Christmas Robot

It all started with a Christmas present, much like in the famous Nutcracker. The son of Barcelona-based architect and urbanist Josep Fargas received a LEGO Mindstorms robot as a gift. At first glance, it seemed like a simple toy for kids, but it instantly caught Fargas’ attention.

“I immediately recognized its unmatched educational potential and proposed starting a robotics club at the school my son attended. I took on the management role myself,” recalls Fargas.

This was followed by another pivotal coincidence: just a few days before the club’s launch, the newly hired robotics teacher was involved in a motorcycle accident, and Fargas had to substitute for him.

Josep Fargas with students during a learning lab at TUMO Yerevan, 2015

Although Fargas had previously taught at Barcelona’s architectural school, he had never worked with ten-year-olds and was nervous about it.

“I was a little anxious at first, but after the very first class, I fell in love with the students, their creativity, and their curiosity,” says Fargas.

The course proved so successful that Fargas decided to participate in local and international robotics competitions, where his students’ performance was truly remarkable.

A worktable in a learning lab at TUMO Beirut, 2019

The Talking Refrigerator

But creating robots was never an end in itself for Fargas. As an architect, he had always dreamed of creating intelligent things, buildings that could understand you and respond to your commands. However, architectural and robotics knowledge alone wasn’t enough. You had to be a wizard who understood the language of things, someone fluent in multiple programming languages, and with solid engineering skills.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Fargas immediately got to work. He began by “talking” to his refrigerator, then went on to acquire electrical relays, sensors, and other gadgets, integrating them to make everyday objects “smarter.”

Josep Fargas overseeing his students during an IoT learning lab at TUMO Yerevan, 2025

Eventually, he developed a complex system that controlled four buildings and hundreds of devices, all connected to a virtual network with internet access. For example, the system could automatically close window shutters to protect interiors from the sun or open them in winter to receive heat. It also regulated garden irrigation based on weather conditions, among many other functions.

During COVID, Fargas acquired skills that allowed him to make almost any object, gadget, or even an entire building intelligent. So instead of simply making robots, he learned how to transform things into robots. His experience with robotics and IoT became the foundation for numerous TUMO learning labs around the world. The enthusiasm and curiosity that drove Fargas to create smart systems were passed on to teenagers worldwide.

The Person with the Most TUMO Learning Labs Under His Belt

Josep Fargas has led a record 13 learning labs at TUMO centers in Yerevan, Stepanakert, Gyumri, Beirut, Paris, and Lyon—all on a voluntary basis.

Students performing with their robots during their final presentations at TUMO Yerevan, 2012

In 2012, after a two-week lab, his TUMO Yerevan students participated in a performance with the robots they had built and programmed themselves.

“Every experience has been wonderful and unique, but the first labs at TUMO Yerevan were the most inspiring and emotional,” Fargas recalls. “They were the very first learning labs at TUMO, which made the students extremely motivated. The resources we have today were not widely available back then, and TUMO provided students with access to modern technologies. For them, TUMO was a paradise.”

Fargas also fondly remembers his IoT learning lab during AltJuly 2025, when students hacked the electrical system of TUMO Yerevan and created various lighting projects. For their final presentation, they showcased the chaos of their worktables, overflowing with random gadgets and tangled wires.

Josep Fargas and his TUMO Yerevan students during a final presentation, 2025

“I used to be very strict, but over time I realized that students need to learn according to their interests, skills, and at the right time. I let them do whatever they want, and I’m very radical in this regard.”

Fargas, who has led more learning labs than anyone else across Armenian and international TUMO centers, holds firm pedagogical principles.

“I don’t believe teachers who say students should learn entirely by themselves. The role of the teacher must be active and organized. For example, it’s essential to learn programming, to have structured knowledge, and to develop logical thinking. Learning programming is just as important as learning a foreign language.”

Josep Fargas and his TUMO Yerevan students during a final presentation, 2025

The Most Important Advice

Fargas’ long career and diverse interests have taught him one crucial lesson he wants to share with aspiring educators.

“If you want to give students the freedom to create what they want, you have to be ready for chaos and complex situations. Students may ask questions you don’t have answers to, but the journey is more important than the result. And if you want to keep learning yourself, you must show students how—by involving them in the research process.”

We’re confident these words will inspire our workshop and learning lab leaders. And we’re just as sure that we’ll see Josep Fargas at TUMO centers again,perhaps in one of our future locations, Armavir or Montevideo.

See you next time, Josep!