Elvira Peña, Juan

Architect (ETSAM, 1997). Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design (MSAAD) from Columbia University, New York (2000), supported by a scholarship from the “La Caixa” Foundation. PhD in Architecture with the thesis “Arquitectura Fantasma. Espacio y Producción de Efectos Ambientales” (ETSAM, 2014, Cum Laude), a research project shortlisted for the Ibero-American Architecture and Urbanism Biennial and awarded a first mention in the Arquia Tesis competition. With extensive teaching experience in architectural design, he is an Associate Professor. He currently directs the Master in Advanced Architectural Design (MPAA) at ETSAM. He has been a visiting professor at international universities including the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design (Visiting Associate Professor, 2020), IE School of Architecture and Design, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and NTNU Trondheim, Norway.

In the editorial field, he was director of the journal Oeste de Arquitectura y Pensamiento Contemporáneos (2001–2004). He is the author of numerous books, book chapters, and articles in specialised publications. His books include Arquitectura Fantasma (Poliédrica collection, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2021) and Mundos Secundarios: Arquitectura, Escenarios y Cosmogramas (Ed. Asimétricas, 2026). He has been a member of the TRANS Research Group (ETSAM, 2021), which promotes the study of transdisciplinary practices in architecture. He is the principal investigator of the international LINA Architecture Platform project, a network connecting relevant institutions with emerging professionals and thinkers at the intersection of architecture and other fields related to spatial culture.

Juan Elvira is the founder and director, together with Clara Murado, of the Murado & Elvira studio, whose works and projects have received national and international awards and have been exhibited at venues including the Biennale di Venezia, the Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism, Archipaper, EXPORT, and Freshmadrid. Notable works include the Teknobyen student residence, first prize in an international competition, recipient of the Trondheim Energy Efficiency Award, and finalist for the Norwegian National Architecture Award; the Baiona Public Library, first prize in a national competition, nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Awards and finalist at the Spanish Architecture Biennial; and the Hospital de la Paz Exercise Pavilion, recipient of the COAM Award and the Mapfre Foundation Social Innovation Award, and finalist at the CSCAE Architecture Awards.