... from the narratives of key design members
“… It became clear to my uncle and others that Castro would not willingly return control of the government to the Cuban people.
My uncle’s rejection of this political betrayal resulted in his loss of position within the revolutionary government and the loss of his personal freedom. He was incarcerated as a political prisoner for 16 years.
He was frequently tormented by mock firing squads, fed misinformation regarding his friends and family, and deprived of basic interpersonal interaction. In response, he led hunger strikes, wrote vigorously and never surrendered his advocacy for freedom.
My uncle, free for the past 18 years, remains a dedicated revolutionary. He admires and advocates for freedom movements around the world.”
— MANUEL CADRECHA, AIA, LEED AP
Excerpt of RFP Submission
Design Narrative
THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRM’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
The creation of architecture is an optimistic act. It is grounded in the principle that people’s lives can be improved through the design of the built environment. Architecture combines both art and science to solve human problems. It constantly surrounds us; it is a public and a social art.
The manipulation of form, space, material and color is the essence of architecture. We must honor traditional ways of handling these elements while embracing experimentation. Historical buildings and forms tie us to the collective memory of our past. They provide meaning and create a sense of place. However, as history shows, new directions can broaden our opportunities.
Great architecture is a result of truly understanding and synthesizing the unique issues of program and place. Client needs and requirements are the most important base of any solution. Layered on the client’s concerns are those of site, culture and context. Architecture must simultaneously grow out of and act upon its surroundings to create new places of meaningful social content. Out of a thoughtful resolution of the unique aspects of place and program can arise an architecture that is rooted in the present while optimistically guiding us toward our future.
Architecture of Freedom
Freedom is the fundamental human and civil right. Only freedom enables self-determination – the ability to choose one’s own course in life independent of repressive political, religious and societal mandates. And without freedom, interpersonal equality does not exist.
Humankind’s never-ending quest for freedom began at the dawn of civilization. After all, how full is a life shackled by restraints? To truly understand what it means to be free, we must see ourselves mirrored in every people, every struggle and every cause.
Like the great promise of freedom itself, an architecture of freedom must fully manifest dignity, openness and direction.
Dignity. An architecture of freedom must exalt the dignity of a people – all people. It must defend the right to exist, to express, to believe, to achieve and to dissent. It must be clear, optimistic and confident. It must be free of specific references and must embody its own quiet, firm determination and a beauty derived from a belief in the power of individual liberty.
Openness. An architecture of freedom must clearly be open to all and belong to all – welcoming and inclusive in form and in spirit. It must exist on its site but be of every site. It must be familiar in the good sense of the word. It must house evidence of struggle and must welcome discourse and dissent. It must be a sanctuary. It must display clarity of intention, volumetric expression and thought. The architecture is not freedom itself but rather the vessel of a people and their struggle.
Direction. An architecture of freedom must be a pathway toward a better world. It must be concerned with the earth and our dwindling resources. The right to live on a healthy planet is a basic shared right. The center must be committed to deep green; it must improve the physical site by its existence. In its dedication to the earth, the architecture advocates for a healthy planet for a free people.