The Elemental studio is headed by artistic director Alejandro Aravena, winner of the Pritzker Prize and director of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2016. The studio is based in the capital of Chile, Santiago, and is untraditionally composed of people with a variety of skills and abilities. Their analytical approach to architecture and urban planning has led them towards original solutions to social challenges, such as the housing shortage in Santiago’s economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Instead of designing cheap housing, Elemental builds half houses at the same cost and enables customers to build the other halves themselves. The combination of good design and the engagement of the owners creates more sustainable housing areas.
In the series The Architect’s Studio the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art presents an exhibition on the Elemental studio, curated by Mette Marie Kallehauge and Kjeld Kjeldsen. The richly illustrated publication portrays Elemental’s working methods and work philosophy, as well as showing examples of their most important projects.