‘We rely on experience and creativity to overcome obstacles’

The tournament was first held in 1953 and has been played annually since then, with the exception of 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trofeo Godó has a rich history and has been won by many of the greatest players in tennis history, including Rafael Nadal, who has won the tournament a record 11 times. Other notable champions include Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl, and Carlos Moya.

Each year, Losberger De Boer provides the tournament with top-class VIP hospitality space, as well as structures for the event infrastructure. Losberger De Boer and Godó have a long-standing relationship, that is based on mutual trust. “We have people in our team, who have worked on this project 14 times already”, says Nelson Caicedo, who is the Project Manager for Godó. “This includes those of us who are in contact with the client, helping them to define what they want us to build, as well as colleagues who calculate and assemble all the pieces of our structures.”

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...Project manager Nelson Caicedo...

An experienced project team
It’s safe to say, that Losberger De Boer can put together an experienced team for the recurring Godó project. Nelson himself has worked on the last six editions of the tournament. Caicedo: “Between us and the client, we have a lot shared positive shared experiences. We enjoy working on this project, and over the years, we have developed a strong relationship with the client that is based on trust. This allows us to manage all processes with transparency and agility, which is something our clients value enormously, especially in recurring projects like this one.”

Over the years, Losberger De Boer’s involvement has grown alongside the tournament itself. “In some areas, there is a big difference between the first edition we worked on, and the last one”, says Caicedo. “For example, in the players' area, we have transitioned from a ground-floor-only structure to a double-floor structure. We have also created new areas, such as the one on court 19.”

The most prominent change, however, can be seen in the VIP Hospitality Restaurant, which has increased significantly in both size and the quality of the provided space. Caicedo: “We have achieved a gradual growth by getting to know our client better each year, by evaluating the project's needs periodically, including spatial, technical, and economic aspects, by being proactive with our improvement proposals, and of course by carefully listening to the feedback from the client and our work teams. This has allowed us to ensure that the quality of our one-stop-shop solution has grown progressively and symbiotically with the evolution of this project over the years.”

When working on a project like Godó, flexibility is key. “This is also one of the things our client values most”, says Caicedo, alongside the continuous support from Losberger De Boer’s specialists in defining each space to meet the needs of the client best. "We work with the client on a large number of versions for each area of the project, showcasing flexibility in terms of structural, layout, interior design, and economic considerations. We also adapt our proposals to ensure that all stakeholders in the project can clearly visualize and understand them. For each area of the project, we provide several proposals to best meet the specific needs of the client, which can be very different from one area to another. This approach results in a large number of versions that help the client decide on the best solution, integrating structure, space design, and corresponding budget."

Barcelona Open 2022 
For last year’s edition, Losberger De Boer delivered a large number of facilities, including all hospitality space, multiple restaurants and lounges, restrooms, storage space, cloackrooms, and the main entrance area.

A lot of these facilities were bespoke solutions. Take the main VIP hospitality restaurant, for instance, says Caicedo. “This is a double-storey structure, where both the ground floor and first floor are larger than standard. We produced several elements and components, both structural and non-structural, specifically for this project, all to be able to the client's specific needs. The assembly process was also non-standard, and we had to make adaptations to ensure that we could meet their demands in terms of assembly time and safety requirements. In this instance, the client required a covered area that was larger than the standard dimensions that had already been approved for this type of structure. To me, this project is a great example of the type of projects we do, and how far we are willing (and able to go for our clients.”

A one-stop-shop experience
Apart from delivering space solutions, Losberger De Boer also provides Godó with other services, offering a turnkey solution. Caicedo: “In addition to creating a proposal with different types of structures and space solutions, as well as renderings and animations of the buildings, we also take care of topological surveys, sunlight studies, structural calculations, and all of the interior design for the structures we provide. We are able to do this, thanks to our multidisciplinary team, which consists of experts in various fields. By also offering the complete interior design, we offer our clients a true one-stop-shop experience!”

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Challenges
Each project comes with its own, unique challenges, and due to its size alone, Godó is no exception. Caicedo: “Since it is a large project involving multiple companies, coordinating all the work is complex. However, our experience in managing projects of this size, and specifically our years of collaboration with this event, enables us to have sufficient control over all potential setbacks. This is important, because it gives the client the security that we will deliver on time regardless of the circumstances. Responding to setbacks that invariably occur in this type of project is an essential part of the services we offer our clients.”

One of the biggest challenges of the last few editions, arose last year. “Our work on this project primarily involves hospitality services. Due to the pandemic, we had to virtually remake the entire project within a few months to comply with new regulations, while still meeting the client needs and satisfying their sponsors, while ensuring the project remained feasible for all stakeholders, including ourselves. It was a big challenge, but I dare to say that we really came through for our client.”

As a project manager who works on large-scale projects, overcoming obstacles is a critical aspect of Caicedo’s work. “The show must go on. Always. We believe that every obstacle presents an opportunity to explore alternatives that can ensure continuity and provide peace of mind for all stakeholders. We rely on our experience and creativity to overcome obstacles. Exceeding project deadlines is just not an option.”