Inventing campus architecture in the face of south america’s vastness

Architect José Cruz Ovalle develops a process of formal explorations that later materializes in the architecture of the UAI Campus. This architectural reasoning does not arise only from formal operations or intuitions, but also from a deep understanding of the spatial relationships that he detects in an extreme landscape —that of the Chilean territory—. The works of this architect capture the sky and the horizon, recognizing the unique condition that the Andes Mountain Range against the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. These spatial studies have become a fundamental tool to develop a process of formal and abstract operations that are then intertwined with the territory characterizing Cruz's unique architecture. 

The architecture exhibition presented here highlights challenges that relate not only to a particular geographical location, but also to the spatial potential that emerges for inhabiting and interacting when architecture is situated in extreme conditions, such as those of the mountains and hills of South America.

As part of the program led by Professor Felipe Hernández from the University of Cambridge, which seeks to promote the understanding of contemporary Latin American architecture at an international level, the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Chilean architect José Cruz Ovalle, recipient of the 2012 National Architecture Award, present at the University of Cambridge the exhibition “Inventing Campus Architecture in the Face of South America’s Vastness,” led by the Design Lab and the International Relations Office.

The exhibition, held at the King’s College Chapel in Cambridge remained  on display until September 26. It featured models, blueprints, diagrams, audiovisual material, and virtual tours developed at UAI, offering a glimpse into the architectural and pedagogical vision that shapes the university, as well as the daily experiences of students and faculty inhabiting the campuses.

Professor Felipe Hernández and Stephen Cherry —Dean of King’s College Chapel— praise the design of the exhibition and the quality of José Cruz Ovalle’s work, highlighting the importance of building academic ties to broaden the understanding of architecture.