COLOMBIA: TRANSFORMED. ARCHITECTURE = POLITICS

The Instituto Cervantes of Chicago in collaboration with MAS Studio is proud to present the world premiere of this groundbreaking architecture exhibition. This exhibit traces ten recently built social projects by five leading voices in contemporary Colombian architecture: Daniel Bonilla and Giancarlo Mazzanti from Bogota, and Felipe Mesa, Juan Manuel Pelaez, and Felipe Uribe from Medellin. These visionary and socially conscious works – daycare centers, kindergartens, schools, a sport complex, and a library, mostly winners of architectural competitions, which have become the norm for building public projects in Colombia – reflect significant social shifts that are taking place in Latin America today. They demonstrate ideas of social inclusion, as well as innovative architectural forms and spaces, which have been steadily transforming Colombian cities and the nation. Thanks to political, economic, and social reforms, in concert with a belief by local politicians in the transformative power of architecture, which is able to bring identity and higher visibility to various parts of towns, create new dignified and attractive public spaces for interactive learning and leisure, and most importantly, uplift the spirits of residents of the poorest neighborhoods. Engaging buildings, convenient public transportation, iconic landmarks, plazas, and parks improve quality of urban space, transform mindset of the inhabitants, and enhance their lifestyle. The projects are explored through photographs, slides, drawings, and film footage to celebrate how these buildings are appropriated by the public. The exhibition will be accompanied by lectures by David Escobar (April 3) and Giancarlo Mazzanti (April 16). Curator Vladimir Belogolovsky, Intercontinental Curatorial Project Co-curator Fernando Villa, Magnusson Architecture & Planning Exhibition sponsored in part by the Sociedad Colombiana de Arquitectos. For more information about the exhibition and accompanying events, please visit: http://chicago.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha80356_47_2.htm This exhibition is organized as part of the ongoing Architecture and Urban lecture series organized by the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago and MAS Studio and directed by Iker Gil.