A Citizens Committee and has known the Housing Project from its beginnings in two thousand and three the slum was torn down into more royal used to consist of shabby shelters some of them without windows. Residents were moved out while the quarter was redeveloped but they took part in the planning from the start the chilean state provided a seven thousand dollars subsidy for each apartment the project was a challenge for alexander out of enough and for its residents. Predict a seat on the way the architect about the project was beautiful but we had a different opinion until he explained that we could later add extensions on to the buildings that changed things i think but a first we thought the whole thing was quite ugly. So who is this man who has had an astonishing career building simple Public Housing rather than glittering high rises we meet the pritzker prize winner in his office in santiago. What motivates alexander out of him and his team studio elemental. This is what we do us all good things we start from forces that are outside architecture social structure political constraints economical restrictions and try to channel that in the proper form and this is the power of hopefully the power of architecture. Thing as most beautiful buildings are on the grounds of the Pontifical Catholic University of chilling where he studied and now has a professorship. Some of his designs on campus are massive but never ungainly and some are elegantly light. On the foothills of santiagos mountain sun crystal ball out of annas expansive childrens playground to take us by surprise which really it was only streets and wilderness. Public space is a really bad stand so whatever you do make sure that the place where people needs i mean were now richer than before but we can enjoy quality of life because the no public space cities are measured for what you can do in them for free we measured it and if they were right two point two square meters but he never turned International Standards its seven. Economically chile is the strongest country in south america but it has great social inequality there are still seven hundred slums in the country like lobar in a chair at the edge of the city due to other than a build with a small budget he says there is no alternative anywhere. In the world every second. Two people will need a new Housing Project so in this the end of this conversation a couple of thousands of people would have either get into a project or if we do nothing they will go and leave him in slums. His designs and loeb on a chair to our clear robust and reduced to the Bare Necessities alexandra lives here she preferred out of a nice original spartan designed to remodelling the interior at great expense here we can clearly see his basic designs. The house is still exactly the same as it was when i got it i havent changed anything. That goes for the color the floor everything is the same as it was when i moved in. The constitution on a five hour drive south of santiago posed an entirely new challenge in two thousand and ten and massive earthquake and its anatomy devastated the city of forty thousand. Out of a night and his team developed a master plan to rebuild constitute with new housing tracts earthquake proof and situated one hundred meters above sea level. As an icky case half of each house was built with subsidies with owners adding on at their own expense almost all the houses are complete. Other than his principal leads to diversity in contrast to the monotony of much Public Housing elsewhere. Also found has sent her husband used to live in the center of town they say they miss the vibrant life there but having their own disaster proof affordable home is more important. Sort of thought we. Were very grateful for the chance to add on an extension to our liking. Or own effort. That we could build exactly how we wanted to. Constitute has been rebuilt. There is even a new Culture Center in the city. The building is clear functionality is typical of out of the architecture. Its built out of pine wood which is a Natural Resource in the region. The point talents are also made of wood these are striking lookouts overlooking the newly built promenade on the pacific shore. Master plan is to draw tourists back to the city giving the earthquake struck city an economic future. This kind of engagement shows the power of architecture can have and what architects like. And his team can see. They in their ideas are urgently needed and not just in. Today the three billion people that live in cities one. Thousand and thirty. Five. Week. People coming to cities if we dont give an answer to this is not that people will stop coming to cities they will come anyhow. And that was all for this special this week on urban living find more online dot com slash culture. Well be back next week with more groundbreaking stories. By bike and