What logics and dynamics are involved in conceiving an architecture in dialogue with the territory and the landscape? How does topography determine the design and development process of architectural projects? Founded in Santiago, Chile, around 2012, the architecture firm WHALE! works with the concepts of territory and landscape as key axes of study and reflection in the pursuit of understanding how architecture is not only capable of designing spaces, but also of shaping the way human beings live, feel, and relate to the world.
The name of the architecture and construction firm WHALE! has an imprecise and unexpected origin. According to architects Branko Pavlović and Luca Montanarella, the word “whale” was associated with their practice for the first time during the construction of the Stranded House. On a visit to the site, a friend noticed that its structure, still without cladding at the time, resembled the image of a whale skeleton resting on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Since then, they realized that this innocent memory would accompany them throughout their daily practice.
