translated from Spanish: Miguel Lawver, national prize of architecture 2019: A recognition as deserved as necessary

During the second half of the Decade of the 1940s, student struggles were one of the acontecim most important sources in the history of the teaching of architecture in Chile: the reform of the ‘ 46, developed with the purpose of forming an integral architect “with full knowledge of the society that provides its services”.
Influenced by this new spirit, a group of Communist students – interested in report disputes and ideological discussions in Europe about art and architecture-take the agreement to edit a newsletter called new Vision, stressing in its first issue which had the purpose of “contributing to the diffusion of new ideas and principles that tend to get to the architecture of its false formal expression and reencausarla to his work of creation of forms that meet the social needs of our time”.
One of those students was Miguel Lawner Steiman, whose formation, was undoubtedly marked by the postulates of the Reformation, coincidentally implemented the same year entering the Faculty of architecture of the University of Chile.
No wonder then, that Miguel has become the integral and committed architect who is. The values of reform – who already began to declare during his university training – have been the basis of significant career and the conviction with which he has developed his extraordinary career.
Therefore, the national prize of architecture 2018-2020 which just received is not only a highly deserved recognition, but also and above all, sincerely necessary for the current Chile, especially architects and their new generations.
And is that Miguel Lawner, in addition to an integral architect with a high creative and experimental – quality embodied in the prolific production developed with its Bel Office architects, which won several public contests of unquestionable social seal-, has been also a prominent teacher University, co-founder of the AUCA magazine, and a man of great commitment.
Commitment and infinite love to his family, friends and Anita, his partner in life and ideals, with an a great sense of camaraderie, friendship, and teamwork; deep political and social commitment to the working class and the families homeless, which in 1973 – during the Pinochet dictatorship – will mean prison and later exile in Denmark. In short, is Lawner, a man idealistic, consistent and great conviction in his life and career.
Public official of inexhaustible energy through his important work as Executive Director of the Corporation’s urban improvement, CORMU, during the Government of President Salvador Allende (1970-1973) – period that, confronted with the possibility of transforming the reality, designates as the years “most exciting and creative in the history of the housing and urban development policies implemented in Chile”.
It was also Vice President of the Colegio de Arquitectos (1986-1994), Member of the National Council of urban development (2014-2017), among many other responsibilities it has assumed.
Miguel is not a man to sit still. So, in recent years, supporting heartfelt social demands, it has become a critical voice and permanent values in the debate over the city, urban conflict and the design of public policies.
Among these we can mention those related to construction permissions incorrectly granted in the commune of Central station, the Declaration of inhabitablilidad of the Tower of the UNTAC – work of great heritage value both architectural and historical-, the demolition and subsequent declaration of the blocks of the Villa San Luis as a national monument, takes it by the recovery of the 73 Block of Olympic village, the recent proposal by Bill of social integration, among many others.
Is for this reason, the national prize of architecture, it is much more that the great architect who is Miguel Lawner, is also the appreciation and gratitude to his political and social commitment, that daily follows ranging in various University spaces to which is invited participating in a meeting with residents, constantly writing, reviewing, developing ideas, supporting various causes.
With a story simple, close and at the same time critical and human, speaking from experience and idealism that so often resolved issues that are still as valid as it is struggle for decent housing, segregation, the deterioration of urban areas , migration, etc.
Your presence today, full of conviction constantly returns us to those missing values, as a legacy that makes us aware of the social role of the architect and how our decisions can determine the condition of life of the people.
In times of strong individualism and a neo-liberal model that hard twisting hand, the figure of Miguel Lawner Steiman, representing a generation of great architects of the reform of the ‘ formed by the u. de Chile 46, “with whom we share the” “education, academic, professional, institutional and trade union practices but, above all, with those who share the ideals of an architecture and urban planning for all”.
This recognition, as well as deserved, positions it as a highly necessary reference for students, architects, public officials, and throughout our society, telling us that it is possible to change things, by calling us at the professional commitment, social and human towards, ultimately, cities and more just and integrated societies.
Monica Bustos Peñafiel is academic of the Housing Institute, Faculty of architecture and urbanism, University of Chile. The above used in this column were drawn from the book “Miguel Lawner. Memoirs of a stubborn architect”. Editions University of bio-bio. 2013.

Original source in Spanish