Congratulations to Department of Architecture professors Elmer O. García and Olga Kusche-Iglesias on their winning proposal, The Porch, selected through the “Triumphal Arch” Open Call competition hosted by Bakehouse Art Complex.
Developed through a collaboration between Bakehouse Art Complex and Coldefy, the internationally recognized French architecture and urban design practice, the open call invited architects and designers to reinterpret the concept of a gateway or triumphal arch for a temporary, community-centered public installation at Bakehouse’s expanding Wynwood Norte campus.
Garcia and Kutsche-Iglesias’ proposal transforms what would normally be regarded as a passageway into a gathering threshold, creating opportunities for intimate social exchange. As described in their winning entry, “The Porch celebrates the small, often overlooked victories that emerge through human interaction—moments of conversation, proximity, and shared presence.”
The proposal takes inspiration from a vernacular architectural element deeply rooted in the cultural and climatic conditions and traditions of South Florida and the Caribbean – the porch. Functioning as a transitional space between indoors and outdoors, the vernacular porch fosters informal social engagement and creates opportunities for connection through everyday use.
Once built, the winning proposal will serve as the entrance to a new temporary infill community garden and public programming space adjacent to Bakehouse’s main campus. Located on a recently acquired site reimagined for urban agricultural education, outdoor exhibitions, workshops, performances, and neighborhood gatherings, The Porch will welcome visitors while fostering connection, interaction, and community participation.
Winning and finalist proposals will be exhibited at Bakehouse Art Complex in Miami and at Coldefy Studios in Paris, concurrent with Art Basel Paris this fall. The exhibition will be sponsored by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau. The selection of The Porch recognizes García and Kusche-Iglesias’ creative reinterpretation of an historic architectural form and reflects the FIU School of Architecture’s ongoing commitments to innovation and community-centered design.
