Arquitectura No. 389 (Inclusion)

The new issue of Arquitectura, titled Inclusion, is the first one dedicated to social questions, following the two previous which have focused on Territory and Climate.

For the United Nations, social inclusion ensures that all people, regardless of background, can fully participate in society by accessing services and removing exclusionary barriers. Architecture, however, spent decades in postmodern formalism, prioritizing theory over social engagement. As Manfredo Tafuri noted in Progetto e utopia (1973), it abandoned political critique, favoring spatial autonomy over inclusion. From the 1970s to the 1990s, movements like neo-avant-garde, deconstructivism, and the star system reinforced this detachment. The 2008 financial crisis marked a turning point, reviving interest in sustainability and social justice. Architecture is now understood as socially embedded, evolving with society. The challenge lies in maintaining quality while integrating social constructivism and activism to address complex issues like climate change and neoliberalism. The most powerful examples of social architecture often arise not from inflated discourse but from built works that critically and tangibly confront reality, reaffirming the discipline’s social responsibility