New Architects in Latin America

TRIPTYQUE

2009-03-31T13:55:00.005+01:00

A visit to the studio and Sao Paulo projects of new Franco-brazilian practice Triptyque. More information and photos will be published when I return to London.

MMBB

2009-03-31T05:17:00.005+01:00

A visit to two recent houses by MMBB with Giovanni, one of the younger architects at the Sao Paulo practice. More photos will be added when I get back to London.

Vila Romana

Residência no City Boaçava

And the dog house...

23°S ARQUITETURA

2009-03-31T04:53:00.016+01:00

I met with Luís Pompeo, one of 10 partners at the new architecture collective 23°S. Each partner brings different skills and interests - from architectural design to infrastructure and project delivery - and this is reflected in the diverse projects the practice is competing for. The first completed project is the refurbishment of a school building originally designed by João Batista Vilanova Artigas.

NAUTILO

2009-03-31T04:32:00.004+01:00

Nautilo was co-founded by Gustavo Viana and Andre Becker in 2003. Together they have designed a number of residential projects and new houses.

IGOR DE VETYEMY: CITY OF SEX

2009-03-25T14:18:00.006Z

Igor de Vetyemy made headlines in Rio de Janeiro with his graduate project, Cidade do Sexo. His proposal for a sex centre in the middle of the city - with sex pods, museum, health clinics and offices - picked up media interest when he was called to city hall to present the project to the mayor.

CGI of Cidade do Sexo

AT HOME WITH MARLENE AND MARCOS ACAYABA

2009-03-10T21:11:00.016Z

This incredible house was designed by Marcos Acayaba in 1972 (completed in 1975) at the age of 28. He still lives here with his wife, design critic and blogger Marlene Acayaba.

Video of living space.

Marcos' studio.

A book on mid-century modernist houses in Sao Paulo by Marlene Acayaba.

BEHIND THE SCENES

2009-03-10T16:06:00.002Z

Photos by Jonathan Davies, Grupo SP, showing the documentation of Casa em Carapicuíba taking place.

GRUPO SP: TWO HOUSES

2009-03-08T15:24:00.020Z

Casa em Carapicuíba
This house for a filmmaker and his family is split over three floors, to allow for living and work space, with an entrance deck below the top level.

The top floor is a work space for the owners.

The floor below ground level is the main living floor, with a large open living room and separate kitchen.

Kitchen.

The lowest floor is a private space for the family - bedrooms, bathrooms, garden and pool.

Casa no Morro do Querosene
The house is for a historian and professor, and is designed around his extensive library.

Central living space and library.

Kitchen, with view to back garden.

The boys' room.
The central core (with frosted glass) contains toilets and bathrooms.

View from back garden

GRUPO SP

2009-03-08T15:09:00.004Z

Grupo SP is the office of Alvaro Puntoni, João Sodré and Jonathan Davies.
Model of recently completed house for Alvaro's brother, a historian and professor.
Model and CGI for a new apartment building for design-led Sao Paulo developers, Movimentoum.

The recent Casa em Carapicuíba, 2007, published in Japanese Numéro magazine...
... with top Brit supermodel, Agyness Deyn, on the cover. Go Aggy!

VOLT

2009-03-08T14:57:00.004Z

The new Volt bar opened on 2 March, designed with neon artist Kleber Matheus.

Kleber (centre) with video artist Ed Andrade (left) and Yassin Lahmar

RODRIGO CERVINO

2009-03-08T14:36:00.006Z

The best possible introduction to Sao Paulo, Brazil and South America's largest city, is a visit to the home of architect Rodrigo Cervino in Oscar Niemeyer's Edificio Copan, the largest structure built in Brazil with apparently the largest floor area of any residential building in the world.

Rodrigo's office is in the adjacent Edificio Itália, Sao Paulo's second tallest building.

Rodrigo's portfolio includes the recent Galeria Adriana Varejão at the Inhotim sculpture park.

A GAGGLE OF ARCHITECTS

2009-03-05T22:37:00.011Z

I have been meeting some incredible architects but, in the words of Roisin Murphy, it's never enough. Inevitably some slip through the net. So here's a round up of architects from different countries that I have not had a chance to meet in person for whatever reason.

