Based in Madrid, Spain, and the founder of Cervera Arquitectos, architect Rosa Cervera has designed distinguished projects across the globe in Russia, Spain, China, India, Malaysia etc. She has been equally charged and on the forefront in architecture education as a professor at the University of Alcala, current Director of Master’s in Advanced Design, former Dean of the School of Architecture and a former Visiting Fellow/Scholar at the Columbia University and University of Miami respectively. A recipient of a number of international/national awards, her “innovative architecture promotes new models for ecological design, respecting both nature and human needs.”
Architect/academician Rosa Cervera has had the privilege of delivering lectures/talks in universities and institutions in Europe, Asia and America. She has authored books on architecture and professional articles to magazines/journals. Applying Bionics and Biometrics to architecture has always been a focus in her practice.
Suneet Paul– editor/architect/author and former editor-in-chief of Architecture + Design, recently had an interesting chit-chat with her. Excerpts of their interaction:
Suneet Paul: First of all, please accept my acknowledgements for having so dedicatedly and passionately contributing to the mystic and creative process in architecture and simultaneously pursuing your love for academics in architecture. How’s the journey been?
Rosa Cervera: From a young age, I have been deeply engaged in architectural education, balancing it alongside my professional practice. After completing my doctorate, I had the opportunity to enter academia and quickly realized how teaching and professional practice could enrich each other in a cycle of mutual improvement. The academic field fosters continuous exploration, idea exchange, and an innovative mindset, all of which open new doors that might not be visible through practice alone. Architecture, much like medicine or law, is a field that thrives when academia is intertwined with active professional work. Research also plays a crucial role in complementing both teaching and practice. Although it requires a long-term process and experimental spaces, research serves as a vital laboratory that ultimately nourishes architectural practice, enabling it to adapt to fast-paced demands and societal needs. I have been fortunate to combine professional practice with teaching and research throughout my career, and I always encourage my students not to lose sight of the importance of research.
