Strategies for the interpreter architect: The Consulting Room at the Landscapes Laboratory

Abstract

The objective of this article is to present some of the methodological strategies used by the Consulting Room at the Landscapes Laboratory to approach the community and in this way improve their lives. Specifically, the Laboratory works with vulnerable Andean communities near the city of Quito (Cotogchoa and La Merced). With their social organization and thanks to the involvement of various actors, it aims to raise healthy and harmonious landscapes through participatory projects. The word "raise" originates in Andean conceptual ideas, which assume that all components are living beings. Therefore, landscapes should be nurtured, cared for and respected to create relationships and emotional ties with them. The proposed projects require special sensitivity to the territory and involve the revaluing of the role of the technician, who interprets needs and realities to reach consensus. Thus, in short this academic work seeks to support processes of reflection and social transformation.