BIM Architecture: Staircase Walk at the University of San Diego's School of Business and Economics by FAE/Marsino Arquitectura

If architecture shapes human behavior, then the primary behavior fostered within the FAE building is the wandering movement of its users. This design encourages the holistic development of “good citizens” in the Aristotelian sense, preparing them for long-term leadership roles in society and the nation.

We introduce the concept of community strolling—a circular walking path where ramp corridors transform from mere connectors to dynamic spaces linking learning and social interaction. As Careri describes, this journey begins at the entrance plaza and extends through the central courtyard, terraces, balconies, and culminates on the rooftop landscape terrace, offering views of the campus, city, and region from the 7th or 13th floor.

Architects Claude Parent and Paul Virilio proposed a new anthropological perspective on inhabiting sloped surfaces, moving away from the traditional Cartesian axis as the natural basis for human dwellings. They emphasized full bodily awareness, accounting for the physical adjustments to position, gravity, and friction, and introduced the “slope function” as an innovative architectural approach.

Over two decades of educational architecture practice at Marsino Arquitectura have transformed the use of ramps from a contentious element to a powerful tool against exclusion. Ramps have evolved into transformative features within educational spaces, creating dynamic, open, and participatory environments. Notable examples include the bicycle transfer lane in the Juan Gómez Millas campus auditorium at the University of Chile and the human-centered design at La Florida Vocational and Technical High School.

In our practice, we describe this as the shift from architectural objects to architectural subjects. This means embracing unpredictability and relinquishing complete control, allowing residents’ potential and interactions to shape the space beyond architects’ authority.

The ramps and vertical circulation elements—elevators and escalators—feature a color palette inspired by Chilean muralist Mono Gonzalez. These vibrant colors contribute to a performative landscape that encourages dynamic, playful, and unexpected activities, such as cycling in the central courtyard.

The diverse and eclectic appearance of the FAE Building seeks to engage in dialogue with its urban surroundings. It incorporates popular urban elements such as commercial “snail buildings,” pedestrian overpasses, and circus tents. Furthermore, the building’s intentionally non-permanent appearance, allowing for future renovations and additions, reflects a strategy of adaptability and acknowledges its mixed cultural origins.

Project Drawings

△ Axonometric Diagram

△ First Floor Plan

△ Underground Floor Plan

△ Second Floor Plan

△ Third Floor Plan

△ Seventh Floor Plan

△ Tenth Floor Plan

△ Twelfth Floor Plan

△ Sectional Perspective

△ Sectional Perspective

△ Sectional Perspective

△ Perspective View

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

△ Analysis Chart

Project Information

Architect: Marsino Arquitectura

Project Year: 2021

Photographer: Pablo Casals Aguirre

Manufacturers: Assa Abloy, Ates, Budnik, Cidelsa, GLASSTECH, Gradhermetic, MK

Principal Architects: Jorge Marsino P., María Inés Buzzoni G., Maria Francisca Valenzuela R.

Collaborative Architects: Diego Ponce, Alejandra Powderitch, Mercedes Raffo

Construction Company: Ferrovial

Technical Support: Grupo Nexo

Structural Engineers: René Lagos Engineers – Luis de la Fuente, Carolina Romo

Electronic Engineer: MVQ Ingeniería – Jorge Quezada

Sanitary Engineer: TEFRA Ingeniería Sanitaria – Daniela Castro

Air Conditioning Engineering: Air Conditioning Engineering

Lighting Project: OP Iluminación – Oriana Ponzini, Ana Maria Pincheira

Landscape Designers: Felsenhardt, Zúñiga, Valenzuela Arquitectos Paisajistas – Cristina Felsenhardt, Pamela Zúñiga

Logo Design: Santabuzzo Diseño – Ana Buzzoni, Milagros Santa Cruz

Stretching Structure Project: ARQTEX – Carla Cortes, Diego Achurra

CES Certification: Efizity – Jose Antonio Kovacevic, Carlos Saldaña

Location: Santiago, Chile

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