Argentina
Lucio Morini, based in Cordoba. (new studios, below)

Chile
Beals Lyon
Grupo Talca

Colombia
Paisajes Emergentes
A landscape and architecture office working from Medellin. (new project, top)
plan b Arquitectos
Orquideorama project (below) by plan B and JPRCR (J. Paul Restrepo and Camilo Restrepo), also based in Medellin.

Grenada
COCOA - Caribbean Office of Co-Operative Architecture

Mexico
Tatiana Bilbao
Great portfolio of work including Estudio Explanada, 2008 (below)

CHAU, ARGENTINA

2009-03-03T22:19:00.001Z

It was a pleasure.

A TIGRE SPA

2009-03-03T21:48:00.006Z

Ana Rascovsky designed the spa extension to this Tigre summer house.

The local flora

ON THE RIVER IN TIGRE

2009-03-03T21:34:00.005Z

Boat trip out to Ana Rascovsky's Tigre retreat.

Max Zolkwer

2009-03-03T21:17:00.005Z

Max showed me the extension and refurb of his small, but perfectly formed, PH house, 2009.

SUPERSUDACA

2009-03-03T20:49:00.003Z

Supersudaca is a pan-Latin American collective of architects that met while studying at the Berlage Institute in 2001. While in Europe they realised there was a common bond between Latin American countries that was not being explored so started a think tank for architectural and urban investigation. Their moto is: "We don't want to change the world with architecture, we want to change architecture with the world."

Projects include built work, workshops, and a design competition for tourist resorts in the Caribbean. They have also conducted installations at Witte de With gallery in Rotterdam and won an award for best entry at the Rotterdam Architecture Biennale in 2005.

I met with Ana Rascovsky and Max Zolkwer (below), both based in Buenos Aires. Other members are currently in Talca, Lima, Curaçao, Montevideo and Rotterdam. The team is led by a taskforce, Supersudaka, in Talca.

WHAT MAKES A HOTEL GAY?

2009-03-03T19:10:00.007Z

A new hotel has opened in Buenos Aires that caters for gays and lesbians. Here are a few of the design features that distinguish it from its hetero counterparts. It starts with a swimming pool, viewed from below from the lobby and central stairwell...

The swimmers can watch the gym bunnies...
...who can watch the sun bathers...
... who are all observed from the jacuzzi.
In the bedrooms the central feature is a glass bath/shower
And an outdoor pool for sunbathing next to...
...glass box 'feature' showers...

...and a bar.
Scopophilia, anyone?

CASA VIEW

2009-02-28T17:38:00.008Z

A new house in Rosario by Johnston Marklee & Associates and Diego Arraigada.

Diego Arraigada

GUILLERMO BANCHINI

2009-02-28T17:22:00.003Z

Guillermo's home and office...

Aerial photos of farmland surrounding Rosario taken by Guillermo...
A new house designed by Guillermo in Kentucky Park

NICOLAS CAMPODONICO

2009-02-28T17:11:00.004Z

Recent projects coming from Nicolás' studio include critically acclaimed residences in Uruguay and a new tower (model below) currently under construction in his hometown of Rosario.

RAFAEL IGLESIAS

2009-02-27T14:51:00.014Z

Rafael Iglesias runs an adventurous studio in Rosario. His office is filled with experimental objects, young international architects, and new ideas.
Chair designed from inner tubes of tyres

Lamps weighed down by rocks
Doors that open and close at the same time

One of Rafael's new Colombian assistants
A new fertility centre. The reflective metal wall 'multiplies' the population, and distorts bodies to give the appearance of pregnancy...

San Luis 470, Edificio Altamiro. This residential project was started before the crash in 2001, and is now nearing completion.

A warehouse conversion adjacent to basketball courts
Pavilions in Parque Independencia

Rafael demonstates how the concave urinals enlarge the appearance of the penis while peeing, encouraging a correct aim.
The doors are bent to allow the strip lights to illuminate the corridor and the cubicle

The concrete roof of the food court is rested on tree trunks

ROADTRIP TO ROSARIO

2009-02-27T14:49:00.001Z

Hitch a very early ride with BaBO to see some new architecture outside of Buenos Aires.

