Michael Smith-Masis ‘19

Mike’s Spatial Justice® platform was a Selected Project and Finalist (among more than 700 proposals) for the VIII Ibero-American Design Biennial in Madrid.

The platform was also selected as a teaching platform from among more than 834 applicants by the XII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, Mexico City, Mexico.

Justicia Espacial is a research platform to understand, share and develop spatial justice projects, through a learning ecosystem that promotes community participation, agency and multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary exchanges. Since 2020 Mike and his team have developed in virtual format, and currently semi-virtual, a series of research projects and academic workshops, public online events, articles with Latin American experiences, among other free digital content. Mike led a robust team of enthusiastic collaborators—Loeb Fellows Alejandro Echeverri LF, Anna Heringer LF, Katie Swenson LF, as well as Sarah Williams, Belinda Tato, Todo por la Praxis, Zaida Muxi, Jorge Mario Jauregui, Teddy Cruz and Fona Forman, Washington Fajardo LF, Surella Segu LF, Alejandro Haiek , Diane Davis, Rozana Montiel, Chelina Odbert, and Elisa Silva.

The team built a collection of more than 60 talks freely available online on topics such as critical cartographies, ways of thinking about Spatial Justice, strategies for community engagement and participation, and social impact project experiences. Articles are also available for free download.