SANTIAGO, CHILE

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

COLOMBIA

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

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

THE RUSTY TROMBONE

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

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

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

GENERARQUITECTOS

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

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