FROM LATIN AMERICA TO ITALY

2009-02-27T14:36:00.002Z

This project has been picked up by Abitare, one of Italy's leading architecture/design magazines.

Read their report here: Travelling South

Thanks guys...

COLLECTIVO HBT

2009-02-26T17:18:00.004Z

HBT is a collective formed from two practices (Mariano Clusellas, Cristián O'Connor, Juan Ades and Alberto Campolonghi; Sebastián Colle and Rudolfo Croce) who work together on large projects. The office is on the first floor of Humboldt 1510, a building designed with Daniel Szuldman and Mario Zambonini who occupy the second floor.

First floor office

Juan Ades and Mariano Clusellas on the communal roof

DIEGUEZ FRIDMAN: TWO PROJECTS

2009-02-26T16:27:00.010Z

Clay 2928, Las Cañitas, Buenos Aires

Ayres flagship store, Palermo Viejo, Buenos Aires

FLORENCIA RODRIGUEZ

2009-02-26T16:21:00.003Z

Florencia Rodriguez is an architecture curator and critic in Buenos Aires. She curated the exhibition HEX about new architects in Argentina in 2007. This show is now touring, and opens today in Spain at Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Florencia has just been appointed the director of CEAC, a new centre for contemporary architecture at the University of Torcuato di Tella in Buenos Aires.
The HEX catalogue

Ariel Jacubovich

2009-02-26T16:08:00.003Z

BaBO / Tour of new projects

2009-02-23T17:35:00.008Z

House in Palermo, 2008

House in Pilar, 2009

MARTIN TORRADO / LIGIA GAFFURI / JAVIER ESTEBAN

2009-02-21T20:21:00.002Z

Martin, Ligia and Javier focus a lot of attention on architecture competitions. This has proved successful - they have just won the competition to convert marine warehouse into a new naval museum.

ESTUDIO BaBO

2009-02-21T19:58:00.004Z

Estudio BaBO is named after the home cities of its three founders: Francisco Kocourek (Buenos Aires), Francesc Planas Penadès (Barcelona) and Marit Stabell (Oslo). BaBO was just awarded first prize in a major masterplanning competition that made the front page of Clarín's architecture supplement.
BaBO's first project: Espacio Olleros, 2008. Their shared office that also contains a ground floor gallery space that they are looking to activate.

Model of BaBO's second project: Francisco and Marit's house, 2009.

A new brick house under construction near Pilar.

Summa+ / Barzón

2009-02-21T19:46:00.003Z

Fernando Diez and Tomas Powell run two architecture magazines from Buenos Aires. Summa+ serves the industry, while Barzón has a more cultural / consumer remit.

ADAMO|FAIDEN ARQUITECTOS: A TOUR OF RECENT WORK

2009-02-20T17:00:00.011Z

Office of Adamo|Faiden

Community centre in la Candida, 2009

Clubhouse la Candida, 2008

Edificio Conesa 4560, 2008

Edificio Arribeños 3182, 2007

a77

2009-02-20T16:24:00.007Z

Gustavo Diéguez & Lucas Gilardi launched a77 in 2006. They had previously worked together while studying at UBA (Buenos Aires' public university). Gustavo is now a professor at the University of Palermo, and Lucas teaches at the University of Belgrano. They showed me a new house they built for a family in Buenos Aires (the second house for the same client) that has been constructed from recycled and reclaimed materials. The ground floor is a large loft space. The programme is more defined on the first floor with bedrooms sited around a central courtyard. The roof has been landscaped with an asado, pool and grass feature (popular with the dog). The orange used throughout the house is one of the basic colours available to protect steel and is used as an aesthetic.

The architects use exhibitions to experiment with new types of structures and are currently planning a public installation for Barcelona in collaboration with local artists, recycling facilities and education groups.

PURR

2009-02-20T16:11:00.009Z

Purr is a bookshop / gallery by Marina Alessio providing a platform for international artists and new fanzines.

BUENOS AIRES

2009-02-20T16:09:00.001Z

Another country, another city...

