We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 2nd prize winners of our “Spirala Community Home” competition – Manuel Collado Arpia, Dustin Hernandez Jover and Berta Calle Martos from Spain!
Manuel Collado Arpia
I have a PhD in architecture and am the founder of the Madrid-based architectural offices: Manholo 2018–2021, Mi5 architects 1999–2015 – both are small-scale offices with no more than five people engaged.
I´m also an architecture teacher and I´ve been Unit Master at the Architectural Association in London 2011–2018, and actually am teaching regularly as lecturer at the UAH Public School of Architecture in Madrid.
Since 2000, I have been deeply engaged with diverse holistic practices, like Aikido as an instructor, Katsuguen Undo, Zinheng Qigong, and meditation.
These are some of the projects I’ve been involved in, representing a variety of scales, mostly coming from public and some private competitions:
• "80 social housing in San Francisco Javier II" Madrid, 1999.
• "Planning and development Calpe´s seafront" Calpe, Spain, 2000.
• "Planning and development of the Playa del Inglés seafront" Gran Canaria, 2001.
• “Youth Center in Getafe”. Madrid, 2003.
• “Youth Center in Fuenlabrada”. Madrid, 2006.
• “Youth Center in Rivas-Vaciamadrid”. Madrid, 2008.
• “Domingo Gascón Square”. Teruel, 2013.
• “School of Musicality” Madrid, 2018.
Architecture is the geometry that unfolds human life on earth; this built geometry, in addition to offering us shelter, broadens our way of being and perceiving reality. The architect is the mediator who creates the right space and geometry for each way of life. Since 2018, the studio has also acquired an environmental sensitivity that seeks to integrate architecture, body, and nature in a continuum, understanding the project as a holistic process.
Architecture competitions are a public space to discuss ideas and communicate creative architectural processes to society. For my office, it’s the way our work becomes part of a global community.
There’s no learning in an isolated creative or architectural process. Ideas flourish within open discussion forums, and that’s why architectural competitions offer great spaces for debate. It's also a constant training to activate creativity when you are surrounded by an “over-professionalized” architectural market.
Design meditation cabins to help Tokyo citizens destress and reconnect
Design a structure that would function as a source of education on past events or a method of raising awareness of ongoing injustices
Design guest homes for an organic winery in Italy
Design a picturesque painters' residence
Design a sustainable artists residence in honor of Antoni Gaudi
Design a movie pavilion set in the stunning scenery of northern Iceland
Design a new concept of small-scale home
Use architecture to create different emotional states
Design a pavilion to exhibit rammed earth as a building material
Design affordable housing in Las Vegas
Share your views on architecture competitions
Design THE architect's t-shirt!
