Awards ceremonies can be someone quixotic. For a discipline that is quite hard to pin down – part art, part science; half humanities, half technology; professionally validated yet without standard labour laws, and many other dichotomies besides – the idea of awarding or rewarding our multifarious, often unseen labours can raise eyebrows. Is it the building in its final form that garners the applause, or is it the architect – and their team? Is there a lifetime oeuvre to consider, or is it more about a pivotal moment in space and time? Even the metrics of social and environmental sustainability have very different scales, making the task of evaluation very tricky indeed.

Among various highly respected and valued international accolades, the OBEL Award aims to honour those contributions that advance social and ecological approaches; this can include research, unbuilt works, manifestos and outreach, teaching and of course, the design of built environments and built works. Focussing on the cross-disciplinary, plural aspects of practice – and noting emergent and urgent challenges facing society – the OBEL award seeks not to make a showcase of stand-out buildings, but rather to build a consensus in demonstrating, sharing and celebrating approaches that can drive architectural discourse and practice towards the common good.

This year’s winners – Colectivo C733 – more than fulfil the criteria. An energetic and multilateral collective, the practice has, in a relatively short space of time, established a praxis of designing for good, with a particular focus on the public realm. Working primarily in the context of Mexico – though their works are distributed all across that large and variegated country – C733 take a special pride in squeezing the most value from truly humble budgets, with the goal of creating the biggest social impact for all.

As a remarkable demonstration of this intelligent and highly active humility, C733 completed 36 public projects across Mexico in 36 months – facing variations on condition, climate, site and other vulnerabilities. Despite the diverse circumstances meeting each intervention, the team describe the 36 x 36 as one holistic project: “taking geometry, light structures, earth movements and landscape as a strategy to design space.” This technique is deployed at various scales; the idea remains to work with local and existing conditions of terrain and technique, to do as little as possible with the greatest impact.

San Blas, for instance, is an historic and exquisitely picturesque old town, though its decrepit and crumbling beauty is harder to live with. Here, it was important for Colectivo to respect heritage buildings while creating an accessible and welcoming space that could be interpreted and utilised by local residents at any time of day or night. Making a feature of the venerable old trees at the centre of the site, C733’s approach was to create “ludic” or game-like paths through that site, whereby a functional mass wraps around an enclosed and sheltered void. Within this project – built in a mere ten months – there is room to recognise local traditions and cultural aspects, such as the symbolism of the si’kuri or “eyes of god”.

Addressing an issue with wider social consequences, the revitalisation of Tapachula – on the southern border of Mexico, making it a gateway corridor for Latin American migrants – has generated a new social tissue for locals and passers-though alike. The destruction of Tapachula station due to the force of Hurricane Stan in 2004, had turned this transport hub into a dangerous wasteland dividing the north and southern parts of the city. Working with a local arts organisation, C733 gradually turned the station into a linear park with generous sports and social facilities, even hosting over forty non-governmental organisations whose purpose is to support the community. Meanwhile the collective’s work in Tabasco, with the resonance of the Chontal Maya community, has enabled large scale land remediation, making visible the natural movement of water table, which varies with the seasons.

In the following interview with KoozArch’s founder Federica Zambeletti and Dutch architect and OBEL Jury member Nathalie de Vries, members of Colectivo C733 explain their origin story and dedicated purpose in the production of public space.

FEDERICA ZAMBELETTI / KOOZ What makes the Obel Award quite extraordinary is that it is not restricted in rewarding a particular architect or a building — it expands to include landscape, process, innovation, even a manifesto or a master plan that has been completed within the last five years. What is the thinking behind such an award?

NATHALIE DE VRIES I think the Obel Award has real potential because it encourages a broader way of looking at what makes design truly great. It’s unique in how it highlights innovative work, but doesn’t focus on just the individual, the founder, or one iconic project. Instead, it draws attention to the wider world of spatial design, including things people might not even realise are part of our work — like initiatives, innovative processes, or urban planning concepts. What I find inspiring about it is that it celebrates projects that show us what the future of design could be, with new ways of working and fresh approaches.

KOOZ This year’s theme is ‘Architectures with’. What prompted such a topic? What is the value of exploring architectural approaches which work with, as opposed to for, communities?

NATHALIE DE VRIES The idea behind ‘Architectures with’ comes from the belief that as designers, our focus should be on the process itself. Good design is about listening to users, drawing inspiration from the context, and finding answers by asking the right questions. It’s about being flexible and adapting the process to suit the situation.

The current winners are a great example of this approach — they work as a collective, and their strength lies in collaboration. Their designs embrace modularity, but they also incorporate local manufacturing, which is a key aspect of working “with” communities. They’ve adapted their methods to local conditions, making sure that good design is not only possible but also affordable and accessible. By engaging with a variety of stakeholders, the outcomes improve. Ultimately, the more inclusive we are in our approach, the better the design.

KOOZ Colectivo C733 was established in 2019 with specific intentions. What prompted the founding of the collective and its structure, geared towards realising public projects?

