Alejandro Aravena graduated in Architecture from Universidad Católica de Chile in 1992. In 1991, still as a student, he participated at the Venice Prize of the 5th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia. In 1993 he studied History and Theory at IUAV and engraving at the Accademia di... Read more
Alejandro Aravena graduated in Architecture from Universidad Católica de Chile in 1992. In 1991, still as a student, he participated at the Venice Prize of the 5th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia. In 1993 he studied History and Theory at IUAV and engraving at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia.
He established Alejandro Aravena Architects in 1994. From 2000 to 2005 he was professor at Harvard University, where the path to the foundation of ELEMENTAL started.
ELEMENTAL is a Do Tank founded in 2001, led by Alejandro Aravena and composed by Gonzalo Arteaga, Juan Cerda, Victor Oddó and Diego Torres. The studio works on projects of public interest and social impact, including housing, public space, infrastructure and transportation.
Alejandro Aravena was member of the Pritzker Prize Jury (2009-2015). He was named Honorary RIBA International Fellow (2009) and Board Member of the Cities Program of the LSE (2011). He is also Regional Advisory Board Member of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies; Board Member of the Swiss Holcim Foundation; Foundational Member of the Chilean Public Policies Society. He led the Helsinki Design Lab for SITRA (Finnish Government Innovation Fund) to design a national strategy towards carbon neutrality.
He was one of the 100 personalities contributing to the Rio +20 Global Summit in 2012, and participated to conferences worldwide, including a Pritzkers Laureate’s Conversation in the New York UN Headquarter: Challenges Ahead for the Built Environment (2016), and a TED Global talk in Rio de Janeiro: My architectural philosophy? Bring the community into the process (2014).
Author of Los Hechos de la Arquitectura (Architectural Facts, Santiago, 1999), El Lugar de la Arquitectura (The Place in/of Architecture, Santiago, 2002) and Material de Arquitectura (Architecture Matters, Santiago, 2003), Electa published the monography Alejandro Aravena; progettare e costruire (Milan, 2007) and Toto published Alejandro Aravena; the Forces in Architecture (Tokyo, 2011). In 2011, ELEMENTAL
Incremental Housing and Participatory Design Manual by Hatje-Cantz, and in 2018, the monograph ELEMENTAL by Phaidon.
Elemental’s work has been exhibited at different venues from MoMA in 2010 (Small Scale, Big Change) to the Venice Architecture Biennale (2008, 2012, 2018) among others. We actually curated the XV Venice Biennale in 2016. A solo retrospective has recently opened at the Louisiana Art Museum in Denmark in October 2018. Elemental´s work is also part of the permanent collection of Centre Pompidou.
Elemental’s work has been recognized through many awards: the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2008, the Index Award in 2011 in Copenhagen, the Design of the Year for the Angelini Innovation Center in 2015 in London and the Gothenburg Award for sustainability in 2017 (first time awarded to an architect). In 2016 Alejandro Aravena was awarded the Pritzker Prize.
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You can book Alejandro Aravena through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Alejandro's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Alejandro Aravena's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Alejandro tailored to your event.
Alejandro Aravena speaks on Cities & Environment, Innovation & Creativity, Urban. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Alejandro to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Alejandro Aravena for events worldwide, subject to Alejandro's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Alejandro Aravena is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Alejandro can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Alejandro Aravena on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Alejandro can offer.
Alejandro Aravena delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Alejandro Aravena's areas of expertise include Cities & Environment, Innovation & Creativity, Urban. To get a clear sense of Alejandro's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Alejandro Aravena can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Cities & Environment, Innovation & Creativity, Urban is relevant. Details of Alejandro's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Alejandro Aravena is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Alejandro Aravena, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Alejandro's current availability for your dates.