Contemporary Latin American Architecture by Martín-Robles, Inés;

Short description:

Not a typical overview of Latin American Architecture, the book uncovers a series of lineages, often hidden or overlooked by international critics. This book offers a dynamic, intergenerational view of architectural evolution that contrasts with typical static and monolithic perspectives.

Long description:

Not a typical overview of Latin American Architecture, the book uncovers a series of lineages that are often hidden or overlooked by international critics.

In each chapter, prominent contemporary architects across Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Argentina position their work within both historical and contemporary local and international traditions, revealing the often unconscious lineages, influences, and affinities that shape the contemporary Hispanic American architectural scene. Contributing architects and firms include AToT Architects, Plan:b Architects, Al Borde, UZ:AA, and Grupo Culata-Jovai among others. They position their work within the context of lesser internationally celebrated historic architects such as Ana Elvira Vélez, Felipe Uribe, Jorge Mario Gómez, Ítala Fulvia Villa, Juan Ángel Casasco, Román Fresnedo Siri, Gustavo Scheps, Juvenal Baracco, Emilio Soyer, Miguel Rodrigo Mazuré, and more. This strategy produces a decentering of the internationally established Latin American canon and reveals cross-pollinations among different Latin American countries, offering a dynamic, intergenerational view of architectural evolution that contrasts with typical static and monolithic perspectives.

This will be a crucial read for all researchers and students of Latin American architecture, history, and cultural heritage, as well as all those interested in exploring non-Western, Global South, and non-canonical architectural traditions.

“The scholarship demonstrated in this book is outstanding, presenting a sophisticated understanding of both international architectural discourse and local traditions. By prioritizing practitioner voices, the book contributes meaningfully to the conversation about practice-based knowledge in architectural scholarship. By focusing on overlooked lineages and by grounding the analysis in local contexts and perspectives, the book offers a fresh perspective on Latin American architecture.”

Luis Rico Gutiérrez. Dean and Professor, College of Design Iowa State University.

“Inés Martín-Robles book expands our perspectives on Latin American architecture by uncovering overlooked lineages and fostering cross-country dialogues among contemporary architects. It challenges traditional narratives by highlighting diverse influences and lesser-known figures, providing an intergenerational and non-monolithic view of the region’s architectural evolution. An essential read for those interested in expanding the understanding of Global South architectural production beyond the canon.”

Jose Castillo. Chair of the Department of Architecture at Cornell's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning and founding principal of a|911, Mexico.

“Professor Inés Martín Robles curates a compelling collection of original texts by practitioners who, through lived experience, everyday practice, and shared memories, are shaping the contemporary architectural and urbanistic cultural traditions in the continent. Situating these distinct practices and discourses, Martin Robles contributes a compelling conceptual framework that reveals common threads and nuanced local specificities, reclaims overlooked contributions, and expands the inherited canonical narratives.” María Arquero de Alarcón. Professor of Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning, Taubman College, University of Michigan. Co-curator XIII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture.

“This publication provides a significant and timely contribution to the dissemination of Latin American architecture within English-speaking countries, seeking to elevate the visibility and recognition of the region’s rich, diverse, and frequently underrepresented architectural output, while promoting a deeper understanding of its cultural, social, and environmental dimensions. One of its strengths lies in its in-depth focus on a new generation of architects with limited international exposure but whose practices hold substantial regional significance.”

Gustavo Luis Moré. Principal and founder Moré Arquitectos. Editor, Archivos de Arquitectura Antillana, Dominican Republic.

Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION. Other Traditions  PART 1. RADICAL URBANITY  1. TO DO A LOT WITH VERY LITTLE. Revisiting the work of Juan Ángel Casasco and its influence on the production of AToT.  2. BACKGROUND NOISE. Colombian Architecture of the 20th Century Related to The Work of Plan:b Architects.  3. SHARED TIME. Gustavo Scheps, a Travel Companion.  4. COLOR COREOGRAPHY. Matter, Light, and Transit in Mexican Architecture.  PART 2. FRAGILE INFORMALITY  5. ECOSYSTEMS OF PROXIMITY. Taller E and Its Influence Over Paraguayan Contemporary Architecture.  6. ROOTED IN CLIMATE, GUIDED BY NATURE. Bioclimatic Traditional and Contemporary Practices in Costa Rica  7. INTERWOVEN TRADITIONS. The Legacy of Rother, Castro, and Martínez Sanabria.  PART 3. SOCIAL PARTICIPATION  8.THOUGHT CONSTRUCTION. Carlos Mijares Bracho: Architect of Foundational Principles.  9. MEMORY EXERCISES. From a phenomenological approach to cultural imaginaries.  10. TALES OUT OF THE UNCONSCIOUS. Pedagogy, Methodology, and Participation in Ecuadorian Architecture Since the 1980s  11. ARCHITECTURE AS A COLLECTIVE ACT.  Memory, Territory, and Public Life in the Work of Colectivo C733  PART 4. CULTURAL CANNIBALISM  12. TRANSITION ARCHITECTURE. A Local Interpretation of the Modern Material Legacy.  13. THREE INFLUENTIAL PERUVIAN MASTERS. Juvenal Baracco, Emilio Soyer, and Miguel Rodrigo Mazuré.  14. FRAGMENTS, CYCLES AND LEARNINGS. Shared works between Julio Vilamajó, Román Fresnedo Siri, and UZ:AA Architects.  15.TROPICAL MEDITATIONS. Hybrid Propositions between the Spanish Grid and the American Highway.