Telling children aged between five and eight about architecture is the curious vocation of Jorge Raedó. Spanish, born in Saragozza in 1969, Raedó comes from a mixed educational background, half way between architecture and theatre. Together with mathematician and IT consultant Luís Moreno and Eva Serrats, architect, he is the promotor of a unique project “¿Qué es Arquitectura?”. The aim is to bring children into contact with architecture and awaken their curiosity for the spatial and urban environment. “We address children between five and eight years old because this is the age that they start to take on board mathematical games, abstraction as a means of understanding the world” explains Raedó.

The result of their work is a series of short films (that can be viewed online), highly varied and never banal, featuring architects, actors, puppets, an opera singer and even a clown. What is more, “the architects had to make a special effort to communicate with children. Essence and simplicity are at the base of their proposals” adds Raedó. Imma Jansana, the head of the landscape project of the Delta del Llobregat for example wrote a story in which the protagonist is water that explains its route to the delta up to the sea. Emilio Tuñón was filmed while talking to pupils of five, six and seven years. Pilar Cos, with the help of a model of Barcelona created by sculptor Jordi Estivill, tells to the camera the story of how a city grows. Victoria Garriga (AV62, Barcelona), along with architect and mezzosoprano Claudia Schneider is the author of a unique story-opera about the life of Lina Bo Bardi. Others who have been involved in the project include Benedetta Tagliabue, Josep Bohigas, Francesc Pla, Iñaki Vaquero, Ana Bofill, Eva Prats + Ricard Flores, Alberto Campo Baeza, lo strutturista Robert Brufau and artist Santiago Cirugeda. ES