Responding to the needs of a new urban order has never been so pressing

In an extraordinary academic session, the National Academy of Architecture held the investiture ceremony of nine architecture professionals as emeritus academics. This is the highest degree awarded by the academy to those who have practiced architecture for more than 25 years and have distinguished themselves in the exercise of their profession. This degree is awarded for life and the faculty is made up of 100 of them.

In the midst of an emotional ceremony that also reminded colleagues who have left their place on earth to now occupy a place in the living memory of our cities, states and architectural spaces, José Francisco Reygadas Valdéz, president of the organization, reminded everyone its members that it is a time to actively participate in their profession, “architectural scholars, academics, must be attentive to the new needs of society, not only at the level of commercial demand but of phenomena such as climate change, health requirements, new habits and work spaces that are transformed”.

For this reason, he announced that the Academy took up the challenge launched by former president Francisco Covarrubias and Claudio Sáenz, to integrate the metropolitan forums with proposals for territorial planning, an activity that has already begun in various parts of the Republic, to achieve solid proposals and be able to collaborate , “because it is our subject”.

In her opening speech, the architect Mónica Cejudo Collera assured that the 21st century academy has the obligation and the opportunity to promote a deep and serious knowledge of what happens in the field of architecture, while offering the conditions based on which will be able to analyze, discuss and discern about the new positions with a fresher, more open, purposeful and above all more daring vision.

It is time for the avant-garde, not for confrontation, but also for the recovery of memory, with concepts of region in a world with practically no borders, that is today’s academy, which is alive and has wide spaces for reflection”.

Reygadas Valdéz also mentioned that the mission of responding to the needs of a new urban order had never been as pressing as it is today, at a juncture where historical factors are added to the effects of the health emergency and its economic consequences.

He said that there are three major problems in which architects must commit to intervene: The challenge of harmonizing urban development with environmental protection, labor mobility and sanitary conditions, a product of the post-pandemic, all in the midst of a global economic crisis, that changes the origin and destination of inputs, as well as the priorities of public and private works.

He added that the commitment must be in fundamental areas such as energy efficiency, water resources, waste management and the circularity of materials, the innovation of construction technologies, the use of sustainable and locally sourced materials, in addition to the criteria of spaces in relation to health and the impact on mobility.

A goodbye to colleagues and a commitment ahead

“At this moment I remember the song by Alberto Cortez, when a friend leaves, because when a friend leaves, he leaves an empty space that is difficult to fill. This is similar to the National Academy of Architecture, because in this unfortunate stage of the pandemic, nine emeritus academic friends left us,” said Reygadas Valdéz.

Although each one left a gap that was difficult to fill, he explained that the statute establishes the commitment to consult and receive proposals from candidates that comply with the principles and objectives of the academic institution. “Now is a day of celebration for the reception of new emeritus academics who come to complement this body that gives all the strength and seriousness to our institution before society.”

The new members are: Mónica Cejudo Collera, Raúl Delgado Lamas, Antonio Gallardo Escamilla, José Grinberg Damashevitsky, Jaime Latapí López, Cecilia Martínez Leal, Gabriel Mérigo Basurto, Enrique Norten Rosenfeld, José de Yturbe Bernal.

In an interview, the architect Cecilia Martínez, shared with El Economista: “For me it is very emotional, I am very honored, I did not expect it and it is a great responsibility, it will be important to reflect and get to work.”

He assures that a very important challenge for architecture is coming, and at this moment there are infinite roles that architects can have in public life, politics, advising offices that can influence the work of the cities themselves, “all this implies a paradigm shift, there is always something to do”.

Finally, she stressed that for years women have always been relegated, “today we have to fight so that this does not happen anymore, I appreciate this place but we have to continue fighting so that it does not even have to be said, that it is very obvious and everyday.”

The architect Mónica Cejudo agrees with this, adding that in this 21st century the new currents of thought have generated greater awareness of the professional work of women in all fields and areas of knowledge, and of course architecture is no exception. , “Fortunately, we live in a historical time in which equality is promoted and it is recognized that talent has no gender. I offer this honorable distinction with great affection to my fellow architects who have made such contributions to architecture as a profession and as an art form.”

Each of the new members made a biographical journey to remember the colleagues who have left and who left their place and legacy in this Academy, with emotional words they said goodbye, then they took on the challenge. “Being received within the National Academy of Architecture is a great honor. Participating now as emeritus academics is not a noble title, it is an important and enormous commitment that helps us to strengthen it with a vision of the future”, said Jaime Latapí, “all academics must join and integrate into a collective thought characterized by ethical values and and thus make known and recognize the enormous problems in our environment, but proposing answers to the big issues”.

About the National Academy of Architecture

The National Academy of Architecture was founded in 1978 by Arch. Mario Pani. It is a non-profit, apolitical organization that seeks to know and make known the architectural culture, recognizing its creators to harmonize urban development in the transformation of cities.

The organization is made up of thirteen local chapters in the main cities of the country, with a community of 470 members, of which one hundred have been appointed Academic Emeritus for life.