INTERVIEW STUDIO PACHÓN-PAREDES
Luis G. Pachón and Inés García de Paredes
In just five years, they have established a distinctive vision within the national architectural landscape. An intense track record shaped by projects deeply committed to space, time, energy, and the built environment. We spoke with Luis and Inés about founding their studio in the midst of the pandemic, the conceptual approach of “Non-Binary Space,” their vision of spatial sustainability, and their recognition with the CSCAE Architecture Award.
In just five years you have established yourself as one of the most promising studios in the country, culminating in the CSCAE 2024 Architecture Award in the category of renovation. How would you describe this amazing journey since founding the studio in 2020?
The truth is we wouldn’t define ourselves as one of the “most promising studios”… for many reasons, but especially because we believe that one of the most important aspects of our generation is that there is not a single promising direction but many. There are a number of up-and-coming studios with different ways of understanding and practicing architecture which are (and we are) doing deep and committed work that is critical of the inherited inertias and limitations of the past decades.
In our case, since we founded STUDIO PACHÓN-PAREDES in 2020, we have had an intense experience, engaging with each project from a general perspective, integrating four key aspects that are fundamental to us: space, time, materials and energy, and especially the intrinsic interrelation between them all. This has been a time of first experiences, continuous learning and also of refining and focussing on where we want to invest our time and energy.
We are especially interested in working on what already exists, on what is already built. Our research for “NON-BINARY SPACE” and “CROSS-SPACE”, which won the 2024 CSCAE 2024 Architecture Award in the category of renovation, is a form of interpretation, adaptation and transformation of existing habitats and traditions, seeking to integrate uncertainty and diversity into contemporary living.
Non Binary Cross Space
What was it like to create a studio in the middle of the pandemic?
We could say that, thanks to the pandemic, Luis and I had the opportunity to work together again. Since we finished our degrees until then we had both worked in different studios, and we only got together occasionally and during our free time.
The situation highlighted an idea we had thought about for a while. Spending so much time in the same space revealed the uncertainty in our forms of living and the need to urgently rethink them. The pandemic revealed the rigidity in the configuration of domestic spaces and the need for more flexible and adaptable spaces, dissolving the barriers between interior and exterior, between the artificial and the natural. Homes are transformed into offices, into schools, gymnasiums and restaurants, becoming interior and exterior, private and public at the same time. Homes became like a city in themselves.
This scenario only reconfirmed our conviction of the need for a type of architecture that embraces ambiguity and transformation, which permits multiple uses and open readings of the space.
Casa ochenta y seis centímetros
If you had to describe one another… What would you say is their greatest talent or strength in the studio?
Although we could say that we are very different and our differences complement each other very well, the truth is that we share an ability that we think is fundamental for a small studio like ours. The ability to take a broad, transversal view that is also profound and critical at the same time.
These days were live in a context that tends towards ultra-specialisation, where every person becomes an expert in a very specific field… But a small studio like ours requires precisely the opposite: to be able to take on multiple aspects of the project with the same level of dedication and rigour, something that is becoming increasingly rare. We have to become “experts” in every aspect we deal with and to be able to relate and coordinate each of them in a holistic way.
This implies the ability to interpret and reinterpret technical or urban planning regulations, create a construction detail at 1:1 scale, and at the same time adapt the discourse and graphic documents to communicate effectively with a client, a technician, a tradesman, a student or a conference. It also requires the mastery of digital tools without losing manual skills; knowing about business management, administration and project economics all the while being able to communicate what we’re doing in a clear and accessible way.
To highlight one difference between us, given our previous experience with other studios, there is a very enriching dualism: Inés has worked primarily in small-scale private and domestic projects while I have been more engaged with large-scale, public projects. This difference has allowed us to understand how the processes are different depending on the type of project — from the initial management with the client to the actual construction and dissemination — and this has given us a valuable versatility to adapt with the same rigour to both public and private projects.
Non Binary Cross Space
You define your work through the concept Non–Binary Space, an idea that proposes a free interpretation of the use and function of spaces. Where did this approach come from and how has it influenced your design?
