air conditioning systems symbolize human absence in manuel alvarez diestro's photo series

Manuel Alvarez Diestro captures a/c systems as today’s testimony

Photographer Manuel Alvarez Diestro presents a stark and poignant view of the world through his latest project, Aircon Systems, capturing air conditioning systems as symbols of our times. Alvarez-Diestro photographs these rectangular, white machines with their circular grids that resemble eyes, observing specific locations at given moments. By omitting direct human presence, the artist conveys a profound sense of human angst. These devices, protruding from building facades, provide cooler indoor temperatures representing an extension of our society, signaling our existence on the other side of the wall. Diestro carefully selects cities experiencing sociopolitical and economic instability, war conflicts, social revolutions, and global pandemics for his images. Known for documenting the construction of new cities, he now offers a more somber perspective, depicting buildings in decay or affected by human destruction.

air conditioning units in new building in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires | all images by Manuel Alvarez Diestro

Aircon Systems series highlights human presence and absence

Rather than photographing the conflicts he often witnessed in places like Cairo, Beirut, Tehran, or Seoul, Manuel Alvarez Diestro focuses on the architecture and urban landscapes during these turbulent times. The Aircon Systems series emphasizes humanity’s fragile condition, whether people are in solitude by the Mediterranean Sea, inside an apartment overlooking the Giza Pyramids, or atop a building in Buenos Aires. Through these images, the Spanish photographer highlights the intersection of human presence and absence in the urban environment. In this project, Diestro reflects on the mortuary perspective of modern cities, capturing how these air conditioning units serve as silent witnesses to the changing landscapes. His work reminds us of our vulnerability and the transient nature of our existence, regardless of where we are. 

burnt skyscraper next to Tahrir Square, Cairo during Arab Spring

empty hotel in Benidorm, Spain during COVID-19 pandemic.

building face with ultra populated air conditioning units in Seoul during North Korea threats

air conditioning unit hanging on destroyed building in Beyrouth during Lebanon war

balcony and airconditioning unit in Tel Aviv

air conditioning unit next to a window in Tel Aviv, Israel

interior courtyard in Yangon, Myanmar during period of social collapse

building in Giza, Egypt

Isolated airconditioning unit on top of a building in Buenos Aires during times of economic crisis and social unrest

project info:

name: Aircon Systems
photographer: Manuel Alvarez Diestro | @m.a.diestro

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom