Malaga architect Javier Higuera, founder of HCP studio, passes away

The world of Malaga architecture mourns this Sunday the loss of one of its most prominent figures. Javier Higuera Yela, founder of HCP studio, passed away unexpectedly this Sunday at the age of 67, although his health had been deteriorating over the last few years due to Parkinson's disease. With Higuera's passing, a benchmark in architecture is lost, not only on a local level but also nationally and internationally, as his studio is considered one of the top hundred in the world, remaining this year on the World Architecture 100 (WA100) list compiled by the Building Design website, one of the most significant media in the profession globally.

Javier Higuera was a self-made professional, forged from his work and dedication to a career that began 39 years ago when he founded HCP studio in 1986 with his still partner Alejandro Pérez Martínez. Their first project was the design of an ice cream shop in Mijas. Those early days with a team of just five people led to a vast array of new projects that brought them success and contracts both within and outside of Malaga.

In 2000, they opened their headquarters in Madrid, and two years later, they designed the first buildings on the Poniente seafront promenade in Malaga. In 2004, they signed off on the tallest building in Granada, which stands at 65 meters high, and in 2005, they made an international leap to the Persian Gulf by opening an office in Bahrain.

Over the past few decades, HCP has continued to consolidate itself as a leading architectural studio nationally and internationally, yet keeping its main headquarters in Malaga, on the Ciudad de Melilla seafront promenade, from where Javier Higuera led a team that now includes over a hundred professionals. Despite his illness's limitations, in recent years he continued to be actively involved, meeting clients and overseeing projects, along with his partners Alejandro Pérez, Mario Romero, and José Luis Moreno.

Javier Higuera leaves behind a studio with projects in 36 countries, comprising 57,000 homes and 4,500 hotel beds. In 2019, he received a special mention at the XII Architecture and Interior Design Awards organized by the Porcelanosa group for his 25 years of professional career.

During 2024, HCP not only consolidated its presence in key markets such as Spain and the Middle East but also celebrated significant milestones such as the opening of its office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the award for 'Best Sustainable Luxury Residential' and the award for the best 'Smart Home' and 'Sustainable Residential' at the International Property Awards 2024, for Jade Tower in Fuengirola.

Locally, they have signed numerous residential and urban planning projects, some of which spearheaded the revival of the real estate market after the economic crisis, such as a 14-story tower in Teatinos, one of the three that have been erected in the Santa Rufina sector, and the building of 99 homes that accompanies the three towers built in the Torre del Río sector, next to La Térmica, a development in which they are also involved in the urbanization.

Their designs have reached as far as Egypt, where they were awarded for a luxury residential complex of 1,500 homes about a hundred kilometers from the city of Alexandria. They also projected an apartment complex, a five-star hotel, a shopping center, and a large lake in the area of Cairo International Airport; and a hospital center for Al Khobar, in Saudi Arabia.