Manuel Bouzas — Architecture & Ecologies (MB—AE) is an experimental design practice founded in 2017 and based in Cambridge, MA (US) and Pontevedra, GA (ES). It operates at the intersection of Architecture and Ecology through various scales and mediums that range from ephemeral installations to academic research. Its work explores the impact of material culture on design practices by examining the ecological implications of their extraction, production, and consumption processes on the territory. Its work was exhibited at the 16th and 18th Venice Architecture Biennial in 2018 and 2023, and in the 15th BEAU Spanish Architecture & Urbanism Biennial in 2021. It also received the 2020 COAM Emerging Award from Madrid's College of Architects. Several international media have featured its work, including Arquitectura Viva, El Mundo, Domus, Divisare, Design Boom, and Archdaily.

Decentralization

We don’t have a single workspace. Instead, we rely on a complex network of collaborators, workshops, and clients spread throughout the country.

Material Ecologies

We explore local, low-cost, industrial, and recycled materials that were not originally conceived for architecture while exploring their circular economy, ecological, and territorial impacts.

Public Space

Our projects generate a positive impact for local communities by reactivating abandoned spaces in the city and hidden patios of historic heritage buildings.

Design through Making

From the first sketches to the final execution, we are involved in the entire process of our work. We perform not only as architects but also as carpenters, welders, electricians, and painters.

Radical Structures

Through a series of physical prototypes, we challenge gravity and materials by exploring innovative structural typologies such as catenaries, rings, and folds.

Ephemeral Footprint

Our projects are designed to be transported, assembled, and disassembled by just two people, leaving no trace behind and reusing materials for new functions.