Lab Mobile

Design by: Alsar Atelier 
Construction Year: 2023
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Area: 100 m²

Bogota: A Mobile Lab

In the urban limits of Bogota, Colombia, El Paraiso is representative neighborhood of the self-built city phenomenon. Constructed in stages, the city has multiple social conditions that create a diverse range of communities. At first, families seeking housing invade land and build the first structures with found materials. As these settlements become permanent residences, a basic urban grid is loosely defined. As the city densifies, government intervention occurs, but the reclamation of public space is increasingly difficult, underscoring a chronic issue within these environments.

In response, alongside the Colombian Society of Architects, Alsar Atelier investigated how design could increase the awareness of public space and communal urbanity in this self-built context. The structure, ‘A Mobile Lab’, is a modular infrastructure that helps citizens to understand the importance of public space through community engagement workshops, managed by the Colombian Society of Architects.

The structure is inspired by the informal vernacular, using dry materials from construction found in the Bogota region. Steel tripods, arranged in a triangular form, form the frame, while blue Polisombra (construction netting) drapes between these supports. The Polisombra is anchored using gallon water jugs. All three materials are painted blue to unify the composition and visually contrast the surrounding urban environment, embellishing the ordinary and creating a purposeful design aesthetic. All of the materials are recycled.

Ephemerality is crucial to the success of ‘A Mobile Lab’, which is designed to be easily assembled and transported by two people in under three hours. The tripods bolt together in a simple joint, and the Polisombra is stretched between them, which determines the size of the structure. Therefore it is adaptable to a wide range of urban environments, from a soccer field to a compact urban setting.

Originating from the Covid-19 pandemic, Alsar Atelier, led by Alejandro Saldarriaga Rubio, utilizes the methodology of magical realism and ephemerality to design solutions in

response to chronic emergencies. ‘A Mobile Lab’ stands within a lineage of architecture that inspires introspection, social awareness, and political critique. In any city, not just El Paraiso, where the residents build their environment, nurturing an awareness of public spaces can help guide the city towards a more connected and social future.