PEZO VON ELLRICHSHAUSEN: ONE NIGHT IN CASA POLI

2009-02-06T18:21:00.009Z

Casa Poli, 2005. The happiest concrete cube in the world. Photos by Jaffer Kolb.

DRIVING TO CASA POLI

2009-02-06T18:14:00.005Z

Jaffer and I have been invited to stay for one night at Casa Poli, Pezo von Ellrichshausen's first building used for artist residencies. As we leave Concepcion early in the morning, the sky is full of smoke. The trees are burning all around. Apparently this happens ever summer, and no one seems too concerned.

PEZO VON ELLRICHSHAUSEN ARCHITECTS

2009-02-06T17:52:00.004Z

Pezo von Ellrichshausen is undoubtedly one of the best architects working in Chile today. The practice, based in Concepcion, has been designing buildings and art-based installation since 2001. Mauricio and Sofía are currently teaching at Cornell, so we were hosted by Leona Schäfer.

The office and home
The office dog
Model of Chilean installation, curated by Pezo von Ellrichshausen at Venice Architecture Biennale 2008

The recently completed Parr House
Pael House

GOODBYE SANTIAGO

2009-02-06T17:47:00.003Z

You were wonderful.

PUBLICATIONS

2009-02-06T17:44:00.002Z

SPAM is an art / architecture fanzine published in Santiago by Pablo Brugnoli, Kathryn Gillmore and Gregorio Brugnoli.

PULSO: New Architecture in Chile by Jeannette Plaut was published in January 2009.

CARRENO SARTORI

2009-02-06T17:10:00.006Z

Mario Carreño Zunino showed me around the female-dominated studio he runs with his landscape architect wife, Piera. They have established themselves with several projects at Santiago Zoo (for people and animals), and larger public projects inluding a new gymnasium and masterplanning a 50 hectares park in a run down part of town.

The first project was a house in a woods for their parents in 2000
Early models for a new reptile house at Santiago Zoo. They have already constructed the chimpanzee enclosure

The Zoo director's house and work spaces
A new gymnasium

PANORAMA

2009-02-06T16:36:00.005Z

Panorama is a new practice launching in 2009 by Nicolás Valdés and Constanza Hagemann. They have both returned to Santiago from London following periods of working on large scale projects (Nicolás at KPF) and further studies (Constanza at the AA's DRL). Their ambition is to now bring research-based practice, along with a knowledge of large projects, to urban and public projects in South America. Their HQ is a Japanese-inspired Carlos Alberto Cruz house in El Golf.

A previous project with FG Arquitectos

PLATAFORMA URBANA / PLATAFORMA ARQUITECTURA / ARCHDAILY

2009-02-06T13:45:00.004Z

Plataforma Urbana was launched in November 2005 as a forum to discuss urban issues. This was followed in February 2006 with Plataforma Arquitectura, now the most popular Spanish-language website about architecture. An English version, Archdaily, was launched in February 2008 and is now in the top 5 most visited architecture websites. The websites are open to contributions internationally and also publish international competitions and interviews. Founders David Assael & David Basulto will be taking part in Storefront's LA edition of Postopolis.
David Basulto (left) and David Assael

The web HQ

0300TV

2009-02-06T13:33:00.004Z

0300TV was launched by Sebastián Paredes (24), Diego Grass (24) and Felipe De Ferrari (25), three current students at the Universidad Catolica de Chile. It started with short films made on digital cameras while exchange students in Barcelona. They aim to show a more real depiction of architectural projects internationally than is possible in photography and magazine formats. They intitiate all their own content including a critque on public space in Chile and upcoming specials on Japanese and Chinese architects.
Diego Grass (above) and Sebastián Paredes

MORE SMILJAN RADIC

2009-02-06T13:27:00.003Z

A visit to twin houses by Smiljan Radic with Patricio Mardones and Argentinian architect Sebastian Adamo. The houses were designed for two brothers. The forms are mirrored, but the internal plans are configured differently.