COLECTIVO C733 In 2019, Mexico’s Secretariat for Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development (SEDATU) held a national competition in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture at UNAM, inviting professors and students to form teams to design public projects. This decision changed the purpose and focus of what happens in architecture – specifically public architecture – in Mexico. That was a big shift. Why? Because architects had been shying away from public works for the last 70 years, especially small scale projects like ours. Our approach was to gather the various skills that we had – all of us being part of the National University as professors, students and alumni. We assembled a team comprising four offices to compete in the project for the Matamoros Marke, a very vulnerable border city in the northern part of Mexico. By pooling efforts, experiences, and different areas of expertise, we believed we could be more efficient with resources, labour and outcomes.

The construction of public spaces contributes to solving security issues by providing an illuminated and lively alternative to secluded streets and deteriorated squares. Such public spaces also help to solve the challenges of social inequality by bringing together in one place, people for all walks of life. This promotes social communication and dialogue between people to overcome differences and reach agreements for the benefit of the community. In our specific case, we must understand the complex life conditions of many people who experience different situations, needs and desires.

The various architectural projects of C733 actually constitute one single project. They are all guided by the same design strategies, and all respond to similar challenges. In most cases, we have very brief periods of time for designing and building. In addition, we work with limited budgets. Usually we propose totally flexible public spaces that ensure free access and multiple uses for the inhabitants of the communities. It's essential that people be able to utilise these spaces whenever they can and to do whatever they wish. This facilitates the appropriation of public spaces by local residents.

KOOZ Many of the members of C733 gravitate around UNAM School of Architecture in Mexico City. How did it shape your thoughts on the value of architecture?

C733 UNAM is a public university and the largest in Latin America. Studying there undoubtedly shaped the careers of all members of Colectivo C733. The guidance and mentorship of our professors during our undergraduate studies allowed each of us to develop a unique approach in our practice. Furthermore, our work in public architecture has been reinforced by our experiences as faculty members at the same university, where we learn daily from our student teams and our colleagues, with whom we share space.

KOOZ Specifically, the 2024 Obel jury felt that your 36 x 36 projects truly embody what it means to design with rather than for communities. What does community-driven architecture mean for you? How large was the constellation of stakeholders with whom you collaborated?

C733We envision collective efforts addressing cross-border and international issues, breaking through social, economic, and political barriers. We engage community members both before and during the design process, conducting workshops to establish programmatic needs and desires before starting the executive project, and remaining open to changes in design based on community needs throughout the construction process.
Many of the 36 projects are part of municipal work programs, as seen in places like San Blas, Tapachula, Bacalar, and Tenosique, where we approach projects on an urban scale, developing three to five projects within the same municipal area. Each project functions independently, but they are also conceived as an interconnected network that collectively enhances the master plan. On a national scale, the 36 projects are part of a country-wide program that inherently weaves them together under a common premise: working in areas of high vulnerability.

KOOZ The jury has recognised Colectivo’s “power of collective action and collaborative design to rapidly respond to urgent urban needs.” Where do you see the agency of architecture today?

C733 In public architecture. We believe that the agency of architecture lies in the pursuit of spatial dignity for everyone. Public projects are designed to be more than just buildings, infrastructure, or facilities; they aim to address social, economic, or environmental issues, always taking into account the community and its users. Regardless of the program, these projects should offer a powerful spatial response that seeks to improve collective life.

Bios

Colectivo C733 was established in 2019 to develop public projects, bringing together the architectural studios of Gabriela Carrillo, Carlos Facio and José Amozurrutia (TO), Eric Valdez, and Israel Espín. Many of its members are current or former students, as well as faculty from the UNAM School of Architecture. The collective’s first project emerged from a competition organised by SEDATU (Mexico’s Secretariat for Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development) in collaboration with UNAM. Their work focuses on addressing social inequalities and conflicts in highly vulnerable cities across Mexico.

Nathalie de Vries is founding partner of MVRDV, an architect and urban planner and the “DV” in MVRDV. The work of De Vries focuses on the invention of new building typologies and the creation of changeable, open systems, an approach which she brings to both buildings and urban plans. As an architect, she appreciates intensive collaboration with clients and interdisciplinary design teams, but also with residents and other stakeholders. Whatever the project, there is always a lot of attention given to the design’s interaction with its surroundings, by designing inviting collective spaces and outdoor areas, among other approaches. In her urban designs, De Vries explores the combination of high-quality public spaces with functionally mixed buildings that act as catalysts for the development of an area. De Vries is committed to the education of future generations of architects. She has been active as a teacher throughout her career, and she is currently Professor of Architectural Design and Public Building at Delft University of Technology. Previously, she taught at TU Berlin, Harvard GSD, IIT Chicago, and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, among others.

Federica Zambeletti is the founder and managing director of KoozArch. She is an architect, researcher and storyteller whose interests lie at the intersection between art, architecture and regenerative practices. In 2022 Federica founded KoozArch with the ambition of creating a space where to research, explore and discuss architecture beyond the limits of its built form. Prior to dedicating her full attention to KoozArch, Federica collaborated with the architecture studio and non-profit agency for change UNA/UNLESS working on numerous cultural projects and the research of "Antarctic Resolution". Federica is an Architectural Association School of Architecture in London alumni.