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Croquiseros Urbanos is a group of primarily Argentine architects who meet periodically to explore the city and document it using sketching as a tool. Launched in late 2010, this initiative aims to promote analog work while reflecting on space and its construction.
The collective establishes a meeting time and location, from which attendees freely and spontaneously explore the surroundings, capturing the situations or details that stand out to each of them. Afterward, participants gather at a prearranged spot to share their experiences and work.
Over the years, the group has expanded its reach to various cities across the continent through "special visits," arriving in Santiago this past April.
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During this five-day visit, the group organized a gathering that drew students, professionals from the field, and anyone else interested in participating. The journeys covered various points of interest in Santiago and Valparaíso, including the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM), Campus San Joaquín, Cerro Santa Lucía, and the Valparaíso Cultural Center. The event was free, open to any drawing technique, and promoted drawing as a means of expression.
As an architectural tool, sketching offers the opportunity to connect with and understand a place through observation, revealing the local and cultural practices behind its design and construction. It helps develop a way to analyze, capture, and communicate ideas, while granting the ability to draw lessons from the existing environment, understand how a space accommodates the body, reveal atmospheres, and redefine the city.
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Typically, this is a solitary, introspective activity, occasionally practiced by small groups of students just entering the profession. However, the recent visit from the Argentine group highlighted the strong interest and enthusiasm among various professionals to engage in these practices.
So much so that on Saturday, May 26, in anticipation of Heritage Day, the first gathering of the group named Croquiseros Urbanos Santiago took place. This new collective adopts the Argentine model, pursuing the same goals within Chilean cities.
The group began its route at 11:00 a.m. at the Club de la Unión, from where participants set off freely for three hours before reconvening at 2:00 p.m. at the Plaza de la Justicia. To conclude the day, a full review of the completed work was held, accompanied by feedback and commentary from the attendees.
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The drawings created during this outing are compiled on the Croquiseros Urbanos Santiago account, and the group is already organizing its second event for Saturday, June 30.
This article was written by Cynthia Mariman Ramos. The translation is powered by AI.
Croquiseros Urbanos: la ciudad a mano alzada en Argentina
El dibujo comunica una atmósfera, es un reflejo de las prácticas arquitectónicas y sociales existentes en cada característico espacio de las ciudades argentinas, donde los integrantes de Croquiseros Urbanos se encuentran abiertamente para plasmar sus particularidades a través de sus prefiguraciones, hojas y manos.
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