Rural Alchemy by Jose Lacruz Vela. Advised/Instructed by Matan Mayer - Fernando Rodriguez - Rafael Iniguez de Ozono - Juan Elvira - Monica Garcia

IE School of Architecture and Design B.Arch graduate Jose Lacruz Vela designs a new, enriched landscape that focuses on dismantling the idea of "rural picturesque" views and focuses on creating interactive and performative architectural landscapes that respond to their inhabitants. Unearthing issues facing the rural countryside of Spain, specifically in the town of Docenario in Extremadura, Spain Lacruz, Lacruz Vela uses his thesis project Rural Alchemy to "transform the landscape into holistic artificial natures, from hyper-productivity to third natures." 

Lacruz Vela shares, "The proposal aims to challenge depopulation, an issue affecting the Spanish countryside, by retaining and attracting talent through providing jobs of diverse educational levels, while generating a new local economic model." Archinect connected with the recent grad to dive into his thesis project and learn more about his experience entering the workforce after graduation. Lacruz Vela's project was awarded Best Final Project Bachelor in Architecture at IE University School of Architecture and Design.

Archinect's Spotlight on 2020 Thesis Projects: 2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for architecture graduates. Students were displaced as schools shut down, academic communities had to adapt to a new virtual format, end-of-year celebrations were canceled or changed dramatically, and now these students are graduating into an extremely challenging employment market. To support the 2020 class we're launching a summer series of features highlighting the work of thesis students during this unique time of remote learning amid COVID-19. Be sure to follow our 2020 thesis tag to stay up to date as we release new project highlights.

The proposal aims to challenge depopulation, an issue affecting the Spanish countryside, by retaining and attracting talent through providing jobs of diverse educational levels, while generating a new local economic model.

Briefly describe your thesis.

Rural Alchemy is an intervention project in the town of Docenario in Extremadura, Spain. The colonization town was built in 1961 and counted 36 houses and a church.

The project proposes to transform the landscape into different types of holistic artificial natures, from hyper- productivity to third natures. The proposal aims to challenge depopulation, an issue affecting the Spanish countryside, by retaining and attracting talent through providing jobs of diverse educational levels, while generating a new local economic model. It achieves this by inserting techno-social productive methods within the existing artificial landscape and by proposing an amalgamation of synergistic programs for humans and non-humans.

The architecture acts as productive artifacts in which its shape is informed by performative aspects, generating bioclimatic devices that enhance the production of the goods. There are three types of artifacts: the landscape reference (landscape activator), the infrastructure amidst (infrastructure activator) and the urban plug-in (urban activator). The landscape references tend to be bulkier and are isolated in the landscape. The urban plug-ins tend to be the smallest, as they reuse and reactivate the abandoned structures within the town. Finally, the infrastructural amidsts oversee support of the landscape references and urban plug-ins, as they are the link between them.

The location of these irregular, diamond-shaped artifacts is not arbitrary, as they catalyze the production surrounding them. The buildings are implemented physically and significantly along the entire landscape and urban settlement, generating a new discourse with the existing modernist architecture. This new discourse produces heteroglossia; richness based on coexistence and conflict, with the objective of creating a new economic, productive, social, and technological context in the shape of a pictorial fantasy.

The final objective is to defy the notion of rural picturesque by inserting pop and performative architecture in this 98% of the remaining world.

This new discourse produces heteroglossia; richness based on coexistence and conflict, with the objective of creating a new economic, productive, social, and technological context in the shape of a pictorial fantasy.

How did your project change as studios transitioned to remote learning?

Luckily, I presented my thesis before the pandemic began. However, previously, as a student, I undertook three remote semesters while carrying out diverse internships. The process was quite challenging yet rewarding, as not only was I learning both in school and in the office, but at the same time acquiring a new trait of being able to present remotely, which can definitely become resourceful in the future. Similar to in-person classes, we were having design studio twice a week, and complementing it with several theoretical and technical lessons that would influence our design work.

Thesis is a moment of celebrating all your previous achievements and knowledge, and to materialize them into a single concept or design. 

Any tips for students as they continue to work on their thesis?

I believe the greatest tip I can give is to enjoy whatever you do. Thesis is a moment of celebrating all your previous achievements and knowledge, and to materialize those ideas into a single concept or design. Also, to have in mind that this piece of work is most likely the most prominent up to date project in your portfolio, and will most likely be used to hunt for future jobs, therefore you must be able to explain it in the most concise way, while also crafting exquisite images that speak by themselves. Additionally, do not compare yourself to other classmates, as the work you are producing is for yourself, it is “your thesis,” so do not stress about not achieving the same as others, everyone goes at a different pace, and most likely have different passions. 

As a recent graduate experiencing the direct effects of the pandemic, how do you feel about the architecture industry right now?

During the pandemic, I have been working at Bjarke Ingels Group NYC. I believe working remotely has allowed me to craft more frequent professional emails, instead of just reaching out in person like pre-COVID-19, which also has enabled me to rapidly adapt to new communication tools. I consider that my productivity levels have increased, since other distractions such as commuting have been eliminated, it has allowed me to be more focused.

I believe the current pandemic has changed the minds of many, either to look at the countryside as a viable place to live in, or to fight for a change in terms of how we live in cities.

In terms of the industry, I believe the current pandemic has changed the minds of many, either to look at the countryside as a viable place to live in, or to fight for change in terms of how we live in cities. We need healthier cities with more green public space to tackle non-temporary health issues, not only pandemics, but also issues such as chronic air pollution. We should consider preparing apartments with more social spaces and healthier areas, such as balconies, as not everyone can afford escaping the city in the case of a pandemic. I suppose that all these considerations will soon have a direct impact of the typologies we currently design.

What are your next steps as a recent grad?

I graduated with Best Final Project, as well as with the highest average grade in the Bachelor in Architecture at IE University School of Architecture and Design in Segovia, Spain. Since then, my thesis has been nominated for the Young Talent Architecture Awards 2020, organized by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe. Before graduating, I applied to Bjarke Ingels Group and got accepted at the New York office, therefore I had to move from Europe to the US, quite a challenging process.

In addition to that, I have been working on some personal projects back home and slowly trying to open my own firm which hopes to tackle projects with an interest in the rural countryside.