Suggested Research Lines
The research community is invited to submit original articles that explore, through a critical and documentary approach, the following dimensions of the 1925-1975 period:
- Literary production: Books and manuals written by architects, designers, or decorators that delve into theoretical, methodological or historical issues of design.
- Criticism, outreach, and correspondence: Analysis of articles in specialized architecture, design, or decoration journals, as well as outreach work carried out in the capacity of correspondents.
- Cultural mediation and transfer mechanisms: Exhibitions, catalogs, and competitions aimed at codifying and transmitting a theoretical narrative about design to civil society.
- Female discourse: Research that recovers the theoretical, pedagogical, and critical work of women architects and other professionals, analyzing their fundamental—and frequently invisible—contribution to the shaping of the discipline.
- Institutional activity and academic debates: Analysis of the predominant themes in the writings and debates of the time, as well as the role of conferences, awards, and the establishment of associations in the process of validating design.
- Protagonists of the discourse: Identification of the key protagonists of the period, analyzing the originality and impact of their theoretical proposals on the construction of modern thought.
- Cultural transmission: Studies on the import and circulation of foundational texts between different countries, analyzing how the translation and adaptation of these ideas hybridized national project cultures.
Therefore, the study of these texts and activities seeks to provide a double contribution to knowledge. On one hand, it aims to highlight the theoretical, pedagogical, and informative work of the architect in collaboration with professionals from the fields of industry and art, which is often hidden in writings published in print and audiovisual media. On the other hand, the monograph aims to bring to light the intellectual role of women in this process, contributing to a necessary revision of design history that sheds light on this less-known intellectual and disciplinary approach.
* This special issue is linked to the research project: "Contributions from Architecture to the Theory, Pedagogy, and Dissemination of Spanish Design (1925-1975)" – DISARQ. PID2023-153253NA-I00, Funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, UE. https://en.unav.edu/web/departamento-teoria-proyectos-y-urbanismo/disarq
María Villanueva Fernández / Héctor García-Diego Villarías_Editores invitados / Guests Editors
The guest editors and scientific committee invite architects and scholars to send texts in English or Spanish until 15 October 2026 (see editorial guidelines).
María Villanueva Fernández is a PhD in Architecture from University of Navarra. Professor at the University of Navarra, she has focused her research on the history and theory of 20th-century design, specifically the work of Spanish architects in design and the limits of this discipline within art and architecture. She has disseminated her research at several international conferences and has published various book chapters and articles in indexed magazines such as Interiors, Res Mobilis, EGA, PPA, Rita, VLC, among others. She is the author of the book Una Caracterización del mueble moderno (2020, EUNSA). She has been a visiting researcher at the Getty Research Institute (LA), at the GSAPP Columbia University (NY) as a visiting scholar, and at ENSAPBX, Bordeaux. She is a member of the SEPARATA research group.
Héctor García-Diego Villarías is a PhD in Architecture from the University of Navarra (2011) and Professor of Architectural Projects at the same university (2022) where he currently teaches. His research has been published in indexed journals such as Proyecto Progreso Arquitectura, VLC, RITA, RA, Res Mobilis, Boletín Académico, Cuaderno de Proyectos Arquitectónicos or Constelaciones, among others. It is worth mentioning his participation as author in Architect’s Journeys (GSAPP Books, 2011), After the Manifesto (GSAPP Books, 2014)-, and as editor in Pritzker Prizes: Acceptance Speeches, 1979-2015 (Arquia Foundation and in collaboration with the Hyatt Foundation) or Escenarios de Aprendizaje (Tirant lo Blanch, 2022, Q1 SPI). He is currently a member of the SEPARATA research group.
Submission Instructions and Editorial Guidelines
- Submission deadline: The period for receiving manuscripts will remain open from the publication of this call until October 15, 2026.
- Publication languages: Original contributions are accepted in both English and Spanish.
- Length and format: Articles must be unpublished, with a recommended length of 5,000 to 8,000 words (including critical apparatus, notes, and bibliography). An abstract and keywords must be attached in both the original language and English.
- Style guidelines: Proposals must strictly adhere to the Res Mobilis editing standards, available in the Author Guidelines section of their website.
- Submission platform: The reception process will be managed exclusively through the journal's OJS (Open Journal Systems) platform. Authors must register and upload their manuscripts via the Reunido - Universidad de Oviedo portal, selecting the section corresponding to this monograph.
- Selection process: All manuscripts will undergo a double-blind peer review system. Final acceptance will depend on meeting the criteria for scientific quality and historiographical rigor required by the editorial board.
- Contact: For questions regarding the suitability of proposals for the monograph or inquiries about the process, you may contact the guest editors at: mvillanuevf@unav.es / hgarcia-die@unav.es
Editors’ Note: Priority will be given to research that, drawing from unpublished primary sources, succeeds in revealing the intellectual substrate and the disciplinary framework that served as catalysts for the birth of modern design.