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presentation of the Chair Madera Onesta and the exhibition 'Perpetuum Mobile' by EMBT Architects-Benedetta Tagliabue and the Enric Miralles Foundation.

Mª del Valle (Yaye) de la Lastra, student of Master's Degree University in Architecture, tells the experience she lived on October 6 and 7 during the workshop of Structures and composition, which included as activities the presentation of the Chair Madera Onesta at the headquarters of postgraduate program of the University (Madrid) and the inauguration of the exhibition 'Perpetuum Mobile' by EMBT Architects-Benedetta Tagliabue and the Fundació Enric Miralles, which is exhibited at the same venue.

"On Thursday October 6 we started at ten o'clock in the morning the first of the workshops of the course, this time of Structures and composition. José Manuel Cabrero, teacher and director of the Chair Madera Onesta and a familiar face to many, was the first to take the floor and explain the operation of the various workshops, dates and logistics. We will have three, each of two sessions (Thursday-Friday): Structures-composition, construction-projects and installations-urbanism. This first one already set the bar very high, both thematically and by the academic staff and by including the inauguration of the exhibition 'Perpetuum Mobile' by EMBT Architects-Benedetta Tagliabue and the Enric Miralles Foundation, which is on display at the University's postgraduate program headquarters and can be visited (Madrid).

Throughout the morning, and with the help of Javier Sáez and José Manuel Cabrero, we discovered each of the works of Enric Miralles, learning to read them and to obtain from them the richness they possess. The mixture of teachers was very interesting, the fusion of a more poetic language with a more technical one, which once again have a perfect union in good architecture. Although we all knew Miralles, they opened up a great panorama for us, which was undoubtedly the main topic of conversation during the lunch we were able to enjoy in the sun.

The afternoon began with the first meeting by groups to see how to direct the work, which building/s to choose and what to investigate about it/them and its structure. Suddenly, when we went out again to the atrium, we saw that together with a good team of teachers from Pamplona there were great personalities such as Alberto Campo Baeza and Nacho Vicens, who confirmed the interest of what we were going to live and learn during the rest of the afternoon. 

Then, at the classroom magna of the University's postgraduate program headquarters, where there was no free space, we had the presentation of Chair Madera Onesta, initiated by Francisco José Espejo, who gave the context of the roundtable that would follow. But first it was the turn of Benedetta Tagliabue, who in a very close way presented us the exhibition of the furniture of her house ('Perpetuum Mobile') that was already prepared in the atrium, and the projects of her studio EMBT Architects-Benedetta Tagliabue, in which wood had played a leading role. Benedetta captured all our attention by talking about her own work and explaining the reason for each small decision. 

presentation from Chair Madera Onesta (Madrid)

Finally, there was the roundtable, moderated by Fredy Massad (ABC), who once again introduced José Manuel Cabrero, Francisco José Espejo, Luis García Malo de Molina (director operations AEDAS Home) and José Antonio Tenorio (high school Eduardo Torroja CSIC), who, together with Benedetta, talked about the current use of wood in construction and the potential it is developing, not only for fashion, but also for its sustainable characteristics, and the great advantage that can be obtained by combining it with other materials. The interventions from the audience were very interesting and the speakers were encouraged to give their opinion on the current teaching on issues related to wood and knowledge by professionals and students. Last but not least, we all enjoyed a cocktail in the courtyard of the building, where the weather, the company, the food and the conversation were excellent.

Friday morning was the trigger of the previous day. First, Professor Carlos Chocarro talked about the parliament as a concept and architecture, making a complete review of the world parliaments and their history, to frame the Scottish Parliament, designed by Enric Miralles. He was followed by Eduardo Bayo, who explained the structural morphology of this building, as well as more technical issues concerning the subject beam used. Finally, José Ángel Medina encouraged us to make a critical reflection of the architecture seen these days, contributing different ideas and as always enjoying what we do. Thus concluded two intense days of learning, which inaugurated the workshops of this course in style".

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