CO-OP

2009-02-06T12:50:00.004Z

CO-OP (website launching soon) was established in 2008 by Nicolas Rebollado, Fernando Portal and Arturo Torres as a 'community of practice' with the belief in collective intelligence and not singular authorship. CO-OP consists of about 20 people in 3 departments (communications, web design/editorial, architecture) and their work ranges from built projects to art installations and annual reports.
Fernando Portal (above) and Nicolas Rebollado...
The architecture team...
The communications room...
Nicolas' band, The Co...
CO-OP was established as the next generation of URO1.org - a political architecture collective that ran from 1998 to 2008. URO1.org saw their work as part of the cultural transformation after the dictatorship to create public debate about social relations. The early Nautilus Project project (2000) featured an actress installed in a glass box in central Santiago - attracting strong media and public interest. M7 (2004) was a house constructed out of 71 sheets of plywood in 9 days. Both projects took place while the protagonists were still studying. In 2006 URO1.org was invited to guest edit the polish architecture magazine Arctura to present what they saw as the new wave of Chilean architects.
Nautilus Project (above) and M7
Archiecture magazine,February 2006...

CRISTOBAL PALMA

2009-02-06T12:40:00.002Z

Patricio Mardones, ARQ, and Cristobal Palma, a photographer that has been documenting the work of the best new architects in Chile, meet me for lunch in El Giratorio (Santiago's very own revolving restaurant).

OCHO AL CUBO

2009-02-05T15:36:00.006Z

Ocho al Cubo is a new development in a gated golfing community near Maitencillo. The developer selected 8 Chilean and international architects (and growing... Toyo Ito is now constructing one of the last houses). Photos: Jaffer.

Architects include Smiljan Radic...
Cristián Valdés...
Cecilia Puga... (Interior photos by Cristobal Palma)
Teodoro Fernandez...
Sebastian Irarrazaval...

And Toyo Ito's new addition...
Site map (Toyo Ito's house is being added bottom right)

SMILJAN RADIC: CASA PITE

2009-02-05T14:31:00.008Z

Smiljan is considered one of the most interesting architects working in Chile, and Casa Pite one of his finest houses. Antonia Peon-Veiga, the chica of the house and Parsons lighting design student, took us on a tour of the main house and guest house. Photos by Jaffer Kolb.

HOUSE BY dRN IN MAITENCILLO

2009-01-30T22:28:00.006Z

Bedrooms on ground floor
Living space on raised level

And a roof deck on top

CASA LARRAIN BY CECILIA PUGA

2009-01-30T21:15:00.008Z

A visit to Cecilia's house for her family in Bahía Azul. Her mother Barbara Larrain was our wonderful guide to the house. Photos by Jaffer Kolb.

Cecilia arrives

OPEN CITY

2009-01-27T15:44:00.004Z

Open City is an experimental community designed, built and inhabited by teachers and students from Valparaíso's Escuela de Arquitectura y Diseño. Tour by architecture tutor and ex-resident Mauricio Puentes and current resident and design tutor Michelle Wilkomirsky.

The playing fields: All the students at the school meet here on Wednesdays throughout the year

More images to be posted soon...

THE VALPARAISO SCHOOL

2009-01-27T15:12:00.004Z

An introduction to the Escuela de Arquitectura y Diseño, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, with tutor Mauricio Puentes.

Studios

Cafe designed by the teachers
Steps

ROADTRIP

2009-01-27T15:08:00.005Z

Hitting the coast road to seek out some buildings

ART, FOOD AND WATER

2009-01-27T14:27:00.002Z

A live interactive installation at a major gallery in Santiago. A kitchen feeds the onsite community, with produce from a garden in the grounds, and a water tower constructed in the main hall.

The artists explain the project

LA RESERVA / SEBASTIAN IRARRAZAVAL

2009-01-25T20:38:00.007Z

Tour of La Reserva, a suburban development in the hills north of Santiago, with Francisca Rivera and Jose Riesco. Buyers get to choose plans designed by a selection of contemporary Chilean architects. These are now being combined with more traditional designs.

One of the houses is by Sebastian Irarrazaval.

