a courtyard. On the other hand, it is incredible how well integrated it is— despite the different architecture—through the use of color and volume. Max R I try to avoid metaphors, but in the case of this new museum for the Atacama Region, it was necessary for the building to evoke some connection with the region. To achieve this, we wanted its space and the massiveness of its form to convey the weight and colors of Atacama and the temperature of the desert light. The interior has an intense terracotta light. At the same time, we thought of its spatiality as analogous to a ravine, a narrow place protected from the sun, creating an extensive ventilated perimeter. All these decisions are subject to an initial inten- tion, which I believe is the most relevant aspect of the project: to create a public plaza providing access to the interior of the site, which we hope will be an active courtyard for the cultural life of the museum and all the inhabitants of Copiapó. Yves R With regards to teaching architecture in Chile, how would you rate it? Where do you think it needs to go? Max R It is clear that the problem in Chile is that the supply of archi- tecture degrees has spiraled out of control, leading to high levels of unemployment. Given the unemployment situation, it is believed that architectural education needs to be diversified in order to create a larger market for this oversupply. I believe that this creates distortions and neglects the need for architects to be, first and foremost, professionals who know how to solve specific spatial and construction problems. That is what society expects of us. I understand the idea of thinking about more open and diversified schools, but I believe that this works against disciplinary practice, against knowledge about building and designing, which are basic skills that every architect should know and master, and I think they are being neglected. I am one of those who believe that if good architects graduate, regard- less of the job they end up in, whether it is in the public, private, or real estate sectors, they will undoubtedly do better and have a positive impact on the city. However, thinking that they will also graduate as experts in environmental issues, landscape, urban planning, or theory does not work well in a five-year curriculum. In my view, education should focus on design problems, solving specific disciplinary issues with imagination and creativity, and responding to contemporary challenges. !
FEATURE ARTICLE
Social housing studies based on comparative typology and its urban location problem
By: Yves Besançon & Pablo Altikes.
In light of the serious housing problems we are experiencing as a country because of a lack of government policies on social housing— manifested in housing shortages, social and urban segregation, poor spatial and functional housing quality, and bureaucratic and economic difficulties in accessing home ownership—this edition of AOA magazine presents two articles. The first reports on our comparative reality at the international level. The second article discusses the current situation of housing complexes in Santiago and their social, environmental, and urban issues, allowing us to learn and reflect on our role in public policy and our work as architects when designing social housing. . !
Alvaro Arancibia T.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: International models, design standardization, and everyday experiences. A research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) and developed jointly by the schools of architecture from the Royal College of Art (London) and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Research Team: Sam Jacoby, Principal Researcher (RCA) Álvaro Arancibia, Co- Researcher (PUC) Lucía Alonso, Researcher (RCA) Seyithan Özer, Researcher (RCA) Consuelo Albornoz, Researcher (PUC) Claudia Chavarría, Research Assistant (PUC)
We spend more than half of our lives in our homes, and despite the consensus on the positive impact that a well-designed house can have on people, it is not entirely clear what is understood and how the quality of housing design is defined. This question is particularly relevant when examining the role that architecture plays in this definition, especially in the case of subsidized or affordable housing.
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AOA / n°52
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