We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winner of one of our Honorable mentions for the “Irish Cult Music Venue” competition - Gonzalo Ignacio Garrido Courbis from Chile!

Gonzalo Ignacio Garrido Courbis from Chile

I am a final year student of architecture at the University of Santiago de Chile, where my thesis project consists of the development of this contest, deepening important features that require further analysis in my project.

At the same time I am part of the Final Architecture Workshop, taught by Professor Rodrigo Aguilar and Professor Pablo Montecinos. The workshop is made up of 8 students who participate in different competitions that are of their own taste. Each develops their theme, but together with the teachers as a guide, we generate feedback that helps a better development of the proposal that is finally presented as the title project for architect licensing.

My work history has been my professional practice in the Municipality of La Cisterna in Santiago de Chile, where I developed activities in the Department of Works. 

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where company/ individuals have been involved?

The vision that is generated in university, in a transversal way, is the development of critical thinking and research; the technical rigor together with the economy of resources; and the resolution of problems linked to vulnerable sectors of society.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Architecture, like many professions, has specialized so much that, we see that we advance, when in reality it is a setback as entities that can generate a more significant change losing ground in decisions that can improve the society. It is important every small decision we make as architects takes into account that the construction is frozen in time and we are passing through in this life.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

It was mainly a requirement of my architecture workshop to find a contest of personal tastes and participate, but it was more entertaining to think and evaluate myself how I solve architectural problems, and to know if my ideas and the ways of representing them were in accordance with what other people believe is correct. It makes me feel that we are on the right path, away from the personal ego that success can generate.

I like how strange and different the minds of people can be, who also believe that their way of solving architectural problems is totally different from mine and the way I thought, in addition to what can be learned collaterally with each proposal.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture vision competitions?

Throw yourself into the pool! There is no better time than now, work for the love of art, be honest with yourself, trust yourself with intelligence, and be loyal to their creative ideas, feel that they can improve the life of a person.

If you are thinking in each minute of the sensible development of your proposal, whether in conversations with friends or small observations of the world, where each decision is valuing the happiness and willingness to be inserted in your project, there is no way they fail. Remove the ego that generates competition and success, because it is better to travel where you learn from each small act, rather than the goal, where inevitably you must start again like the myth of Sisyphus.

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