On the 17th, we took part in the second session of the ‘Critical Architecture Sessions’ series organised by the Official Association of Architects of Madrid (COAM), an essential forum for reflecting on one of the major structural challenges facing our country: housing.
At the round table, Alejandra Mora Gallego, operational partner at ALAS Affordable Housing, joined Fernando Caballero Mendizabal and Josep Maria Borrell Bru in a discussion moderated by Enrique Encabo, focusing on issues that currently shape access to housing in Spain: the growth in the number of new households, the reduction in family size, the shortage of land, and the widening gap between wages and prices.
During the session, models capable of expanding the supply of affordable housing with a long-term vision were discussed, including public-private partnership models and the need to attract investment – including international investment – towards projects offering moderate, stable returns aligned with ESG criteria.
At ALAS, we emphasised the importance of looking beyond ‘how much to build’ and focusing instead on how to finance, how to preserve affordability and how to ensure that housing is managed as a key social infrastructure. This approach requires professionalisation, impact measurement and models that ensure quality, sustainability and permanence.
Spaces like this are essential for moving towards a housing model that strengthens social cohesion, improves quality of life and meets the real needs of our cities.