SEBASTIAN IRARRAZAVAL

2009-01-25T20:00:00.006Z

Sebastian Irarrazaval is well regarded in Chile. So far all his projects have been within the country, but he has recently been shortlisted to design the cultural centre at the Chilean Embassy in Buenos Aires.
Exhibition design made from shipping containers for the Santiago Architecture Biennale, 2000
His first project at the age of 24: a house in Las Palmas for a friend, 1993

And a beach house that is unfortunately not being built

RIESCO + RIVERA

2009-01-25T18:52:00.007Z

Francisca Rivera (30) and Jose Riesco (31) started working together in 2004. Their studio is in a fantastic building in the Lastarria neighbourhood.

The practice is completing a new house in Piedro Rojo based around internal courtyards, with natural ventilation and plenty of daylight.

dRN

2009-01-24T16:36:00.006Z

dRN is Nicolás del Río (33) and Max Núñez (32). They started collaborating in 2005 and already have an impressive portfolio, with growing expertise in designing for extreme mountain conditions.

UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE

2009-01-23T18:22:00.007Z

A tour of the architecture campus with landscape student Paula Aguirre and graduate Sofia Valderrama. The school is responsible for some of Chile's most prestigious architects, and is home of ARQ. Tutors and graduates have been employed to design buildings for the campus including Cecilia Puga, Alejandro Aravena (Elemental is based on campus) and, coming soon, a new design school by Sebastian Irarrazaval.

The extension to the library below. 1st stage designed by Teodoro Fernández, Smiljan Radic, Cecilia Puga. 2nd stage by Cecilia Puga, Patricio Mardones.
Paula reviews her landscape project

CECILIA PUGA

2009-01-23T16:43:00.004Z

Studio visit with Cecilia Puga, architect of some of Chile's finest homes.

Cecilia shares an office with Smiljan Radic on the 20th floor of this tower in central Santiago

EMILIO MARIN

2009-01-23T03:19:00.006Z

Emilio Marin has recently built a series of modular pavilions along the coastal road in Valparaiso - a favoured seaside retreat of Santiago's artistic community. His work touches on art practice, producing a range of exhibitions, publications, posters and badges. Emilio is launching the Latin America Network Laboratory in February with Fernanda Vuilleumier. This is an open network for architects and artists across the region to expose and catalogue their work.

Marin's Casa Muller, designed with Albert Tidy, can be seen in a music video by Chayanne, 'Si Nos Quedara Poco Tiempo'

CHAYANNE VS MULLER from emilio marin on Vimeo.

RADIC AND FERNANDEZ

2009-01-22T23:34:00.007Z

Lunch with Patricio Mardones at Mestizo, a restaurant designed by Smiljan Radic in a park designed by Chilean master Teodoro Fernandez. Stone pillars by Radic's partner, sculptor Marcela Correa.

A MODERN MONASTERY

2009-01-22T23:22:00.004Z

ARQ

2009-01-22T23:01:00.007Z

Partricio Mardones, subdirector of Ediciones ARQ and curator of exhibition Made in Chile, has been publishing the work of some of Chile's best architects. The magazine is published four times a year, and is complemented by books on Chile's modernist masters and younger architects including Cecilia Puga, Smiljan Radic and Pezo von Ellrichshausen. It is based at the Universidad de Catolica.

Postcards of magazine covers, by Chilean photographers and illustrators.
The editor's office.

JAFFER KOLB

2009-01-18T23:49:00.005Z

Jaffer Kolb, former Features Editor of Architects' Journal, arrived in Santiago to join my research of local architects.

SANTIAGO, CHILE

2009-01-18T23:44:00.004Z

Taking advice on first night in Santiago from architect Alvaro Moreira, and artists Trinidad and Pedro, at El Toro.

COLOMBIA

2009-01-18T23:40:00.000Z

A brief stopover in Colombia included a visit to Barranquilla and Cartegena, followed by an introduction to Bogota. My host on the coast was Juan Carlos Haag. Juan studied architecture, and now works as an artist in his grandparents' 50s farmhouse on the coast.

Juan Carlos HaagOne night in Cartegena at the house of filmmaker Toti Posse Emiliani.

My guides to Bogota, artist Juan Pablo Echeverri and arts producer Beatriz Lopez (below right).

