The Architecture of Place: In Conversation with María Fernanda Sánchez and Pedro Pablo Godoy

The ICAA, INTBAU, and the King's Foundation are pleased to continue their collaboration with The Architecture of Place: In Conversation with..., a series of interviews featuring three architects from different backgrounds and points of view: Alireza Sagharchi, Wesam Al Asali, and María Fernanda Sánchez. Over the three-part series, each speaker has the chance to play the role of both interviewer and interviewee. In each installment, one of the three architects interviews another about the influences, experiences, and projects that have led to their design perspective on the architecture of place. At the end of each session, students from partnering university departments pose additional questions to the speakers, followed by an open Q&A with attendees.

In this iteration of the series, Alireza Sagharchi interviews María Fernanda Sánchez and her partner Pedro Pablo Godoy about their work, background, and design perspective.

Pedro Pablo Godoy and María Fernanda Sánchez are Architects and Urbanists with honors in Traditional Architecture, holding Master's degrees. They are the founders and directors of Estudio Urbano, a firm specializing in Architecture, Urban Planning, and Landscape Design. They are members of INTBAU College of Traditional Practitioners, sponsored by His Royal Highness,the Prince of Wales, as well as advisers to the University of Notre Dame. They are also directors and founders of the Civic Art Society, which promotes an integrated vision in the Art of Placemaking in Guatemala. They have worked internationally, including projects in Italy, México, United States, Ecuador and Guatemala.

Their work spans a wide range of projects, from affordable housing to urban master plans, all distinguished for their excellence in urban and architectural design. These projects have been exhibited in prestigious international institutions and featured in significant essays, magazines, and architecture and urban planning books. They have received numerous awards from national and international competitions. As Town Architects of the New City of Cayalá, they have garnered various globally recognized awards for their collaboration with Léon Krier, including the CNU Charter Award (2021), Acanthus Awards and Acanthus Award of Areté from the Chicago Midwest Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art in 2015, along with the IMCL Honor Award in Bristol, UK in 2015, and the prestigious Arthur Ross Award presented by the Classical Institute of Architecture in New York in 2016.

Presented as part of The Richard H. Driehaus Curricula for the Built Environment at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. The ICAA is very grateful to The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation for its generous support of this program.

Tags: architecture of place, recorded event, architecture of place in conversation with, world of classicism, sustainability