I’m a Colombian born in Bogota to a middle class family. Through both my upbringing and formal architectural education, I have developed an acute awareness of my privilege in a country where scarcity defines the lives of most. This has inspired me to dedicate part of my professional career to help address these inequalities with the tools I’ve been given in my architectural education, specially through housing, a right that has become a privilege in Colombia. I believe that through honesty, effort, and empathy, architects can be useful social agents, and contribute to make a difference in my country.
1. Academic study
a) Contemporary Social Condenser: Towards prural and social housing. Page 3
2. Personal project
a) Casa LQ. Page 10
3. Practice experience
a) Secondary Learning Centre. Page 12
b) Competition for the Urban Integration of the Exterior Spaces of the Medellín Metropolitan Theater. Page 14
c) Colegio los Nogales Preeschool. Page 15
4. Techical studies
a) Secondary Learning Centre. Page 16
b) Casa CA. Page 17
Academic study
Project 1: Contemporary social condenser, towards plural and social housing
Location: San Martín, Bogotá, Colombia
Classification: Academic work
Type: Individual work
Awards: Undergraduate thesis award, Honorable mention
Date: 2021 - Last year bachelor’s degree thesis
Supervisor: Prof. Christian Binkele Peluffo
Sup. Email: cbinkeli@javeriana.edu.co
Social segregation of urban space has intrigued me as a phenomenon that shapes Bogota´s citizen’s’ interactions and access to public and infrastructure facilities. Vulnerable sectors of society are often relegated to the periphery, characterized by lower housing quality. Reinterpreting Moisei Ginzburg Narkomfin social condenser, I propose the integration of diverse economic, and cultural groups within a central and historic area of the city, an area historically defined by the coexistence of various social groups within distinct urban fragments.
This proposal is broadly developed in two parts. Firstly, a master plan integrates San Martin, an underdeveloped and deteriorated neighborhood, with the services of the area. Second, a design of one of the new housing projects, following the principles of a social condenser. This includes formulating basic spatial strategies and defining the general typologies and uses that shape the entire project.
The process started with the study of historical buildings designed to integrate communities of various backgrounds. The most relevant example was Dom Kommuna Narkomfin, designed to homogenize the classes of the Soviet Union. This idea was reinterpreted to value diversity through tipological variations, and the inclusion of collective building services. Next, I identified an area with an existing mix of social groups to avoid imposing external dynamics. The area also needed a strong offering of public services and development potential, leading to the selection of San Martín.
After analyzing the area’s extensive public facilities, the master plan focused on connecting the fragmented neighborhoods through a public space intervention, centered around a linear park. Low-consolidated polygons were selected to develop housing for diverse users. After selecting one of these sites, the architectural design phase started with multiple design iterations.
Each iteration focused on a specific subject: the program, the site, and the diverse needs of potential users. Ultimately, given the presence of multiple architectural heritage buildings, the chosen variation was the one that best connected with the master plan and existing landmarks. This phase also included designing a collective building that fostered community interaction through careoriented activities.
At the base of each tower, collective laundries and work areas were developed. Three main typologies were designed, to accommodate various types of family structures. A 2:1 section borrowed from the Dom Kommuna was adapted to reduce costs by minimizing circulation spaces. Finally, a diagrid structural system was implemented to free up interior spaces, ensuring flexibility and efficiency.
Personal Project
Project: Casa LQ
Built area: 204m2
Location: Macanal, Colombia
Classification: Independent professional work
Client: P. Lehoucq
Credits: Ar. Mateo Franco
Team: Architectural design, Ar. Mateo Franco. Structural design. Eng. Antonio Franco. Electrical design, Eng. Claudia Zuluaga. Hydraudical and gas system design, Eng. Bernardo Rodríguez. Construction budget, Ar. Jorge Gonzáles. Contribution: Directed he architectural design process and the project from its conceptualization to architectural construction details. Coordinated a multidisciplinary team of experts across four specialized areas.
Date: 2024 - Currently
The house project is located in a small municipality in the department of Boyacá, characterized by the Chivor Reservoir and the surrounding valley landscape. The temperate climate, with high daytime temperatures and cool nights, required the house to adapt to significant temperature variations.
The architecture is defined by a large eave that provides shade from early morning, while the facade opens almost entirely to extend the living spaces outdoors. This design expands the main hall into a front gallery, reminiscent of vernacular architecture.
A simple, strictly modulated reinforced concrete structure ensures efficiency. The use of stone and cast concrete incorporates locally sourced materials and workers.
The house is placed using terraces aligned with the natural slope, minimizing alterations and respecting pre-existing conditions. Split levels reduce level differences, creating a design with minimal environmental impact, flexible use, extensions to the exterior, and responsiveness to the user specific needs, principles essential to quality housing, which I aim to explore further.
Practice Experience
Project 1: Secondary Learning Centre
Built area: 5.433m2
Open spaces area: 820m2
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Classification: Professional work
Client: Colegio Anglo Colombiano
Credits: Taller de Arquitectura de Bogotá, Daniel Bonilla, Marcela Albronoz
Team: Ar. Daniel Bonilla , Ar. Mateo Franco, Ar.
