2024 Winner: C733

The 2024 OBEL AWARD has been awarded to a body of 36 public works by Colectivo C733. The projects, all of them located in Mexico, were completed in just 36 months – an extraordinary achievement. Initiated as part of a nationwide effort by SEDATU (Mexico’s Secretariat for Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development), the 36×36 projects revitalised vulnerable urban and rural areas across Mexico through a collaborative and community-focused approach.

• Colectivo C733 is composed of the offices of architects Gabriela Carrillo (Taller Gabriela Carrillo), Carlos Facio y José Amozurrutia (TO), along with Eric Valdez (Labg) and Israel Espin. They came together as an architectural meta-collective to design and deliver the projects under complex social, political, environmental, and financial constraints. 
• According to the jury, the strength of the collective partly lay in the fact that, by designing together, ‘with’ a constantly fluctuating roster of stakeholders, and while utilising shared skills and resources, they were able to bring together 30 architects and a multidisciplinary team of consultants, learning to compress a process that previously could have taken years into just a few months — something practically unheard of by today’s industry standards.

A Collective Approach to Urgent Urban and Rural Needs

The OBEL AWARD Jury recognises the 36×36 for embodying the theme “Architectures WITH,” where the focus is on designing with communities, rather than simply for them. This approach underscores the importance of inclusive, community-driven architecture in addressing the urgent and growing vulnerabilities of both people and the planet.

The architecture of Colectivo C733, who is inspired by the ideas of Uruguayan engineer Eladio Dieste, is marked by modular, flexible, and cost-efficient design principles which allows for numerous combinations and iterations to be contextualised, resulting in a family of works with a distinct architectural kinship. Colectivo C733 has set a new standard for how architects can respond to the complexities of urban and rural revitalisation while navigating social, political, environmental, and financial challenges.

Excerpt from Jury Statement:

“Colectivo C733 exemplifies the power of collective action and collaborative design to rapidly respond to urgent urban needs. Their ability to transform 36 communities through thoughtful, resource-efficient, and dignified architectural interventions is a blueprint for future public works projects worldwide.”