Ph.D. (Architecture) – University of California, Berkeley (2012)
S.M.Arch.S. – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2005)
Arquitecto – Universidad del Valle, Colombia (1998)

Inter-disciplinarity is the key element underlying my teaching, scholarship, and practice. For me, architecture is most beautiful when it hybridizes with other disciplines. I am particularly interested in that third space that emerges in the interplay between architecture and the social sciences.

My classes explore different interdisciplinary perspectives through seminars, studios, and field courses. Although architecture is the theme that structures the class discussions, these classes are fully accessible and open to students from any field. A typical class of mine enrolls students from majors as varied as Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics, or Psychology. The contribution by this diverse body of students is crucial because they often find innovative ways to think about architectural problems in light of perspectives from their own field. For everybody in the class, including myself, this is an extraordinary learning opportunity.

Presently I am teaching four classes at Amherst. In the Fall semester I teach The Language of Architecture, which is an introduction to architecture’s dealings in both theory and practice, and Sustainable Design: Principles, Practice, Critique, a seminar that offers a theoretical basis for a critical engagement with the notion of sustainability in the architectural design field. In the Spring I teach Housing, Urbanization, and Development, which is a seminar devoted to exploring the theory, policy, and practice of low-income housing in marginalized communities worldwide. I also teach Architectural Anthropology, a seminar that explores the emerging interdisciplinary field that combines the theory and practice of architecture and anthropology.