AA alumnus and Entre Nos Atelier Studio Director Mike Smith has been awarded two prizes at the Biennial of Central American Architecture in the categories of Architectures of Social and Environmental Interest for Cuevadeluz (2015) in Carpio, San José, and in the Civic and Educational Architectures category for Kapaclajui Indigenous Training Center (2014) in Granos de Oro, Turrialba.

The first Biennial of Central American Architecture was held in Guatemala City, Guatemala, at the end of September 2022 with the aim of celebrating the best works undertaken in the region over the last 10 years. Both awarded projects, built entirely of wood, were developed through participatory design processes with the communities to provide space for local support.

Cuevadeluz was developed with the SIFAIS Foundation to host social inclusion activities related to art, the environment, sports and entrepreneurship. The Kapaclajui Indigenous Training Center functions as a centre for the indigenous community promoted by the IMAS, the Holcim Foundation and the local development association. Both projects were contributed to by Juan Tuk, an expert in wood construction.

Smith graduated from the Sustainable Environmental Design (MSc) programme in 2008 and currently runs Entre Nos Atelier out of San Jose, Costa Rica. He has been involved with the AA since his graduation and has previously given lectures at the School such as his MArch keynote, titled Architecture as Excuse: social agency, informality, and participation within the built environment.

Image: Kapaclajui Indigenous Training Center. Photography by Ingrid Johaning