Archikubik

Archikubik, French-Catalan office of architecture, urbanism and urban landscape. Established in 2001 by Marc Chalamanch, Miquel Lacasta and Carmen Santana, it is formed by an international and French-speaking team. It operates in an R+D+I environment in a transdisciplinary space (@kubik); a place they created and have been managing for 20 years. This working environment has allowed them to learn how to work in a collaborative way and to trust in collective intelligence to develop the projects for the complex polis of the society of information.

Its urban and architectural work process is framed in the exploration of synergies and exchanges between the public space (PS) and the private participatory space (PPS). Its purpose is to reformulate our cities and territories as places of learning, debate, diversity, respect and exchange.

Archikubik conceives the projects as a possibility to give the inhabitants the possibility to become eco-citizens within the communities.  Through architecture, it aims to make public space and landscape an opportunity to reformulate our territories and our cities in the age of social networks.

In order to achieve this compromise, our projects are based on the scale 1/♥, where what’s alive is the infrastructure (the human, the vegetable, the biodiversity).

Its particular systemic approach is aimed at developing a broad interpretation of the idea of landscape as a tool for creation  while acting as the vertebral infrastructure of the territory. The aim is to create an organoleptic environment that is open, resilient and appropriable, with a productive landscape as a horizon for reflection. This approach is in line with an open-code urbanism: an inclusive urbanism of uses in where the square meters are intelligent and incorporate the time vector.

Moving forward in a process of networked urban acupuncture, all projects and all scales constitute an opportunity to implement strategies and tactics to go beyond the conventional codes of the past century’s industrial world. The exploration of new typologies to address the transformations of society are an integral part of the firm’s genetic code.

Team

To reinforce our research and incorporate its results into our projects, we collaborate with several startups and platforms, such as La Ville E+, ECOCIT’EMS, Live in a @living city and also Ville Hybride. Furthermore we are part of the academic body of the architecture schools of Barcelona: ETSAB and ESARQ with different levels of implication (project professors, master’s coordination, and workshops).

Our structure, located in Barcelona, is made up of a multi-disciplinary and multi-lingual team, having project managers who coordinate the teams and guarantee the follow-up of the operations in direct during all the phases of the project, from the conception to the execution. We always approach projects in a global manner and secure the complete operation through a working method based on regular presence, in close collaboration with our partners: engineers, economists, site managers… With all of them, we have built up trusting relationships that allow us to jointly guarantee the quality of our interventions throughout all project stages, from preliminary studies to site follow-up.

Awards

Last recognitions for the agency: 

• Spanish Urban Planning 2021 Award, CSCAE, Agrocity Gagarine Truillot, Ivry-sur Seine, France
• EPL 2021 Trophies Finalist, « City opf tomorrow – Smart city» category , ZAC Rouget -de-Lisle, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
• Winner Réinventer Paris 3, 2021, Scène des Loges, Paris 15, France
• Winner Quartiers Fertiles 2021, ANRU, Agrocity Gagarine Truillot, Agrocity Gagarine Truillot, Ivry-sur-Seine, France
• Eco-Neighborhood 2020 Label. stage 2, Agrocity Gagarine truillot, Ivry-sur-Seine, France
• European Award for Management and Business Innovation 2019, from the Asociación Europea de Economía y Competitividad (Aedeec), Spain.
• Selected for the Catalunya Construcció 2018 Awards, under the Heritage Rehabilitation category, Rei Martí Water Tank, Barcelona, Spain.
• Selected for the FAD 2018 Awards, under the category International, Le Sud au Nord, Evry, France.
• Winners in the Excellent Communications Design Urban Space and Infrastructure category in the German Design Awards 2018, the Reversible Saint-Roch Parking, Montpellier, France.
• Best Projet 2017 award by Archilovers. Rei Martí Water Tank, Barcelona, Spain
• Eco-Neighborhood 2017 Label. stage 2. ZAC Rouget de Lisle, France
•  FAD 2017 Award under the category of City and Landscape, Rei Martí Water Tank, Barcelona, Spain
• Mies Van Der Rohe 2017 Award nomination (15^th edition of the European Union prize for contemporary architecture). The Reversible Saint-Roch Parking, Montpellier, France
• Bienal de Venecia 2016, Unfinished. Spanish Pavilion, Rei Martí Water Tank, Barcelona, Spain
• Bienal de Venecia 2016, Aftermath. Catalan Pavilion, the Reversible Saint-Roch Parking, Montpellier, France
• Ascer Awards 2015. Honorary mention for the ceramic construction, the Reversible Saint-Roch Parking, Montpellier, France
• Hispalyt Ceramic Award 2015 selection. The Reversible Saint-Roch Parking, Montpellier, France
• FAD 2015 International Award . 253 Housing units in Ivry-sur-Seine, France
• Futures Possibles Award 2014. ZAC Rouget de Lisle, France
• Chevalier de L’ordre des arts et des lettres, 2014. Madame Carmen Santana
• A+ Award under the category of Educational Buildings, 2010. Sunion School, Barcelona, Spain
• Corian Design Awards, 2006
• Selected for the FAD 2001 Awards under the category of Ephermal Spaces. Met 2.0
• Selected for the FAD 2001 Awards under the category of Interior Design. Flex-house, Barcelona, Spain

