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Recently, the architect Cristián Castillo Echeverría has received the 2024 National Architecture Award, distinguishing, valuing and recognizing his work in contribution to society and the habitation of Chile. Awarded by the National Directory of the College of Architects of Chile, the National Architecture Award recognizes those architectural professionals whose career and ethical and professional performance represents an example for all colleagues whether they work in the field of the execution of architectural works, academic or union activities, public service or management.
Born in Santiago de Chile around 1947, Cristian Castillo Echeverría graduated as an architect in 1972 from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and obtained his diploma in Housing from the Architectural Association School, AA Graduate, in London in 1977. In his beginnings as a professional, He was a researcher at the Center for Studies of National Reality (Ceren) – O’Higgins Project, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (1971-1973) and, together with his father Fernando Castillo Velasco and Eduardo Castillo Larraín, began the sequence of Communities of La Queen, among others.
In connection with the most vulnerable sectors of the population through proposals for fair and beautiful social organization, the architecture, work and life of Castillo Echeverría represent social housing, the historical need for a family habitat and the incorporation of communities in their housing decisions. Symbolizing a professional work team that continues the path outlined by his father, it addresses invisible architecture by proposing to address housing poverty.
The result of joint work with the population, the beginning of their relationship with the destiny of the most vulnerable begins with their participation in the habitat production processes in Villa La Reina (1966-1968) during the self-construction process of 1,600 homes. The experience of architecture and social commitment acquired provides a connection with his latest projects, such as Maestranza 1 | Ukamau de Estación Central, which allowed the design and construction of 424 homes inhabited by his community; Maestranza 2, Ukamau Committee, a project of 200 homes also in the Estación Central commune, in the construction stage; Decent Housing Community Housing Complex, composed of 155 apartments in Cerro La Pirámide de Huechuraba, in the design process together with families, among others.
In addition, Castillo has led work teams in Chile and abroad after his exile. He worked at the Architecture and Urban Planning Agency (AUA) of Borja Huidobro and Paul Chemetov, Paris, France (1977-1979); in Venezuela, at the architecture office Lira y Stransky Arquitectos Asociados (1979-1980); to later form his own office Carrera y Castillo Arquitectura y Construction in Caracas (1980-2002). After his return from exile, he was Assistant Professor of Fernando Castillo Velasco and Full Professor of the Title Workshop of the Faculty of Architecture of the Arcis University (2005-2018).
Being a partner of the Real Estate and Construction Company Alpinku Ltda. and the FCV Architecture Office, he has been developing projects since 2003 around public and educational facilities, new residential communities, social housing complexes and others, while since 2014, he has held the positions of Director and Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Villa Grimaldi Peace Corporation. In this edition, the College of Architects of Chile has distinguished him for his heritage and political and social commitment, and what’s more, as part of the recognition, his work will be exhibited during the XXIII Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism of Chile accompanied by a keynote lecture.
