Escuela Libre de Arquitectura

Tijuana BC

Escuela Libre de Arquitectura

ELA (Escuela Libre de Arquitectura) is an Architecture University in Tijuana Baja California Mexico. 

Founded by Architect Jorge Gracia, ELA was created with a hands-on approach to educating the future architects of Tijuana that are involved with the community contributing to its development.  

The school’s unique program exposes students to construction sites around the city every week and integrated within the bachelor's degree program every student is required to do 3 different internships. In hopes that by the end of the program students have had hands-on experience in real construction methods and experience working in team driven architecture studios. 

It is located in downtown Tijuana in hopes to expose students to everyday life in the city adn all its flaws, to observe lacking infrastructure and create an ideal environment where urban intervention is a constant conversation amongst students.
Jorge Gracia presenting and explaning to students first hand within the construction of the project dubbed "Fimbres" in Tijuana Baja California.
DSC_0035-HDR.jpg
DSC_0443.JPG
DSC_0416.JPG
DSC_0367.JPG

  • Conceptual Isometric

    Conceptual materials added into an Isometric view of a 3D model made in Sketch Up>Illustrator + Photoshop

  • Project "R" the "Big Stitch"

    Conceptual Intergration of two sides of a river within the city of Tijuana, connecting two comercial public spaces thru an intervention of the river bed and a bridge/park.

  • Render

    Render Watercolor

    Using Revit to 3D model the project was then exported into Lumion to give a quick render of the project.

  • Render

    Lumion Render

    Render using Lumion 8 on a 3D model made in SketchUp. Lumion is a growing rendering program that allows quick rendering results with surprisingly good quality.

Universidad Anahuac Campus Mexico Norte

Universidad Anahuac campus Mexico Norte is a University in Mexico City, Mexico. 

Universidad Anahuac is a large private university system created by the legionnaires, a Catholic branch of the Vatican, well recognized in Mexico for its high-quality education. The system has schools in almost every major city in Mexico, but the main original university is in the capital, and is the campus I had the privilege of spending my initial days as an architect. 

The school’s program is one that is divided in two parts the first part, which I would say involve the majority of the first 3-4 semesters circle around basic architecture knowledge and tools, such as drawing, handmade models, making blueprints by hand, basic geometry etc.… The second part would be the rest of the semesters as they focused on a deeper theoretical knowledge, implementation and learning of more tools, participation in events and competitions on a local and international scale, a large variety of projects in both scale and use. The school at the time was one of the few that could boast of owning a FabLab where I learned to use multiple machines for ease of 3D modeling, from laser routers to CNC, 3d printer and all in between. 

Anahuac

Before studying at Escuela Libre de Arquitectura in Tijuana Mexico, I was living in Mexico City there I studied 7 semesters of bachelor's degree in Universidad Anahuac Campus Mexico Norte. A great university in Mexico, with an amazing architecture program and highly experienced professors. Even though it was not meant to be, I’ll forever treasure the knowledge and experiences I had during this time. The biggest lesson I learned was that failure is a great teacher. 

“The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment of action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way”  

-meditations by Marcus Aurelius 

UCLA

University of California Los Angeles, in California United States of America 

After graduation I decided to take a course to both refresh and reassure my capacity and proficiency in the use of Revit, as it has such a strong position amongst a vast majority of architecture studios in the United States for its BIM (Building Information Model) qualities. 

I'm considering maintaining a steady growth of my education throughout my career. Today is a course in Revit, tomorrow a masters, whatever my experience and interests need me to learn, I'm willing to learn. I am very capable of self-education, and constantly applying that knowledge into my work. 

Revit 2022

Course taken summer 2022. Keeping up to date with new and upcoming programs is a basic responsibility of any architect, including programs that you already know, as they also evolve through the years. I plan to hopefully expand my knowledge further with more courses and if possible, in the near future a masters. 

Student:
Architect Carlos De la Madrid

Level
Bachelor Degree +

Professor:
Ataa Aly

Year
26/06/2022-04/09/2022

All pictures here are either taken by me or used with permission from the original owners. 

All projects, models, images here are owned by me and accurately show my multitude capabilities with a variety of programs. Other than those specified to be a team effort. 


Photographer:

Carlos De la Madrid

Next

Experience