On 24 September, Studio Ensamble will be invited by A+ and Bozar to give a lecture on its work and methodology. Founded in 2000 by Antón García-Abril and Débora Mesa, the firm is based in Madrid and Boston (USA). In an interview ahead of the lecture, A asked Antón García-Abril and Débora Mesa what being an architect means to them today, and what they personally hope for the future of the profession.

Ensamble’s projects range from a small cabin offering shelter in the wilderness on the island of Menorca (The Truffle, 2010) and a concrete tent on the Costa da Morte in Galicia (Costa da Morte, 2020) to a spectacular dwelling made entirely of gigantic concrete beams and glass (Hemeroscopium House, Madrid, 2008) and an industrial warehouse made entirely of prefabricated elements (Fabrica, Madrid, 2019). Small-scale vernacular experiments in nature seem to be the antithesis of extremely rational, rigorously paced homes and office buildings made of standardised steel and prefabricated concrete.