Lectures

• Lecture by Carmen Santana “Mediterraneum, l’origine, le centre, le cycle“, Biennale dello Stretto, Messina, October 2022
• Carmen Santana at the “ Training day: public space“, Paris, September 2022
• Lecture by Marc Chalamanch “Paisajes Cíclicos”, ETSAM UPM, Madrid, September 2022
• Lecture by Marc Chalamanch “Paisajes Cíclicos”, ETSA UPV, Valencia, September 2022
• Inaugural Conference by Carmen Santana  ENSAB, Rennes, September 2022
• Lecture by Miquel Lacasta “Cyclical Landscapes”, UIC, Barcelona, September 2022
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable « Vivre et habiter, construire durable » , Forum Zéro Carbone, Bordeaux, June 2022
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable « Montpellier, la proximité, un ADN méditerranéen » , Forum Zéro Carbone, Montpellier, December 2021
• Marc Chalamanch at the workshop ÁGORA, “Metodologías para el diseño arquitectónico”, Universidad Católica de Manizales, November 2021
• Carmen Santana Santana at the roundtable “Quelle densité acceptable ?” Ivry pour le Climat, October 2021
• Conference by Carmen Santana “La poesia de la matèria“, Transversals, Comú d’Escaldes-Engordany, October 2021
• Lecture by Miquel Lacasta _ “ODOS“, Architect@work, Barcelona, September 2021
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Être proches et vivre dans le monde“, The Village, Agust 2021
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Circular construction Materials“, ChangeNOW Online Summit, May 2021
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Le réemploi intégré aux projets : Enjeux, acteurs et mise en œuvre“, CAUE 94 and Agence de l’énergie du Val-de-Marne, January 2021
• Miquel Lacasta at the roundtable FAD Live! “Tips: maneras de internacionalizarse”, November 2020
• Lecture by Miquel Lacasta during « Reflexiones sobre el urbanismo post-Covid », days, COACan, November 20
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Digital Trends: crise sanitaire et conséquences urbaines”, La Villa Numéris, October 2020
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable“La necesidad de repensar nuestras ciudades tras la pandemia : una visión global “ during “Hacia dónde va nuestro urbanismo ” days, COAG, APLU Galicia, Mayo 2020
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “ Redessiner le monde, nos villes et campagnes”, Virtual Festival  “Notre terre, on l’aime ! », La Meute d’Amour,  May 2020
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Chemin de l’innovation, eau et biodiversité dans les opérations d’aménagement”, Ateliers Ecocit’EMS, Cluster EMS, Choisy-le-Roi, February 2020
• Lecture by Miquel Lacasta, “Ciutats vives: Del Greenwashing al Green Deal“, ETSAV, Sant Cugat del Vallès, February 2020
• Miquel Lacasta at the debate “Unfinished: Ideas, Images and Projects from the Spanish Pavilion at the 15^th Venice Architecture Biennale” , Cooperativa d’Arquitectes Jordi Capell, Barcelona, January 2020
• Miquel Lacasta at the roundtable “Réinventer, avec doigté : la ville de demain sera verte ou ne sera pas“, “La ville, nouveaux horizons“, Le Point, Nice, November 2019
• Miquel Lacasta at the roundtable “High-tech vs Low-tech : what are the blueprints for a sustainable city?”, Batimat, Paris, November 2019
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Urbanisme réversible, outil d’aménagement durable du territoire ?”, festival Métropolisme, Montpellier, October 2019
• Carmen Santana, “Resilient and healthy cities.”, at the roundtable “Environmental health: healthy spaces and homes. Chemical contamination.”, 12th European Congress of Integrative Medicine, Barcelona, September 2019
• Miquel Lacasta at the roundtable “Efímeras-combinaciones-reutilizaciones“, BB Construmat, Barcelona, May 2019
• Miquel Lacasta at ESTAE, “Archikubik”, Cartagena, May 2019
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Nouveaux usages, services urbains, “communs ””, Club Ville Hybride-Grand Paris, L’Ile-Saint-Denis, March 2019
• Lecture by Carmen Santana “Alta calidad medioambiental sensible y social“, Col·legi Oficial d’Arquitectes d’Andorra, Andorra la Vella. March 2019
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Miradas Transversales”, “Visiones Arquitectónicas“, Grupo Habitat Futura, Barcelona, December 2018
• Lecture by Marc Chalamanch “El dipòsit del Rei Martí”, “Jornades Internacionals sobre la Intervenció en el Patrimoni Arquitectònic”, AADIPA, Barcelona, December 2018
• Lecture by Carmen Santana “L’espace-public: le carrefour des usages“, exhibition  “L’espace-public est à nous”, Ivry-sur-Seine, December 2018
• Lectures by Miquel Lacasta “Ecological Innovation Paradigms”, Seoul, Kookmin University, Soongsil University, November 2018
• Miquel Lacasta at UIC Architecture Seminar, “La cuestión de la vivienda colectiva en la Europa contemporánea”, Barcelona, November 2018
• Miquel Lacasta at ARQFestival, “Arquitectura de Viviendas residencial”, Guadalajara, October 2018
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Agriculture urbaine”, Festival d’Architecture, Ivry-sur-Seine, October 2018
• Miquel Lacasta at Architecture World, Orgatec, “Plural Innovations in Architecture”, Cologne, October 2018
• Carmen Santana at  Journée Smart Cities, Le Monde, “Villes intelligentes, villes solidaires: comment bâtir une vraie ville intergénérationnelle ?”, Lyon, April 2018
• Carmen Santana participated to the “7e printemps des études“, Paris, April 2018
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Ils inventent l’Île de France de demain” France 3, January 2018
• Archikubik co-leads FOROS 2018 Barcelona, UIC Barcelona School of Architecture
• Carmen Santana at 17ème Forum des Projets Urbains. ZAC Gagarine Truillot, November 2017
• Carmen Santana at the roundtable “Comment fabriquer la ville ?”, Universités d’été de l’architecture : # Utiles !, Paris, July 2017
• Carmen Santana at the TEDx Champs Élysées Women 2017 – EQUALICITY
• HC10 – Carmen Santana participated to the  dixième édition des Heureuses Coïncidences, Lézigno, May 2017
• Marc Chalamanch at the roundtable “The skin of the building“, Roca Barcelona Gallery, April 2017
• Miquel Lacasta at the roundtable “Context and materials: use and re-use“, Barcelona, March 2017
• Roundtable “Converses d’Arquitectura: GRAN (L)“, Trespa Design Centre Barcelona, May 2016
• Marc Chalamanch participated to the lecture series  ÁGORA, New projects of residential architecture, 2016
• Lecture by Miquel Lacasta, Archikubik, o l’arquitectura i l’urbanisme del cor , COAC Tarragona, March 2016
• Marc Chalamanch at the workshop Projecte i Industria, ETSAB, Barcelona, March 2016
• Lecture at the MIPIM 2016 – Réinventer Paris, Cannes, March 2016
• Lecture by Marc Chalamanch at La Salle, Barcelona, March 2016