To sum up, “NON-BINARY SPACE” emerged as an experimental inquiry into spatial sustainability and the undefined living space, harnessing the synergies between space, time, materials and energy; seeking greater freedom in the adaptation, occupation, use and interpretation of spaces by users and so liberating spaces from function.
Your work reflects a deep sensitivity to the environment, materials and energy efficiency. When deciding on materials, what aspects do you consider essential?
Context plays a fundamental role in our decisions on materials, forms and construction, although their prominence may vary depending on the project and its scale. We understand context in a holistic and broad sense, not limited merely to the historical, urban or cultural aspects of the place but also the user and the habitats to be incorporated.
In our projects for the series “Cross-Space”, the pre-existing structure of the building (either concrete, wood or steel), and how it takes shape within the space, how it is organised and adapted, are all essential elements. This approach permits the transformation of structural limitations into a spatial or energy opportunity. We could speak of…. the structure of a building as the context of the space…
We try to work with natural materials or those that are a s close as possible to the natural, durable materials with low maintenance. In the current context of high costs, we avoid using unnecessary surfacing materials, those that don’t make sense, have a function or use; very often the structure itself is the finishing.
We work to find a meeting point between the human and sensorial with the scientific and technical. Surfaces should have a positive effect on the human experience, creating a dialogue between the tangible and the intangible.
The importance of a material depends not only on its aesthetic function but also on its energy contribution, both passive and active. The material must add to the versatility of the space, favour freedom of adaptation and use on the part of the user, and to liberate the space from a predefined function.
In the project Non–Binary Cross Space III (National Architecture Award 2024, MATCOAM 2025), mosaic tile takes centre stage. What led you to choose this material?
Just as in other cases, we’re looking for a durable, resilient material with low maintenance. But for this project, it was important to add light and colour since we were using it in wet spaces with very little natural light.
In the projects “CROSS-SPACE”, the pre-existing structure of the building was not only respected but became a fundamental element in the design. In this context, mosaic tile allows for these structures to be integrated and given form, transforming what, in the beginning, may have seemed a spatial limitation into an opportunity. What’s more, this is a material that has been habitually used for decades in home renovations that remain important to this day, such as projects by Luis Moya or Carvajal.
Bathrooms are reduced to the minimum in both number and size, and are organised in a way that allows simultaneous use by several people, functioning as shared spaces rather than enclosed compartments. The selected material had to be uniform, capable of being applied to different surfaces, and to create both continuity and separation between spaces. As a surface, it is one of the more changeable layers of interior architecture, making it possible for the space to evolve and adapt over time without altering the fundamental infrastructure.
Smaller Splash, finalist for “ArchDaily 2024 Project of the Year”, proposes a sensorial and corporal experience where the space is transformed through water, light and materials. What role does the white mosaic tile play in creating this atmosphere?
In Smaller Splash, white mosaic tile plays a central role in creating an atmosphere designed to generate a transformative physical and sensorial experience through the dynamic experience of water, light and material.
The choice is not based solely on aesthetic criteria, but is directly connected to the principles of spatial indeterminacy and the synergies between elements that guide our work. The continuous application of the white mosaic on walls, floors, and even ceilings, helps dissolve physical boundaries and free the space from functional labels. The result is an environment defined less by its contours and more by the interaction between the tactile, the visual, and the atmospheric, allowing for a more fluid and adaptable experience.
It is also an ideal material where there is contact with water, not only in terms of durability but also in the way it interacts; the way the light is refracted and is reflected in the mosaic tile under the water enhances the sensation of fluidity and tactile warmth.
It is a durable, low-maintenance material, key aspects in terms of spatial sustainability, and the white mosaic is particularly well suited for contact with water. Not only does it withstand prolonged use, but it also heightens the sensory experience: the way light reflects and refracts on its surface underwater amplifies the sense of fluidity, movement, and depth.
The white colour maximises the reflection of both natural and artificial light, allowing the space to be perceived as wider, brighter, and ever-changing throughout the day. This capacity to capture and diffuse light is crucial to the transformation envisioned by the project, without the need for physical alterations, while easily adapting to different uses, from physical activity and relaxation to play and leisure.
At the same time, white functions as a neutral canvas that allows the atmosphere to be altered simply by adjusting the intensity or colour of the light. These changes affect not only spatial perception but also the mood and the physical and emotional well-being of those inhabiting the space. Light can activate and stimulate, or soothe and relax, establishing a direct relationship between material, body, and emotion.
