ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE
LOS ANGELES, MEXICO CITY, MADRID
About
There There is an architecture practice that fluctuates between design and research, and between LA, Mexico City and Madrid. Through architectures, counternarratives, and fictions we challenge dominant worldviews, materialize alternative imaginaries and catalyze meaningful experiences.
By embracing a “tabula-NON-rasa” approach that rejects erasure and challenges fixed narratives, our work and research unearths the layered stories and contested meanings of a place to propose new imaginaries that are in dialogue with them.
Because we believe there is always a “THERE THERE.”
PRINCIPAL
Monica Lamela is a registered architect in Spain practicing internationally. Before founding There There, Monica worked with Lacaton & Vassal, Franzis Kéré, Raumlabor, and Tatiana Bilbao Estudio.
Monica holds a MArch from Escuela Politecnica de Madrid (ETSAM) and a MS in History Theory and Society from UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, where she was a Fulbright fellow. She taught at UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, and was a Guest Speaker at ETH Zurich and Otis College of Art and Design. She has been a Design Critic at UC Berkeley, Sci-Arc, Architectural Association, USC, and Cal Poly Pomona. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design.
ALLIES
Shilpa Mevada
Gabriela Álvarez
Sofía Betancur
Raquel Ruiz
Violeta Ordóñez
Soledad Rodriguez
Valentina Marchetti
Mutuo
Puente Alameda
AWARDS
AN’S 2024 BEST OF PRACTICE
New Firm (West) - Honorable Mention
2024
AIA LA - NEXT LA
CloudRock
2023, Los Angeles, USA
AN’S BEST OF DESIGN AWARD
Otoch
2023, The Architect's Newspaper
AN’S PROJECT OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Otoch
2023, The Architect's Newspaper
EUROPAN 17
Eden-Berg
2023, Bad Lobestein, Germany
A+D MUSEUM DESIGN AWARDS
A Liquid Relationship
2023, LA, United States
CONCENTRICO FESTIVAL
Reset
2023, Logroño, Spain
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
Dharā-Kshetra
2022, Bengaluru, India
EUROPAN 16
Free Mühlgang
2021, Graz, Austria
A+D MUSEUM DESIGN AWARDS
Unfixed Lifeworlds
2021, LA, United States
AIAS HONOR AWARD
Rave Assemblages
2021, United States
LAND ART GENERATOR
We are Guests in this Land
2021, Nevada, United States
SAN FRANCISCO AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHALLENGE
Home Sweet Home
2020, San Francisco, United States
PREMIO FELIX CANDELA
National Museum of Architecture
2019, Mexico City, Mexico
SEED AWARD PUBLIC EXCELLENCE
A Jam Manufactory for NAXIÍ
2015, United States
NEWS
Unearthing Stories
Lecture at Otis College of Art and Design
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Bauwelt: Tabula non rasa
Magazine featuring EDEN BERG
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Patio - "Inefable"
Interview with Monica Lamela
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Archinect
CloudRock
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WAN Awards
Invited Juror
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Design Awards 2023 - A+D Museum
Digital Exhibition featuring A Liquid Relationship
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"Por un mundo más justo, inclusivo y solidario"
Invterview with founder Monica Lamela
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Under the Influence
Lecture Series
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LINA conference
Publication featuring Free Mühlgang
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Preludio - Proyecto Publico Prim
Exhibition
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Oslo Triennale 2022
Publication featuring Free Mühlgang
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Seven Questions Curatorial
Guest speaker at ETH Zürich
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Living Cities - EUROPAN 16 Austria
Book featuring Free Mühlgang
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“Living Cities” - EUROPAN 16
Exhibition featuring Free Mühlgang
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Living Cities - EUROPAN 16
Book featuring Free Mühlgang
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Design Awards 2021 - A+D Museum
Digital exhibition featuring Unfixed Lifeworlds
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The Future of_Space//Reflections - A+D Museum
Digital exhibition featuring Ubiquitous Grid
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Land Art of the 21st Century, Hirmer Publishers
Book featuring We are Guests in this Land
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