Exhibitions

• « CONSERVER ADAPTER TRANSMETTRE »., Paris, Pavillon de l’Arsenal, October-March 2023
• “99+ imaginaris”, Model. Barcelona Architectures’ Festival, Barcelona, May 2022
• “Et demain, on fait quoi?”, Paris, Pavillon de l’Arsenal, June-September 2020
•  “Letter to  the Mayor – Cartes a l’Alcaldessa”. COAC, Barcelona. (2019)
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, New York, USA, 2018-2019
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Manila, Philippines, 2018
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Tokyo, Japan, 2018
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, ciudad de Mexico City, Mexico, 2018
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Berlin, Germany,  2018
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, 2018
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 2017
• “Unfinished”, Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Sydney, Australia, 2017
• Design Museum of Barcelona. De obra. Cerámica aplicada a la arquitectura (2016-2017)
• Virserum Art Museum, Sweden. Architecture of Necessity – WOOD 2016
• Spanish Pavilion, Venice Biennale: Unfinished (2016) (Golden Lion)
• Catalan Pavilion, Venice Biennale: AfterMath (2016)
• Pavillon de l’Arsenal, Paris. Reinventer Paris (2016)
• COA Sevilla. Mirror stories of Spanish architecture (2000-2015) (2016)
• Embassy of Spain in Berlín, Germany. Mirror stories of Spanish architecture (2000-2015) (2015)
• Disseny Hub, Barcelona. FAD Awards (2015)