Gabriela Carrillo facts for kids

Gabriela Carrillo is a talented architect from Mexico. She is known for designing amazing buildings. She works with a company called Taller Rocha + Carrillo. Gabriela also helped start a group of designers called C733. She studied at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). In 2012, she joined forces with another architect, Mauricio Rocha. Together, they have created many important buildings. Gabriela also teaches and gives talks at universities around the world. Her work has been featured in many magazines. In 2017, she was named Architect of the Year by Architectural Review and Architects' Journal. This was part of the Women in Architecture Awards.

About Gabriela Carrillo

Gabriela Carrillo started her career in 2001. She worked as a project director at the Mauricio Rocha Architecture Workshop. In 2012, she became a partner there. The company then changed its name to Taller Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo.

Gabriela loves to share her knowledge. She gives workshops and lectures to students. She teaches at universities in Mexico, the United States, and South America. She also teaches a special workshop at UNAM.

She has shown her work in many exhibitions. These include shows in Mexico, Croatia, and Venezuela. Her designs have been featured in magazines like Code and Domus.

Gabriela Carrillo's Designs

Gabriela Carrillo's designs are special. She pays close attention to the area around a building. She chooses materials that fit the local environment. She also uses the best new technology. Her goal is to create buildings that feel right in their place.

Some of her most important projects include:

• School of Plastic Arts and the San Pablo Academic and Cultural Center in Oaxaca (2008)
• Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Ciudadela (2013)
• Criminal Courts for Oral Trials in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán (2015)
• Deans Building School of Commercial Banking (2015)
• Cuatro Caminos Photo Museum in Mexico City (2015)
• Iturbide Studio (2016)
• Matamoros Market (2020)
• Tapachula Station (2021)

San Pablo Cultural Center

In 2012, Gabriela Carrillo and Mauricio Rocha worked on the San Pablo Academic and Cultural Center. This center is in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is built inside an old monastery from the 1500s.

The architects carefully restored the old building. They removed parts that had been added later. This helped bring back the original spaces. They opened up patios, murals, and hallways. A special part of the project is a 700 square meter glass area. This connects three levels of the building. It links the library, offices, and an exhibition space.

The project also features beautiful stained glass. These were designed by artist Francisco Toledo. The building uses materials like wood and gray stone. This mixes the old history with new design. Gabriela's vision helps the building become a lively place. It now hosts exhibitions and cultural events.

Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired

In 2013, a special library opened in Ciudadela. It was designed by Gabriela Carrillo and Mauricio Rocha. This library is for people who are blind or have low vision.

The design focused on soft, indirect lighting. This is helpful for people with visual impairments. The architects also thought about other senses. They included sound-insulated booths for audiobooks. Gabriela Carrillo said, "Whether for the blind or the sighted, something we seek constantly, in any project, is silence." This shows how important quiet spaces are in her designs.

Courts of Pátzcuaro

Mexico approved a law for oral trials in 2008. Gabriela Carrillo then designed the Courts of Pátzcuaro in Michoacán. This building helps improve these legal processes.

The building uses local stone and wood details. Its walls and lighting are inspired by old buildings. One inspiration is "Las Trojes." These are traditional houses of the Purépecha people. Another is the ceremonial space Tzin Tzun Tzan. This is seen in the use of glass and open spaces. These elements create a feeling of openness and freedom.

Gabriela believes architecture can communicate messages. She wants her designs to create better ways for people to live together. She thinks about how light and open spaces can make a building feel democratic. This project won the International Women in Architecture Award in 2017.

Tapachula Station

Tapachula Station is a large sports and cultural center. It is located in Tapachula, Mexico. The design was created by the C733 group, which Gabriela is a part of.

In 2005, a big storm called Hurricane Stan damaged the old train station. It could no longer be used. The government decided to save and reuse the abandoned station. Gabriela and her team transformed it into a modern center. It now serves the community as a place for sports and culture.

Awards and Recognition

Gabriela Carrillo has won many important awards.

• In 2017, she received the International Women in Architecture Award. This is a top award for women in architecture. She won it for her design of the courtrooms in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán.
• She also won the Silver Medal at the XIII Biennial of Mexican Architecture in 2014.
• In 2013, she received the First Place of the CEMEX Award in the Social Impact category.
• She won the Works award for Interior Design for the Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Mexico City in 2013.
• She also earned the Silver Medal at the Mexico City Biennial.

Selected Publications

• "Building for the Blind." Architectural Review 1470 (2020).

See also

In Spanish: Gabriela Carrillo (arquitecta) para niños