Recently, we have witnessed some remarkable milestones in the disciplinary development of architecture in Chile. First, the international recognition of Chilean architecture is growing. Prestigious print and digital media from several countries have turned their attention to architecture produced in Chile and/or by Chilean architects. Magazines such as 2G, A+U, Mark and Interni have published monographs on our architecture. On the other hand, new and innovative discourses are being installed in the local academic scene, a phenomenon that can be attributed to the cultural exchange promoted by architects who return to the country after completing their master's or doctoral studies in the world's most important centers of knowledge.

However, this scenario may be a mirage if the academic platforms that support the generation of critical thinking and the dissemination of new knowledge are not adequately developed. There is no point in falling into a complacent discourse. Given the level of development that our discipline has reached, it is not enough for schools to teach and train architects.The many schools of architecture must strengthen their research programs and departments.These institutions are called to be centers of experimentation and innovation, expanding the knowledge base of our discipline.

It is in this context that Materia Arquitectura journal was born, published in Santiago de Chile by the School of Architecture of the Universidad San Sebastián, a new academic project (led by Dean Cristián Boza and Director Albert Tidy) that has made a strong commitment to research as part of its strategic development plan.

Materia Arquitectura is open to the community as a tool for archiving, dissemination and consultation.It also aims to be an instrument of critical knowledge that allows the expansion of disciplinary boundaries.In short, it is a publication for architects and professionals from different areas and countries, especially from Latin America, to make their views public and contribute to the construction of new discourses and proposals for architecture and the city.

Editor Pablo Brugnoli