By Marta Pelegrín (MEDIOMUNDO arquitectos)
Published in NEUTRA Magazine No. 20.2025
At MEDIOMUNDO arquitectos, the dialogue between theory and practice is a constant. For this reason, we are pleased to share the review of Operational Ambiguity, the latest book by Francisco González de Canales, published in issue 20 of NEUTRA Magazine. This essay, released by Ediciones Asimétricas, delves into ambiguity as a creative and strategic driver in contemporary architecture.
An essay on ambiguity as a strategy
González de Canales presents the challenge of what he calls “operational ambiguity”, a concept that, far from being contradictory, emerges as a fundamental tool for architectural design and criticism. The author uses Michel Serres’ metaphor of the “rope and the knot” to explain how architecture can oscillate between fixed rules and open spaces, generating environments conducive to interaction and constant reinterpretation by its users.
The book invites readers to discover and propose new ambiguities that can be inserted into the contemporary cultural context, understanding architecture as a field of experimentation and open dialogue.
A critical and referential journey
The review highlights how González de Canales, through thorough documentation, analyses poetic, cultural and architectural practices where ambiguity becomes a creative, communicative and projective strategy. The text not only revisits the etymology and philosophical background of the term, but also connects it with the work of thinkers such as Aristotle, Wittgenstein, Locke, María Zambrano and Ortega y Gasset, emphasising the relationship between ambiguity and the human “vital reason”.
The author identifies paradigmatic examples in the work of architects such as Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Aldo Rossi, Venturi-Scott Brown, Louis Kahn and Álvaro Siza. In these cases, ambiguity is manifested in the relationship between interior and exterior, in memory and the playful experience of space, in the critique of cultural paradigms, and in the indeterminacy of scales and boundaries.
An invitation to reflection and criticism
Far from immediacy and superficiality, Operational Ambiguity proposes a profound reflection on the role of ambiguity in architecture, inviting us to rethink where a place begins and what value the built environment brings to its inhabitants. The book thus becomes an essential reference for those seeking new critical and creative tools in the architectural field.
At MEDIOMUNDO, we share the view that ambiguity, far from being an obstacle, can open up innovative paths in the design process and in architectural communication, allowing for multiple readings and enriching the experience of space.
We highly recommend this stimulating read to anyone interested in contemporary architecture and the possibilities that ambiguity offers as a driver of innovation and critical thinking.
