Archinect
cristo bglez

cristo bglez

San Diego/Tijuana

 

About 

I am a native of the busiest border crossing in the world, the San Diego-Tijuana conurbation. Always exposed to two parallel, yet distinct worlds divided by a frontier. Hence my inspiration in surreal atmospheres, absurd stories and futuristic landscapes. My interest and personal work explores the interplay between digital and analog processes of design, merging architecture with different fields (fine arts, computing and technology) to create fictions where nothing is completely pure and only by contaminating its meaning with art, science and with data, we are able to challenge and detach architecture of previous knowledge of form, function, structure and historical stigmas dragged from the past. Thus focusing on building an architectural outcome over a collective of imperfections produced by an architectural system, including alienated schemes added during the design process, and stretching its capabilities to produce buildings that are not only functional but beautiful and meaningful to our ever changing society. I received my first professional degree from the Department of Architecture at the 'Instituto Tecnologico de Tijuana', Mexico and a Master in Architecture from 'IE Business School' in Madrid, Spain where I was awarded second place honorable mention of the: 'Architecture Practice of the XXI Century' Scholarship Challenge. I also studied at the Royal College of Arts in London. In the past I have participated in several projects around the world with renowned American artist James T. Hubbell. I worked in Tijuana for ‘Generica Arquitectura’ and in San Diego at ‘CSC Architects’ as a Designer / Senior Job Captain for 10 years. During that time I also established ‘Not Enough Space for Tectonics' [NEST], an art/architecture studio, as an interdisciplinary and collective practice researching the relationship between art, architecture and computing, obtaining a Honorable mention for the: 2013 Burningman Airport Terminal and Pilot's Lounge Design Competition. My texts have been published in Bauhaus-Universität Weimar's 'Journal for Architectural Discourse - Horizonte #7', the book 'What is the future of architecture? Vol. 2' and Shht#3 the magazine of untold architecture. My work has been displayed in collective exhibitions such as: 'The Architectural Week Expo' from the I.T.T. School of architecture at the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT Museum).

Employment 

CSC, Architects, San Diego, CA, US, Designer / Senior Job Captain

Feb 2005 - current
 

Freelancer, Tijuana, MX / San Diego CA / Vladivostok, RU / Yantai, CH , Designer

Feb 2000 - Oct 2004
 
May 1998 - Jan 2000
 

Education 

IE University, Madrid, ES, MArch, Master in Architectural Managenment & Design

Jan 2011 - Jan 2012
 

Royal College of Art, London, GB, Architecture

Jul 2011 - Jul 2011
 

Instituto Tecnologico de Tijuana, Tijuana, MX, BArch, Architecture / Urban Planning

Sep 1994 - Sep 1999
 

Awards 

Shht#3 'Architecture and Conflict', Other

Publication

2015
 

Excellence in Structural Engineering & People's Choice Award., Honorable Mention

2014
 

Bauhaus-Universität Weimar's 'Journal for Architectural Discourse - Horizonte #7', Other

Publication

2013
 

'What is the future of architecture? Vol. 2', Other

Publication

2013
 

Honorable Mention: Burningman Airport Terminal & Pilot's Lounge Competition., Honorable Mention

2013
 

2nd Place Honorable Mention: 'Architectural Practice of the XXI Century' - Scholarship Challenge., 2nd Place

2011
 

Honorable Mention: AIA Technology in Architectural Practice BIM Awards., Honorable Mention

2011
 

Best Government/Public Building Project in southern California., Honorable Mention

2010
 

Areas of Specialization 

Skills