Juan Ramírez, Int. Juan J. López, Int. Julián Ramos
Role: Lead Architect
Contribution: Developed and led the architectural design process from its conceptualization to architectural construction details, under the direction of Daniel Bonilla. Coordinated a multidisciplinary team of experts across six specialized areas.
Date: 2023
Supervisor: Chief architect Daniel Bonilla
Sup. Email: daniel.bonilla@daniel-bonilla.com
The client sought to construct a new building that centralized various dispersed activities across the campus, including school directives, administration, educational support for disabled children, the secondary library, and art support rooms. The site, located at the central plaza of the school, shaped the primary intention: to integrate the building with the open spaces through the creation of voids while addressing accessibility needs for users of the educational support areas. This required elevating these open areas.
These essential objectives were achieved through a grand set of stairs and bleachers facing the central plaza, supporting outdoor activities and connecting open spaces to the second floor, which serves as the building’s reception area.
Aiming to fulfill the main objectives, we developed iterations exploring these concepts. The program was distributed across floors for independence and connectivity. V-shaped columns near the facade maximized interior space and seamless transitions. Each space was defined by openness, height, and features like the triple-height pyramid leading to the library, ensuring functionality and developing spatial hierarchy.
Project 2: Competition for the Urban Integration of the Exterior Spaces of the Medellín Metropolitan Theater
Result: 2nd prize nationwide
Built area: 7.472m2
Open spaces area: 15.063m2
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Classification: Professional work
Client: Medellín Metropolitan Theater
Credits: Taller de Arquitectura de Bogotá, Daniel Bonilla, Marcela Albronoz
Team: Ar. Daniel Bonilla , Ar. Mateo Franco, Ar. Juan Ramírez, Int. Andrea Zamora , Int. Carol
Martínez, Int. Natalia Gutierrez
Role: Lead Architect
Contribution: Developed and led the architectural design process from its conceptualization to general architectural drawings, under the direction of D.Bonilla. Led the office architect’s team.
Date: 2022
Supervisor: Chief architect Daniel Bonilla
Sup. Email: daniel.bonilla@daniel-bonilla.com
I was the lead architect for our team in a national competition to integrate the open spaces of Medellín’s Metropolitan Theater. The proposal emphasized the importance of the Medellín River as the city’s primary linear park and connected the theater to this vital project through the intervention.
The design featured a linear building that introduced new service areas and defined a new open theater plaza. A green esplanade created new leisure spaces and linked the theater to Medellín’s Administrative Center and the convention center. This strengthened the area’s position as a cultural cluster, while focusing on the pedestrianization of the main roads.
The project’s integration of these preexisting elements earned the office second place in the highly competitive Medellín architecture scene.
2.Tubular metalic tensor 3. Laminated flooring 4. Ceiling structure 5. Drywall ceiling 6. Tubular metalic balauster
Project 3: Colegio los Nogales Preeschool
Built area: 2.500m2 approximately.
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Classification: Professional work
Client: Colegio los Nogales
Credits: Taller de Arquitectura de Bogotá, Daniel Bonilla, Marcela Albronoz
Team: Ar. Daniel Bonilla , Ar. Laura Gutierrez, Ar. Cesar Grisales, Ar. Manuela Amado, Ar. Mateo Franco. Int. Valentina Barrios, Int. Juan C. Silva
Role: Architectural supervisior
Contribution: Architectural construction supervisor representing the office that designed the building. I was part of the construction team, ensuring adherence to construction details and resolving technical and specification issues, including the re-structuring of several design details.
Date: 2022
Supervisor: Chief architect Daniel Bonilla
Sup. Email: daniel.bonilla@daniel-bonilla.com
I was the architectural construction supervisor representing the architectural office that designed the building, Taller de Arquitectura de Bogotá. My role involved ensuring adherence to construction details and resolving technical and specification issues, including the re-structuring of several design elements.
The building consists of three irregular volumes forming a triangular void, designed as the primary collective space for children and staff to play and interact. Construction presented several challenges, such as the execution of the triangulated concrete roof and wooden ceiling, as well as the adjustment and redesign of specific spaces. These included the occupational therapy classroom, several windows, and the ramp, whose structure, railing, and underside ceiling required restructuring to ensure functionality and safety.
Designed by TAB, detail and drawing elaborated by Mateo Franco (2023) Corridor seats and visor, section and axonometric drawing.
Designed by TAB, detail and drawing elaborated by Mateo Franco (2023) Corridor seats and visor, section and axonometric drawing.
Technical Studies
Project 1: Secondary Learning Centre
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Classification: Professional work
Client: Colegio Anglo Colombiano
Credits: Taller de Arquitectura de Bogotá, Daniel Bonilla, Marcela Albronoz
Role: Lead Architect
Date: 2023
Supervisor: Chief architect Daniel Bonilla
Sup. Email: daniel.bonilla@daniel-bonilla.com
Project 2: Casa Ca
Location: Tenjo, Colombia
Classification: Independent professional work
Client: Cuervo Ariza family
Credits: Ar. Mateo Franco
Date: 2024
Role: Principal Architect
Contact information: E-mail: grimaldofrancom@gmail.com Telephone: +57 3223640278
Franco Portfolio
Selected works 2024