In terms of sustainability, how do you consider working with recycled materials, such as Hisbalit’s eco-friendly mosaic tile?
We are particularly interested in working with recycled materials such as Hisbalit’s eco-friendly mosaic tile, as they align directly with our studio’s philosophy and our research on sustainability, both material and spatial. Being composed of recycled glass, it reduces the demand for new resources and minimises the environmental impact of extracting and processing of new raw materials. This has a direct impact on the project’s sustainability and on the reduction of its carbon footprint, priorities we consider essential in our practice.
Beyond its origin, the eco-friendly mosaic tile brings added value from a spatial perspective: it is a durable, resilient, and low maintenance, reducing the need for future interventions, fostering an economy of means, and ensuring the adaptability of the space over time. It is also made from recycled glass, contributing to closing the cycle of material, a fundamental part of our understanding of constructive processes.
We also value that these materials incorporate innovation and technology to enhance performance without sacrificing the sensory experience. For us, it is essential that materials enable a crossover between the human and the technical, between the emotional and the scientific. In this sense, the ecological mosaic not only fulfils an environmental or constructive function, but also expands the expressive possibilities of the space. Its formal versatility and aesthetic quality make it a valuable tool for developing multifunctional and non-binary spaces, without compromising the sensory experience or the formal rigor we seek in every project.
Working with materials like Hisbalit’s eco-friendly mosaic is not merely a conscious choice, but a practical manifestation of the values that underpin our architecture: care, adaptability, permanence, and connection with the environment.
In a context where sustainability, flexibility and technology are redefining architecture, what trends do you believe will predominate in the design of spaces in the coming years?
We understand that the architecture of the near future will focus on creating relational infrastructure that, through their definition and permanence, allow for the indeterminacy and change of other layers and scales. This infrastructure will be respectful of the local context, the identity of the place, and its memory, and will not predetermine a specific use for users. Rather, they will serve as an open framework for more changeable layers, encouraging multiplicity, negotiation, and active appropriation by users, and so ensuring true ‘spatial sustainability’ over time.
What future dreams or challenges do you have pending as a studio?
We could say that our main goal is to continue working with the same enthusiasm and dedication as we have until now. We do not aspire to become a large studio, but we do aim to keep exploring, experimenting, and learning with each project, each commission, each client, and each challenge that comes our way. We would like to continue working across all scales: from urban and spatial design to the creation of a piece of furniture, a publication, or a small-scale construction project. We also want to keep deepening and applying the theoretical research we have in progress, such as Non-Binary Space and CROSS-SPACE, which form the conceptual foundation of our projects. At first glance, this goal may seem modest, but the truth is that our profession is demanding, intense, and characterised by long, uncertain, and complex timelines. In addition, there are factors that are not always under our control, such as economic or administrative changes. For us, maintaining energy and enthusiasm over time is therefore a challenge as ambitious as it is necessary.
We would like to work on buildings where versatility, spatial sustainability, and freedom of use are not afterthoughts, but principles that guide the project from its inception.
Currently, our research on non-binary space continues to evolve. While we initially explored these issues in small-scale projects and domestic renovations, we have moved on to rehabilitation projects and, more recently, to new construction. This progression in scale has revealed new “layers of indefinition” and avenues of research, as well as creative and technical processes that were less evident (though still intuitively present) at the renovation scale. In this jump in scale, and with the responsibility of constructing new buildings when many existing ones could potentially be reused, it becomes particularly relevant for us to investigate how a building’s structure, and in many cases even part of its systems, represent the elements with the greatest permanence over time. Incidentally, these are also the elements with the greatest economic impact on the project as a whole. At the same time, we consider that the other layers of architecture, particularly its interior, operate as more dynamic layers, capable of simpler and more economical modifications.
This distinction between the permanence of the infrastructure and the mutability of the other layers guides our design strategies toward greater versatility, adaptability, and a reduction of drastic interventions over time. In other words, to conclude, we often ask ourselves: if we were to design only sufficiently versatile habitable structures, would we be creating habitats that are more flexible and sustainable over time?
Photos: Luis Asín