “La Casa de los Niños” (Ed. Gamma).
· design and construction of various prototypes.
2004 Conference on Alejandro de la Sota, commissioned by the Association of Catalan Architects in Tarragona and published in AT # 8