Fernanda Canales


Fernanda Canales is an architect, designer, critic, and curator of Mexican architecture.

Bibliographical Review

Background

She studied architecture at the Universidad Iberoamericana; she graduated in 1997 with honors and won the award for the best thesis. She was awarded by the Mexican Federation of Architects Association for her career and has received numerous awards for projects and publications. She has an MA from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona, and a PhD in Architecture from the UPM.

Career

After graduating from the Universidad Iberoamericana she worked as a professor in the university, in the workshop Max Cetto of the Architecture Faculty in the Universidad Autónoma de México and the CMAS with the UPC. Similarly, she has been teacher in exchange programs with universities such as ETSAB in Barcelona and several workshops in Mexico. She has also been a member of the jury in architectural competitions and has participated in the creation of internationally recognized projects.
Within the practice as an architect and planner, Fernanda Canales has worked on international offices. In Tokyo, Japan, she worked at the firm Toyoo Itō Architects and Associates and in Barcelona, Spain, she worked at the office of the architect Ignasi de Solà-Morales. In Mexico she became founder of Fernanda Canales, an architectural firm where she works independently.
She is an architect of numerous important projects; many of them have been recognized and awarded for their design. Amongst them the Centro Cultural Elena Garro
Her personal vision towards construction is based on searching what is essential. For the Mexican architecture it is important to meet the customer's needs and to maintain the relationship between the construction and the environment. For Canales, architecture is an agent of change. Her architectural stance has been reflected in her theoretical proposals; as a result, Fernanda Canales is a recognized author of criticism. In 2005 she published Spaces for Abraham Zabludovsky'S Culture. In 2008 she published Central de Arquitectura, an analysis of the work of young and emerging generations in various fields such as house-building, hotel-building and office-building. She is co-author of 100x100 arquitectos del siglo XX en México, a collection of the most important architects in Mexico. In 2014 she published Arquitectura en México 1910-2010. A deep study that explains the development of Mexican modern architecture and is not limited to the study of architecture but linking it to urban planning and design.
Fernanda Canales is algo practicing criticism in columns in magazines such as Letras Libres, La Tempestad and Domus.
As museographer, she directed the exhibition Arquitectura en México 1910-2010 in the Palacio de Iturbide in 2014’s spring and summer. Earlier, in 2013 she was curator of Cultura en Construcción, a presentation of the 13th International Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, held the Nave Generadores del Parque Fundidora en Monterrey, N.L.

Distinctions

  1. The International Architecture Award, The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, 2014.
  2. Prize for the best Project of the year: Archdaily, 2014
  3. Honourable Mention, Noldi Schreck Award, 2014
  4. 2014 Antonio García Cubas Award, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, art book category, Arquitectura en México 1900-2010, La construcción de la modernidad en México.
  5. Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award 2012-2013, Department of Architectural Design, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
  6. Finalist in the Best Interior Design of the Year 2013 Award, for the Centro Cultural Elena Garro.
  7. IIDA Best Interior of Latin America & the Caribbean Award for the Centro Cultural Elena Garro, 2013
  8. 2014 T+L Design Awards 2014
  9. Travel & Leisure Awards, 2014.
  10. Art Creator of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores FONCA, 2012-2015
  11. Young Architects Award by the Colegio de Arquitectos de México, 2012.
  12. Selection in the VIII Latin American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism of Cadiz, House Maruma
  13. Finalist CEMEX Award, institutional category by the Campus CEDIM, 2009.
  14. Finalist CEMEX Award, housing complex category by Casas M, 2009.
  15. Scholarship program by Jóvenes Creadores del FONCA, México, 2003-2004.
  16. 30 of the best projects of 2000 for the Restaurante Ibérico, 2000.

    Works

  17. Centro Cultural Elena Garro: Fernanda Canales + Arquitectura911sc. Located in the Barrio de la Conchita, Coyoacan, Mexico DF. It has an area of 1,358 m2 and was built in 2012.
  18. Casa R: Located in Mexico City, it covers an area of 930 m2 and was built in 2011.
  19. Pabellón invisible: in collaboration with Jeronimo Hagerman and Cecilia León de la Barra. Temporary pavilion made in Mexico City, it covers an area of 63 m2 and was built in 2012.
  20. Casa Maruma: Located in Mexico City, it has an area of 500 m2 and was built in 2011.
  21. Concurso para el Arco del Bicentenario: in collaboration with Arquitectura911sc. 2009.
  22. CEDIM: in collaboration with Arquitectura 911sc. It is located in Monterrey, N.L, it has an area of 5,000 m2 and was built in 2008.
  23. Centro de Artes Escénicas UDG: in collaboration with Arquitectura911sc y Alejandro Hernández. It is located in Guadalajara, JAL, it has an area of 23,000 m2 and is currently under construction.

    Publications

Books

  1. Arquitectura en México 1900-2010: La construcción de la modernidad, Obras, arte, diseño y pensamiento. Fomento Cultural Banamex + Arquine, México.
  2. 100x100 Arquitectos del Siglo XX en México: Arquine, 2011. Co-author
  3. Central de Arquitectura, México: Arquine, 2009.
  4. Espacios Culturales, Abraham Zabludovsky, Arquine, 2005. Co-author
  5. México, The O´Neil Ford Duograph Series, The University of Texas at Austin, 2012. Co-author
  6. Guía Barragán, Arquine, 2002. Editorial Coordinator.

    Essays

  7. Proyecto Público, Indignados- for LINK
  8. El sueño atemporal- for Letras libres
  9. Blanco sobre Blanco- for La tempestad
  10. Arquitectura y Peregrinación- for Tomo magazine
  11. El arquitecto mexicano-for Tomo magazine
  12. Entre el recuerdo y la expectativa-for Arquine magazine
  13. The Olympic Games- for Arquitectural Design