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> Do It Together. 
Self-building System of Cardboard Masonry and Velcro

Matadero, Centre for Contemporary Creation
Madrid, Spain
2013


“Do It Together” is a self-building system of cardboard masonry and Velcro. We utilise cardboard that is made from recycled materials and is also recyclable. This system is designed to be flexible and reversible, which expands its potential applications. We originally designed it for the resident artist communities at the Matadero Cultural Centre in Madrid during 2013 and 2014. Subsequently, we have used the system in other projects, and it has also been used by other colleagues. With this system you can create a variety of structures, including partitions of different shapes and sizes, shelves, tables, seating and even small bleachers.

On the one hand, we are interested in exploring self-construction insofar as it is a direct form of community empowerment over the space that is inhabited. We are also interested in its capacity to build community, in material as well as immaterial terms. For instance, community is built from the affect, emotions and ideas that are formed when making decisions about the space, and even when collaborating on seemingly mundane tasks like cutting and attaching Velcro pieces.















































































On the other hand, it is important for us to conduct a critical review of self-construction. Often, so-called participatory and self-construction architecture does not comply with health and safety protocols. Similarly, much like the field of architecture in general, this approach often limits participation in construction to certain individuals, specifically
“able” and hegemonic bodies. Here, we aimed to create a system that generates architectures that are not only environmentally friendly and adaptable, but also lightweight and safe to be appropriated by different bodies which are not necessarily normative. For us, they remind us of the need to create new architectural structures that are designed specifically for Other bodily experiences.



















































Design: Husos (Diego Barajas, Camilo García, Xavier Robledo) / Mediation: Pedagogias Invisibles (Andrea de Pascual, Eva Morales López, David Lanau) / Agents involved in the initial prototype and the first tests: Artists of the “Here Together Now” project (Theo Firmo, Sibel Horada, Iz Öztat, Diego del Pozo, Dilek Winchester) / Art Writer: Cristina Anglada / Spatial mediation: Husos: Diego Barajas, Camilo García, Xavier Robledo / Coordination: Manuela Villa, Olivia Rico / Photography and video: Miguel de Guzmán / Client: Matadero, Centre for Contemporary Creation / English translation: Carlota Mir.

Assembly: Cristina Anglada, Diego Barajas, Miguel Ángel Benjumea, Andrea de Pascual, Theo Firmo, Camilo García, Sibel Horada, Iz Öztat, Eva Morales López, David Lanau, Verónica López, Jacqueline Ordoñez, Diego del Pozo, Paula Poblete, Olivia Rico, Xavier Robledo, Carolina Solar, Montse Soria, Manuela Villa, Dilek Winchester.