A marketing campaign positioning the Continental in Bogota as an icon of architecture.

The Continental in all its glory...

PANAMERICAN GAMES 2011

2009-01-18T22:57:00.005Z

The neighbourhood in Guadalajara designated for redevelopment for the Panamerican Games...

THE RUSTY TROMBONE

2009-01-18T22:46:00.004Z

A late night site visit to artist-founded bar, the Rusty Trombone (named after a sexual act). Artist Jose Davila studied architecture in Gaudalajara and recently exhibited in the Berlin exhibition Megastructure Reloaded. He was part of the Incidental collective (1996-99) and started Guadalajara's contemporary art space OPA in 2002 with Gonzalez Lebrija.
Founder of the Rusty Trombone and OPA, artist Gonzalez Lebrija, with interior designer girlfriend Regina Vizlaino.

Guadalajara's top florist, Alejandra Gómez, currently designing her new store.

AN ARCHITECT'S HOME

2009-01-13T05:46:00.007Z

An afternoon salon with architect, teacher and mentor Sergio Ortiz. Also present were Patricio Arce, Chely Gomez, theorist Leonardo Diaz-Borioli and Thomas Watkin (from Collectif OOB, an international collective exploring architecture, politics and social sciences). Ortiz, and the house he designed, was featured in Wallpaper feature on Guadalajara in 2003 by Pablo Leon de la Barra.

From left: Chely Gomez, Thomas Watkin, Leonardo Diaz-Borioli, Patricio Arce, Sergio Ortiz

LEAP

2009-01-13T05:44:00.002Z

LEAP have been leading on public space planning in downtown Guadalajara, including an urban study of the historic centre and the re-landscaping of Diagonal Alameda (to be completed later in 2009).

SPRB

2009-01-13T05:35:00.005Z

GENERARQUITECTOS

2009-01-13T05:28:00.003Z

Arnoldo Rabago (28) started Generarquitectos at the end of 2006 after a stint at Zaha Hadid. The practice is receiving large commissions for stadiums, hospitals and a mausoleum, and has recently completed a new road / public space through the JVC centre in Guadalajara (below).

S2 / CITA

2009-01-13T05:21:00.002Z

Alfredo Hidalgo runs S2 studio and CITA, an agency for contemporary architecture and urbanism in Guadalajara. CITA run annual conferences and art projects.

BUILDO

2009-01-09T04:41:00.004Z

Manuel Vizcaino designed his first house at 23 before coming to the AA. He has a background in finance and started Buildo in 2002. The designs are computer based, which are then adapted to local building conditions to create a dialogue between high and low tech. This aesthetic is proving successful with luxury villas being snapped up by Mexican celebrities and soccer players.

The practice is also at the forefront of environmental design in Guadalajara. Manuel is collaborating with Patricio Arce on an energy efficient shopping centre that has caught the eye of HSBC - the bank has approached them to create a strategy to roll out 200 small scale eco-banks across Mexico.

Manuel and Patricio are also collaborating on a 12km street refubishment of Lopes Cotilla in downtown Guadalajara for the municipal government.

Buildo's office (below) was designed by Manuel with his father, a more traditional architect, and is a modern extension to an older building.

Breakfast with Manuel Vizcaino at Cafe Barra Cafe, a building he had originally designed at 28 for a local florist.

COLECTIVO GUAYABA

2009-01-09T04:32:00.006Z

The collective was started almost as as hobby by a group of young architects and graphic designers to pursue ideas and that were not being satisfied in their dayjobs. They meet once a week to discuss whatever is on their mind and the office has a small multi-disciplinary staff to deliver projects. The formula is working. They have been selected to design two of the new residential buildings for the Panamerican Games taking place in Guadalajara in 2011.

A model of one of the buildings for the Panamerican Games.

The front lawn / cactus garden.

ONE NIGHT IN DE LA PENA

2009-01-09T04:20:00.004Z

Overnight stay in a classic modernist house in Guadalajara.

GUADALAJARA

2009-01-09T04:16:00.006Z

My guides to Guadalajara, Patricio Arce and Chely Gómez...