Elisa Silva was invited to speak at the VII Cisneros Foundation Seminar titled “Disruptions: Dilemmas Regarding the Image in Contemporaneity” curated by Ileana Ramírez. It considers art´s link with politics as it operates to construct new subjectivities, and encourage questioning of what Jacques Rancière called “the aesthetic and representative logic of art”. The event took place March 16 2018 at the Chacao Cultural Center. Elisa’s intervention centered on the relationship of Caracas’ inhabitants with the real city, denied and replace by a plutonic and narcissistic love that is disengaged and inoperative. A dysfunctional relationship and missed timing, as exemplified in Félix González Torres´ 1989 piece “Perfect Lovers.”

Elisa was invited to a live interview with Albani Losada and Unai Abenamar as part of their program on Radio Station Exitos 99.7, the 19^th of February 2018. The conversation centered on the role public space plays in building social cohesion in cities. The City Planting projects by Citibank and Fudep are examples of how communities come together to transform their environment, but also manifest their desire to be considered equals in the city.

Elisa participated in the 9^th UN Habitat World Urban Forum in Kuala Lumpur. The Conavi office of social housing in Mexico and the offices of UN Habitat in Mexico have formed an alliance to collaborate on research regarding implementation practices of the NAMA program on sustainable social housing. Elisa Silva will study current practices on existing sustainable social housing complexes and identify practice opportunities to improve implementation and achieve buildings that achieve the targets of reduced energy and water consumption. Conavi and Infonavit, the country´s main mortgage lender, have vowed to reduce carbon emissions 50% by 2020 through better social housing building and maintenance practices. 

We are pleased to communicate that Enlace Arquitectura and MiConvive have started a new collaboration to support communities in El Cardon - Antímano, La Hoyada - La Vega and Chapellín build new public spaces. The process entails a very close relationship with the community through didactic games focused on building awareness about the role and importance of public space. Design workshops allow community members to share their thoughts, desires and opinions about the space, and their continued involvement during the construction phase ensures appropriation and builds a sense of responsibility. We are very honored and excited to begin this new challenge.

Founding of the Biñ Yu Initiative in Mexico to support communities in rural areas of the Oaxaca Central Valley Region to gain empowerment through participatory workshops to improve their livelihood and the sustainability of their environmental conditions. These areas are typically plagued by extended drought seasons and diminished productivity due to the scarcity of water. However, in fact Oaxaca receives considerable amounts of yearly rain in comparison to other regions of Mexico.

The publication “Downward spiral: El Helicoide´s Descent from Mall to Prison” edited by Celeste Olalquiaga and Lisa Blackmore takes place the 17th of January 2018, at the Center for Architecture in New York. The book docents the historic and present legacy of a modern architecture monument in Caracas that has become an urban ruin due to its misuse and lack of maintenance. Elisa Silva is a collaborator in the publication with the essay “Mapping the Barrios of Caracas” based on the research “CABA Cartography of the Caracas Barrios 1966-2014”
Place: Center for Architecture, 536 La Guardia Place, Nueva York

Enlace Arquitectura participates in the event "El CalvarioOpen Doors" in its third edition 2017. Seven canopies trace the path through the barrio, suspended from windows, posts and fences in the neighborhood. Knitted fabrics of synthetic plastic fibers in various color combinations and sizes witness the passing of shadows, quotidian affairs and the barrio´s built morphology.
The installation was exhibited between December 2, 2017 and March 15, 2018.

Elisa Silva participates in dialogues regarding what is common at the XX Architecture and Urban Design Biennial in Valparaiso Chile, curated by Claudio Magrini and Miguel Cancino. Presentations by Alejandro Echeverri of Medellin, Rua Arquitetos of Rio de Janeiro,  Elisa Silva of Caracas and Gonzalo Undurragaof Valparaiso to exchange perspectives on city dynamics in light of Valparaiso´s present opportunity to design a new zoning and planning structure for the city.

Elisa Silva participates in dialogues about identity at the XX Architecture and Urban Design Biennial in Chile, curated by architect Pola Mora. The conversation included Ana María Durán (Ecuador), Inés Moisset (Argentina), Cazú Zegers (Chile) and Sandra Iturriaga (Chile) October 27, 2017 at the Parque Cultural in Valparaiso.

Elisa Silva was invited to participate in the conversation series "Against Violence: debates to open the political field" together with Doris Barreto Fe y Alegria Community Center coordinator and Leandro Buzón of Caracas Mi Convive at Lugar Comun Paseo Las Mercedes September 28th 2017 at 5:00 pm. She spoke of Enlace Arquitectura´s work on the publication "CABA Cartographyof the Caracas Barrios", Pro-Inclusión with CAF and the program "City Planting" sponsored by Citibank Venezuela and coordinated by Fudep Venezuela.