Francisco Ibáñez
Non-Structures
- PhotographerFrancisco Ibáñez
Onnis Luque The very title of the series, Non-Structures, suggests the presence of something that is no longer there, or perhaps something that never fully came into being. Francisco looks at London as an example of the modern capitalist city in a state of constant, frenetic transformation, posing a question about the future we want for the places we inhabit.
A City in Transition
Non-Structures is a photographic series by Chilean architect and photographer Francisco Ibáñez Hantke, documenting London as it changes. Rather than focusing on finished buildings, Ibáñez photographs them during moments of demolition, construction and transformation. These in-between stages reveal a city that is constantly being reshaped, where buildings can temporarily exist somewhere between architecture and ruin, planning and chance, process and finished form.
Between What Was and What Comes Next
The series looks closely at the uncertain period when a building has lost its original function or appearance but has not yet become something new. Exposed walls, temporary structures and partially demolished facades become unexpected subjects in their own right. Ibáñez photographs these spaces with a consistent approach to light, composition and scale, making them appear almost frozen in time. Among the sites he has documented is the demolition of the iconic Robin Hood Gardens, alongside less recognisable buildings across London
Why “Non-Structures”?
The title refers to anthropologist Marc Augé’s concept of Non-Places, a term used to describe spaces that lack a strong sense of identity or connection. Ibáñez adapts this idea to buildings caught in transition. For a moment, they become difficult to define: no longer quite what they were, but not yet what they will become. This temporary loss of identity is at the centre of the series and gives the photographs their distinctive tension
An Architect Behind the Camera
Ibáñez’s background in architecture is central to the way he approaches the city. He specialises in urban regeneration, working on the design and management of urban development projects alongside his photography. His photographic practice functions as a form of visual research, looking at both planned and unplanned processes of urban transformation. The two practices inform one another, allowing him to examine not only how cities look, but also how and why they change.
From Series to Photobook
Non-Structures was also published as a photobook by the independent publisher The Velvet Cell in 2023. The book brings together more than 100 images from the series across 144 pages, accompanied by essays by architect and artist Mále Uribe and historic buildings advisor Clemency Gibbs. Produced as a limited edition of 500 copies, the book extends the project beyond individual photographs and creates a larger portrait of London in the process of transformation.
Non Structures, published by The Velvet Cell. View the book: https://thevelvetcell.com/shop/non-structures