Alejandro Varela (founder) holds a Master's in Architectural Communication from the Technical University of Madrid's School of Architecture (ETSAM-UPM) and a degree in Architecture from the Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Urbanism of the University of the Republic (FADU - UdelaR). Alejandro has developed his professional practice in Montevideo, Madrid, Porto Alegre, and New York. He has served as project and site director at HMOZ, an experimental architecture office, and co-curator of the third edition of Edumeet, titled "Friction: International Exchange Meeting on Learning," held in September 2022 in Madrid. He authored "Friction: Atlas of an Architectural Journey" as his master's thesis and "BibNa+: Reactivation of the National Library" as his undergraduate thesis. He has received scholarships from the Carasso Foundation and HablarEnArte for postgraduate studies in Mediation and Architectural Communication at ETSAM-UPM (Madrid); from Laguarda Low Architects (LLA) and FADU-UdelaR for an internship at LLA New York; from MARCA for undergraduate academic mobility at UFRGS (Porto Alegre); and from ERASMUS+ for undergraduate academic mobility at ENSAPLV (Paris).
Architectural Frictions (AF) is a space for reflection and experimentation within the socio-political dimension of architecture. AF operates integrally in architectural practice, curatorial projects, and academic teaching in the fields of project development and critical thinking. AF has developed a series of projects ranging from the formalization of various architectural programs to the creation of alternative learning experiences. AF collaborates with other experimental practices such as HMOZ in Montevideo, JMR in Madrid, and FluidForme in Turin.
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How can architecture mediate power relations toward a more equitable and just reality?