Mexico has always been rich in architecture. In the last century, this country gave to the world remarkable talents such as Luis Barragán, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Teodoro González de León, Abraham Zabludovsky and Mario Pani.
And over the past 15 years, outstanding minds like Tatiana Bilbao, Frida Escobedo, Alberto Kalach and Mauricio Rocha Iturbide have also contributed their unique expertise to the Mexican and international architectural scene. Now, a new generation of young architects is emerging with exciting ideas.
Movements such as the transformation of traditional houses into modern spaces and the resurgence of Brutalism have placed Mexican architecture in a remarkable position. New talents are establishing their creative studios, earning significant global awards and prompting reflections on the role and function of architecture.
So here we share a selection of some of Mexico’s rising-star architects, who inspire with their talent and fresh perspectives.
Fernanda Canales
Recognized for her personal approach to architecture, Fernanda Canales is also a prolific architecture theorist and critic. She has published significant works, including “Architecture in Mexico 1900-2010: The Construction of Modernity” and “100×100+: Architects of the 20th Century in Mexico.”
She considers herself a “space activist,” believing that spaces should enhance living conditions and foster connections with others and the environment. In 2021, Canales was recognized by the New York Times as one of 10 women worldwide changing the landscape of leadership.
Among her notable projects are the Elena Garro Cultural Center in Mexico City and the UDG Performing Arts Center, created in collaboration with the Mexico City architecture firm Arquitectura 911sc and with architect Alejandro Hernández in Guadalajara. Canales has received prestigious awards, including the Dorfman Award by the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Andrés Soliz and Pavel Escobedo
Pavel Escobedo (1988) and Andrés Solíz (1990) founded the Escobedo Solíz studio in 2016. These young architects possess an exceptional vision for architecture, deeply attuned to the sociocultural context and the memory embedded in their projects, making their work both profound and socially responsible.
Their architectural firm has garnered numerous awards, including the Holcim Awards for Sustainable Architecture (2014), the MoMA Young Architects Program (2016), Emerging Voices 2020 from the Architectural League of New York and the Fritz Hoeger Prize Grand Prix award in 2020.
Their work has been showcased at prestigious venues, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the MAXXI Museum in Rome and the Venice Architecture Biennale.
Notable projects include the Casa Nogal in México state, designed with a low budget to reflect the realities of many Mexican families, and Casa Nakasone, built using common and economical materials to create a beautiful home on the outskirts of Mexico City.
Gabriela Carrillo
This talented architect began her career in 2011 at the renowned Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha. Her outstanding contributions led to her becoming a partner in 2011, at which point the firm was renamed Taller Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo.
She currently leads Taller Gabriela Carrillo and has received significant accolades, including the Dorfman Prize and the International Women in Architecture Award in 2017.
Her designs are characterized by a keen sensitivity to context and environment, with notable works including the San Pablo Cultural Center (2013) in Oaxaca, the School of Plastic Arts of Oaxaca (2009) and the Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired of the Citadel (2013).
Héctor Barroso
Héctor Barroso is also known for his desire to integrate his designs with the surrounding environment, considering elements like surrounding vegetation, soil composition and geographic features.
He places great importance on air as a fundamental element of architecture, viewing it as a force that shapes structures, making voids integral to his designs. Since 2010, he has led Taller Héctor Barroso, whose style reflects the minimalism of Japan and the elegance of the desert.
His awards include the Silver Medal from the Colegio de Arquitectos de la Ciudad de México and the Sociedad de Arquitectos Mexicanos (CAM-SAM), as well as the Gold Medal from the Segunda Bienal de Jóvenes Arquitectos organized by the Federación de Colegios de Arquitectos de la República Mexicana.
Among his projects are the Salara Residences in Pescadero, Baja California Sur and the Los Helechos housing project in Valle de Bravo in México state.
Gabriela Etchegaray
Acclaimed architect Gabriela Etchegaray is remarkably versatile, designing everything from buildings to jewelry. She is also a critic and curator, viewing architecture as a social and artistic tool that creates experiences within buildings, landscapes, and cities.
Etchegaray has collaborated with notable architects such as Mauricio Rocha and Michel Rojkind and in 2011, cofounded the art and architecture studio Ambrosi|Etchegaray with Jorge Ambrosi. She is also part of the AMET studio, which focuses on real estate projects that engage in dialogue with their surroundings and promote urban development.
Among her accolades are the Moira Gemmill Award for Emerging Architecture from the Women in Architecture Awards and the Emerging Voices award in 2015 from the Architectural League of New York for Ambrosi|Etchegaray.
Notable projects include the Edificio IT apartment building in Mexico City’s Hipódromo neighborhood, the EM house, a private residence in Querétaro, the pavilion for the Friendly Cultures Fair in 2016, the Antonio Sola apartment complex in Mexico City’s Condesa neighborhood, and the Milagrito Industrial Palenque in Oaxaca, an outdoor facility for making traditional tequila.
Carlos Faci and Marina Leboreiro
Architects Carlos Faci and Marina Leboreiro’s Faci Leboreiro Studio, founded in 2011, is an architecture and interior design studio focused on creating sensory experiences through meticulous space design.
Their project, Estudio Basalto, characterized by the use of basalt stone, oak wood, and marble, won the Grand Prix du Design in Québec, Canada. They have also earned awards such as Mexico’s PRISMA award for interior design and the DNA (Paris Design Awards), the latter of which also recognized their Estudio Basalto project.
Other notable projects include Zeru restaurant in Miami, the 2024 Cesantoni pavilion at the Obra Blanca Expo in Mexico City, and the lobby bar at the Presidente InterContinental hotel in Mexico City’s Polanco neighborhood.
For Faci and Laboreiro, architecture is defined as the spaces carried in the soul, and they describe their style as contemporary, warm and timeless.
Mariana Ordóñez and Jesica Amescua
This duo views architecture as “a collaborative, living, open and constantly evolving social process that allows inhabitants to express their ideas, needs and aspirations, always recognizing them as the center of projects and decision-making.”
At their Mexico City architectural firm Comunal, their approach emphasizes functional, formal and aesthetically appropriate designs that resonate with the essence of a place and the culture and the people surrounding it.
Their accolades include a 2020 honorable mention in the Oscar Niemeyer Award for Latin American Architecture and recognition at the AR Emerging Architecture Awards (AREA) in London.
One of their most recognized projects is Social Housing Production: Exercise 01, a communal home in a rural community in Oaxaca built using underutilized natural resources such as bamboo, wood and stone — and credited on their website as being built by the firm and the community of Tepetzintan. They also designed the Bachillerato Rural Digital School in Tepetzintan, a rural school in a Nahua community.
Architectural creativity is undoubtedly thriving in Mexico. What other talents would you add?
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
