ELEMENTAL presents a sneak peek of its contribution to "How will we live together?" at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021. Recently, violence has increased in the historical Mapuche-Chilean conflict, that is why the architectural office proposed to build places that recover the old tradition of parleys, spaces to meet in order to settle differences and discuss terms for an armistice.
"The question of the land is at the core. One possible clue to understanding the complexity of the issue can be given by the fact that in the Spanish language, we don't have two words for Land and Earth. That is why we tend to mix between the dispute over the land, its ownership, and the historical property rights, with a deeper notion of Earth as a planet".
With those words, Alejandro Aravena introduced the preview video, discussing how the "KÜNÜ" intends to use architecture as a portal to the Mapuche world, and how the "KOYAÜWE" is a place that aims to reinstall the old tradition of parleys.
"Once the field is level, let's start a conversation".
Project: ELEMENTAL (Alejandro Aravena; Victor Oddó; Gonzalo Arteaga; Diego Torres; Juan Cerda)
Video: Vicente Fernández
Footage: Francisco Huichaqueo, ELEMENTAL, Vicente Fernández and Raul Ruiz (extract from documentary "Ahora te vamos a llamar hermano", Chile, 1971)
Music: Tecnología para ser libres
Spanish translation: ELEMENTAL
Mapuzungun translation: Leonel Lienlaf with the collaboration of Cesar Ancalaf
With the collaboration of: Tironi and Asociados
An initiative of: Asociación de Comunidades Mapuche de Loncoche and Arauco
