Alsar Atelier, led by Alejandro Saldarriaga, is an architecture and design studio based in Boston and Bogotá. Their practice focuses on the planning and creation of public facilities with an emphasis on social benefit, as well as small-scale residential projects. The studio employs a design approach that prioritizes the use of sustainable materials, cost-effective strategies, and active community collaboration.
For these reasons, Alsar Atelier was selected by ArchDaily as one of the best new architecture practices of 2023. Below, we bring you an interview with Alejandro Saldarriaga to get a closer look at his inspirations, working processes, and future projects.
From Colombia, you have been focused on researching low-cost/low-tech design solutions for persistent issues in the Global South. What inspired you to pursue this path? What inspires you to practice architecture?
My interest originated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia. Thanks to the Colombian Society of Architects and TALLER architects, I had the opportunity to participate in the creation of economic revitalization spaces in Bogotá in response to the socio-economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
During this period, I was able to experiment with more speculative ideas that I had begun to explore during my master's degree, such as temporality and dynamism in architecture. I quickly realized my strong interest in being able to materialize ideas that diverged from traditional norms while simultaneously having a positive social impact on public spaces in Bogotá.
It was at this moment that I decided to delve deeper into the research and development of these types of interventions and architectural approaches. I founded Alsar Atelier as a platform to support these projects and continue exploring innovative and accessible design solutions to address persistent issues in the Global South.
Currently, what is your work process like to achieve that architecture?
Achieving this socially focused architecture involves several interconnected steps. Since these interventions are often pro bono and lack proper compensation, I have taken on the role of an investor in these projects.
This means that in many cases, I initiate the process by reaching out to communities facing persistent needs, which may extend beyond the context of the pandemic. Once contact with the community is established, we undertake a collaborative design process, working closely with the community to understand their needs and priorities. This ensures that the architectural solutions are effective and suitable for their specific context. Subsequently, we begin the search for funding from various sources, including non-governmental organizations, private donors, or even educational institutions.
Furthermore, since many of these interventions are considered "experiments" in the field of social architecture and design, it is possible to link them with academic research. This facilitates access to funding provided by educational institutions that support social research in the Global South. In this context, I am currently working at Northeastern University in Boston, an institution that actively supports research and projects in social architecture in the Global South, providing a conducive environment and resources to effectively carry out these interventions.
In summary, my work process combines the roles of an investor, collaborative design with the community, diversified fundraising efforts, considering projects as academic research, and the support of educational institutions. This approach enables the realization of social architecture projects that address persistent needs in the Global South in a meaningful and sustainable manner.
You have been working collaboratively: with Oscar Zamora, César Salomón, SCA for a community fog catcher; with Henry Guadrón for an Invisible Architecture Installation; and with Karim Saleh Studio (KSS) and Pietro Mendonca for the Inversive Enclosure Installation, among others. How does working with this dynamic operate for you?
Working collaboratively has been a very enriching experience for me. I've found that this dynamic brings several benefits.
First, mutual collaboration significantly accelerates the project development process. The diversity of ideas and approaches that each team member brings can lead to more creative and efficient solutions. Additionally, in cases like working with César Salomón or the Colombian Society of Architects (SCA), where it's not just about design but also about engaging with the community and securing funding, collaboration becomes essential to achieve a social objective.
Another significant benefit of working collaboratively is the amplification of media exposure for proposals. By joining forces with other professionals or institutions, you can reach a broader and more diverse audience. This is especially valuable in the field of design, where visibility and networking can be crucial to the success of a project.
In summary, working collaboratively has allowed me to leverage the diversity of ideas, expedite the development process, engage with the community, and secure funding for projects with social objectives. Furthermore, collaboration has also expanded our outreach and network, enriching my experience in the world of design and architecture.
Recently, you have been selected by ArchDaily as one of the Best New Practices of 2023. In that regard, you mentioned that "the studio has started engaging with informal settlements in Bogotá, and they are currently speculating about new typologies emerging from the coronavirus pandemic." Could you delve a bit deeper into this interest?
This interest is a fundamental part of our design philosophy. This design philosophy was born in the midst of the pandemic, and it was fascinating to observe how the world underwent significant changes in such a short time. I personally correlated much of the reality we experienced in 2020 with everyday situations described in magical realism novels, as our global reality transformed in unimaginable ways in a matter of months.
During that unusual period, architects and designers worldwide began to respond uniquely to this strange reality. We noticed a proliferation of ephemeral projects with a public dimension all around the world. This marked a significant departure from the traditional typology of "emergency response architecture," which historically focused on creating shelters after acute disasters.
The pandemic led architects and designers globally to create temporary solutions with public programs, such as restaurants, chapels, cinemas, and others, that not only addressed the immediate needs of the pandemic but also responded to a long-term societal emergency.
This situation led me to speculate about the emergence of a new architectural typology after the pandemic: public architecture designed to adapt to chronic emergencies rather than acute ones. To test this theory, I decided to work on informal landscapes in Bogotá, which are characterized by being in a constant state of emergency due to their precarious conditions.
After implementing the "community fog catcher" project in this context, we understood that these informal landscapes significantly benefited from projects with extended temporality, a public nature, and a clear social objective.
To further investigate the validity of this theory, we have continued working with informal communities in Colombia and have begun exploring its applicability in a completely different context: migrant populations in the United States. This approach allows us to contribute to architectural solutions that address chronic emergency needs in diverse communities.
In summary, at Alsar Atelier, we draw inspiration from the creative and unique response of the global community of architects and designers during the pandemic. We aim to explore new forms of public architecture that can adapt to chronic emergency situations and contribute to the well-being of informal and vulnerable communities.
Lastly, what new projects are you currently working on? What would you like to develop further?
Currently, I am involved in a variety of projects that span different areas. In collaboration with the Colombian Society of Architects, we are developing a mobile laboratory prototype aimed at facilitating community gatherings in informal neighborhoods in Bogotá, with the goal of enhancing community participation and cohesion.
In addition, I am working on development processes alongside communities in the San Luis neighborhood in Bogotá, focusing on addressing the specific needs of these communities and improving their quality of life.
My project scope has expanded to public spaces in Boston, where in 2024, I will be developing a community space for a Middle Eastern immigrant population in the northern part of the Cambridge neighborhood as part of the "Shade is Social Justice" initiative by the Cambridge government.
In parallel, I have been involved in the development of single-family homes in Colombia and the United States, addressing housing needs in a personalized and efficient manner.
Long-term, I aspire to venture into the development of larger-scale public buildings, always with a focus on ephemerality and non-traditional construction methods, which would allow me to address architectural and social challenges innovatively. These projects reflect my commitment to designing architecturally relevant and beneficial solutions for the communities they serve.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: New Practices. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and projects. Learn more about our ArchDaily topics. As always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
For the 2023 edition, the selected New Practices were Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture, Alsar Atelier, ASPJ: Agencia Social de Paisaje, ATELIER XI, Branco del Rio Arquitectos, Diogo Aguiar Studio, forty five degrees, gru.a, Infraestudio, JK-AR, KOSMOS Architects, Oana Stanescu, Office Kim Lenschow, Oficina Bravo, Paulo Tavares, prototype, Rayon, RoarcRenew Architects, Spacon & X, Taller General, Tideland Studio, U-Build, Urban Beta, vão, y Willow Technologies.
