Alejandro Csome, an architect by profession and a communicator by vocation, is an Argentinean architect whose passion for his art has led him not only to talk about Architecture with his closest friends but also to his extensive network of followers of over two hundred thousand people around the world.
The communication of science and art is essential and highly accessible in the times we live in, however, the Argentinean professional would not achieve the success he has if he didn't possess the charisma, and above all, the love and dedication with which he brings the work of his profession to the table.
In October 2022, our collaborator and friend Jesús Torres (@J_esusTorres) had the chance to have a deeply interesting conversation with Alejandro.
Due to the length of this conversation (thanks for that, Alejandro), we've decided to deliver this interview divided into three episodes.
Jesus Torres: What is Alejandro's relationship with Architecture?
Alejandro Csome: It is my vocation. It is not just a way of life or a profession, but over time, I have developed a commitment that goes beyond the norm. Now, what does vocation mean to me? Architecture has become a way for me to serve the world with the intention of improving it, and that's what I want to do all the time. My hobbies are related to Architecture.
JT: What are your thoughts on urban planning?
AC: When you dedicate yourself to Architecture, the decisions you make within small projects regarding urban scale have an impact on this larger organism. I was at the Buenos Aires Biennial a few days ago and I heard architect Gloria Cabral, a Paraguayan-Brazilian architect; she argues that by finding a way to solve the structure of a house using debris from the city, you not only provide a solution to construction and Architecture itself but also address larger problems in the city.
Architecture is a small-scale response to the city.
In the small, you can solve a family's situation, but when replicated, it impacts the entire community. Today, my relationship is through Architecture.
JT: Do you think architects are aware of this impact?
AC: I believe that, in broad terms, despite urban planning being a new tool for city management, cities have thousands of years of evolution. If we put the creation of cities and the influence that architects and urban planners have had on them on a timeline, we can say that we are increasingly moving away from responsibility.
If we look at those behind gated communities and poor infrastructure, there may be architects or engineers as implementers or administrators who, in many cases, are detached from the responsibility of decision-making. I don't fully understand if it is a politically correct discourse (that architects have a responsibility towards the city) or if the practice of architects doesn't align with what is said about what needs to be done in cities.
There is some comfort (on the part of construction professionals), and there is displacement by those who make decisions and have the capital to develop. There is also a sector of architects who simply don't care about the city and only seek to mass-produce units to generate profits, and while I don't think that's entirely wrong, I also believe that we should be more active, at least in pointing out problems.
Here in Argentina, there are institutions and collectives related to construction that don't raise their voices despite their platform and relevance, or they only talk about problems if it serves their particular interests.
JT: Do you think it's a Latin American issue or a global problem, to be at the mercy of capitalism in order to develop quality cities?
AC: I don't think resources are necessarily needed to create a city.
They are not inseparable.
The government can create regulations and change codes so that private entities can develop. I don't have a problem with professionals making money. My issue is that money shouldn't be the sole variable in architectural planning. For example, if you create a housing construction and donate a certain amount of square meters to the municipality for green spaces, you get tax exemptions and create a new space for the city. It has immeasurable economic benefits: the improvement of health for residents, happiness, economic growth, and a reduction in the perception of insecurity; it is an invaluable gain for cities. Ultimately, we currently live under a scheme of making housing as cheap as possible and generating the highest returns, without considering any other form of gain.
JT: Like some sort of fast fashion in Architecture?
AC: Something like that (laughs).
JT: It's the desire to have the housing seen in American movies, regardless of its long-term viability due to environmental conditions, whether in Patagonia or the Mexican desert, users will want an American-style house.
AC: Exactly! It's a problem. We recently did a project using bricks and wood in Buenos Aires, in an area that historically hasn't received much support from public administrations; when we showed it to clients, they were surprised that the proposal was beautiful, which in turn surprised us. We told them that here everyone builds with bricks, but they responded that the type of housing they envisioned was the kind usually found in gated communities: with square volumes, even though we designed a house with a local essence and affordability.
We can create Architecture using materials that people with fewer resources can afford.
There is something replicable that neighbors can find, using materials they have used all their lives. With a small-scale project, you make an impact on the community. And in the end, we continue to respect the context: I can't build a wooden house in an area where adobe is primarily used, not because it may be considered ugly, but because there is already skilled labor available for working with certain materials, and a local economy adapted to work in a certain way, respecting the site's idiosyncrasies.
JT: There is a certain negligence on the side of the builder.
AC: There is. There is a lot of ego. There is a perception that if you share the knowledge that took you so long to acquire, it somehow loses its weight. Do my 8 years of education and postgraduate studies serve only to explain in 10 minutes why I decided to use bricks for a house? Yes! It is precisely for that! We need to reclaim the value of the small scale.
JT: There is often a lack of teamwork with the client, and their input is sometimes disregarded, right?
AC: The people's perception, the ones who will live in your Architecture, is ultimately the ones making decisions. I am currently touring universities in Argentina to see how we are working in the country. During one of these visits, I attended a workshop as an observer, and they were designing an elementary school. I asked if anyone knew what the day-to-day dynamics of such a school were like. No one knew! Then I asked if they had interviewed any teachers or school principals, and they all looked at each other, as if to say, "How did we not think of that?" (laughs).
The first thing, when working with a client, is to have a conversation with them. Get to know them. Understand their needs. What they like, what they long for, what they dream of, what they can afford. They won't say, "I need 100 square meters." They will say, "My school opens its doors at 7 in the morning, and two hundred unruly children rush in." The professional translates it as: a controlled access with high flow. You need that conversation with the client to know that, and for that, you need sensitivity and empathy.
To be continued (1/3).
Please go visit Alejandro's social networks: https://www.instagram.com/alejandrocsome/
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