Colmenares Vilata, Silvia

Silvia Colmenares holds a PhD in Architecture from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (2015), where she teaches since 2008, and is Subhead for Research and Publishing of the Architectural Design Department since 2016.

She is a member of the ARKRIT Research Group, devoted to architectural criticism, having contributed to research projects on collective dwelling and public space.

She has been responsible for the General Coordination and Direction of the three editions of Critic|all: International Conference on Architectural Design and Criticism, and editor of its associated publications.

Her academic research focuses on a critical re-reading of the terms with which modern architecture has been commonly described, in the light of the concepts of functional indifference and formal neutrality. As a faculty member, her teaching is strongly committed to the implementation of pedagogical strategies based on the combination of collaborative and autonomous learning.

She has lectured or been invited critic at KTH Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan Stockolm, ISCTE Instituto Universitario de Lisboa, UEL University of East London, IE University, Universidad San Pablo CEU and Universidad de Alcalá de Henares.

Since 2001, she co-directs the architecture office Colmenares Vilata Arquitectos. Their work has been recognized with Fernando García Mercadal Prize in 2003, for the Heraldo de Aragón building; as well as the Ricardo Magdalena Award in 2004. Other main commissions won in pubic competitions are Pizarra’s New Townhall (Málaga), 77 social housing units for the EMVS in Ensanche de Vallecas (Madrid) or the extension of Ibiza Gran Hotel. The office’s projects have been widely published in specialized reviews as: Arquitectura Viva, TC Cuadernos, Temas de Arquitectura, Arquitectura COAM, ZArquitectura , On Diseño and Future.