Aprendiendo de las Cuencas is a research project on the cultural landscape of the Asturian mining basins which, between 27 September 2013 and 23 February 2014, took the form of an exhibition with a double venue: LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial in Gijón and the Sala de Arte del Sabadell-Herrero in Oviedo.

This research, developed by Nacho Ruiz Allén and Sara López Arraiza, who also curated the exhibition, now culminates in the book Aprendiendo de las Cuencas, a work that, like the exhibition, offers a new look at the cultural landscapes that emerged as a result of mining activity. These landscapes, subjected to a strong process of industrialisation, have been significantly altered in a short period of time. In a few decades, they have gone from being natural valleys with rural economic and social structures to incorporate booming urban agglomerations of unexpected density. This has led to the emergence of profoundly heterodox building models. These are hybrid architectures, mutant artefacts, which, despite the invisibility that their inevitably marginal condition gives them, are today capable of offering extremely interesting architectural lessons.

This publication is supported by the Government of the Principality of Asturias and Banco Sabadell Herrero. The project has been awarded a Mention in the category of Research Works at the IX Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, and an Áccesit for the Dissemination of Architecture at the XXII Edition of the Asturias Architecture Award.