Pacheco-Vásquez, Pedro Damián

"Both society and our planet demand planning, design, and construction professionals with the competencies required to contribute, integrate and co-create. An upstanding professional, a system thinker". Of his education as an architect, Pedro Damián Pacheco Vázquez is excited about the possibility to transform space to create atmospheres that elevate the senses. As a teacher, he likes having an impact not only in students but also in the communities they work for. That their ideas, alongside those of professionals from other disciplines, offer comprehensive solutions befitted for each environment is something he is passionate about. He is interested in the impact our decisions have had over natural systems, so he has focused on participatory design (civic engagement) and sustainable design and construction strategies. He explores new materials, systems, and construction processes by analyzing traditional materials and household and industrial waste. For example, technified rammed earth that allows him to reduce completion times, make efficient use of the resource and improve the quality of construction. One of the greatest challenges for the contemporary architect, according to Pacheco Vázquez, is knowing how each professional takes part in the planning, design, and construction of the space, but also knowing how to integrate other disciplines in order to create efficient spaces with a profound respect for nature. Another challenge, he claims, is to maintain his integrity as a provider of service for the common good and not yield to the interests of large corporations or personal egos that inevitably lead to the production of speculative, lucrative and objectual work.