Preparatoria de la Universidad Panamericana 2016 - 2019
Experience
Jr Architect
MRD Arquitectos - 2024
Social interest housing ÉCHALE - 2023
Hi, I’m
Mariana Huerta
Architecture, for me, is the art of encapsulating the space where people not only reside but also cultivate their sense of belonging. A building transcends its condition as an object to become a dynamic conduit that fosters connectivity, interaction, and meaningful relationships among its inhabitants. My talent in spatial projection and solving technical challenges combines with a natural inclination toward volumetric experimentation, always with the aim of meeting the needs of those who inhabit the spaces I design.
Contact
mar.hmtz@outlook.com
+52 55 3406 2105
University Project of Social Insertion Huerto Tlatelolco - 2021
Skills
Investigation Site analysis and market studies.
Grounded creativity
Volumetric design resolved in structure, pre-sizing consistent with the construction system.
3D Modeling
Ease in using different software tools to create views and animations.
Physical Models
Creation of urban scale models down to construction details, 3D printing in different materials such as PLA, Resin and Sand.
Achievements
Honorable Mention
International Architecture Competition 3rd Oscar Hagerman Award - 2021
Recognition of Mathematical Talent
Universidad Panamericana, Engineering - 2019
Diploma in “Latin American University
Ignatian Leadership Program”
Universidad Iberoamericana - 2021
Recognition in Bioclimatic
Architecture workshop
University of Chiba, Japón - 2023
So ware
Autodesk AutoCAD, Revit, 3Ds Max, Slicer for Fusion
Rendering Twinmotion, Enscape, Corona, VRay
Adobe
Photoshop, Ilustrator, InDesign, Premier Office Excel, Word, Power Point
Modeling
Rhino, Grasshopper, Sketchup
Energetic Analysis
Cove Tool, LCA, Flow Design
The Domes 1
Collaborators Jaydy Miranda Lira, Yair Bornstein, Juan del Castillo and Mariana Huerta
Location San Ándres Huayapam, Oaxaca
Year 2021 Model Software Revit
Project with Honorable Mention in the Third International Regional Architecture Competition, Oscar Hagerman Award 2021, “The Domes.” Organized by the Mexican Vaults Center, IBOMEX, and located in San Andrés Huayapam, Oaxaca, this project invited students from around the world to design the preliminary project for a toy library.
This challenge required a deep site analysis, considering climatic, topographic aspects, and the vernacular architecture of the region. Additionally, the existing constructions were respected to avoid increasing the project’s budget. The proposal comprehensively responds to the functional, constructive, and economic needs, ensuring its feasibility for future construction.
The design process of the project started with the premise of imitating life and nature, that is, biomimicry. The golden ratio curve was used as inspiration for the layout of each volume. The cactus garden was taken as a starting point, seeking to give it prominence and integrate it into the project.
From there, three equidistant lines were projected, dictating the direction of the volumes. To integrate the project with the existing vaults of IBOMEX, a height that did not surpass them was considered. Thus, a visual and physical connection between both projects was established, strengthening their cohesion.
The vaulted openings projection allowing th interactive areas: a clos for storing b
buildings feature various and enclosures. The room is entirely enclosed, e use of a projector. The library is divided into two ed zone, where the shelves ooks and other objects are
located, with the option of protection from the elements; and a third volume, completely open, offering views of the valley and integrating a covered garden, generating a cozy space for activities or outdoor classes.
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Interior view of projection room
Image 1
Sheet 1 of the Ibomex contest
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Interior view of reading and study area
Medio Cero 2
Collaborators Miranda Lira, Mario Trejo and Mariana Huerta
Location Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
Year 2022 Modeling Software Revit
Medio Cero is an urban corridor designed to reconnect the residents of Oaxaca with tourists. This project is part of a master plan that crosses the city of Puerto Escondido and culminates in the bay of Puerto Angelito.
Here, there are no social borders; instead, a synergy is fostered between Zapotec culture, job creation, and the recovery of public spaces. The gap that once existed between the tourist and the resident disappears, uniting both realities in a single zero-edge.
Medio Cero View Cross section in the area of the Observatory and the Underground Museum
The selected site is located between the beaches of Puerto Angelito and Manzanillo, known for their tourism development and the presence of informal commerce along the coast. This site marks the end of the Aguuya Zee route, an artistic corridor that promotes Oaxacan art, facilitates cultural exchange between tourists and locals, and enriches the experience for both groups.
Aguuya Zee covers 43,000 m² and has a 40-meter slope, physical conditions that shaped the project, known as the dancing serpent. Two paths were proposed: one direct and straight, and the other diagonal, connecting the most distant points of the site.
Map Urban master plan in the city of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, with an end in the bay of Puerto Angelito.
Ollin
Cuauhtli
Xochitl
Itzcuintl
Miquiztl Ocelotl
AguuyaZee
Image 2 Linear corridor that connects the main access to the sea.
Image 1
Urban corridor that follows the path of the snake “Aguuya Zee”, a snake in Zapotec.
Image 3
Tertiary connections between buildings for faster access.
Image 4 Set of buildings that make up the Medio Cero corridor.
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During the research, we identified three essential factors for Medio Cero: the point of connection, art, language, and symbolism. The landscaping is inspired by alebrijes, mixing textures of various plants and gravel soils.
Aguuya Zee, which means dancing serpent in Zapotec, is based on the Zapotec calendar and its 20 animals. Each building symbolizes an animal, and the internal activities connect these symbols with the users, whether tourists or locals.
The corrid guardian s visitors and Opposite is represents Following t the observ
or includes Tecpatl, the tone, which welcomes houses art exhibitions. the Atl water plaza, which water in the calendar. he straight path, there is atory at the top and the
Cozcacuahutli plaza, face of the moon, next to the outdoor cinema and the entrance to the underground gallery. Continuing, you reach Cipatli, before creation, the open insectary, and beside it, the market that directly connects to the sea. The serpentine path finally merges with the linear one, culminating in the ocean.
Image 1
View of the Cipatli insectarium
Image 2
View of the Cozcacuahutli open-air auditorium
The Aroma 3
Year 2022 Modeling Software Rhinoceros y Grasshopper
In a school architecture workshop, creativity overflowed from a visit to a café. The students captured in text the sensations evoked by the place and transformed those words into ten drawings. Of these, three were turned into models, with “The Aroma” standing out for its ability to create an intriguing spatiality by integrating with a preexisting dwelling. Through manual and graphic exercises, the ideas of spatiality came to life in each project.
The workshop had an ambitious goal: to design a model that could be assembled without glue. This challenge led to a meticulous design of each connection and vertex, resulting in a unique piece. The most valuable lesson from the workshop was showing that a complex form, manually created, could be reproduced at different scales and with various materials, thanks to digital tools.
The
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Intervention of the experimental model in the Pasiddhi house.
Although they sell a wide variety, the predominant aroma is the warm, relaxing, and concentrated smell of coffee—a scent you can perceive from outside the place, intensifying as you enter but fading a er spending some me there. Image 3 Abstraction of the
Image 5
Solidifying the generated shape
Image 7
Model painted in chrome color to experiment with the reflection of
Image 6
Analyzing the different “facades” that it generates
Image 8
Scale and placement game in different scenarios
Test 1
Assembly model converting the catenary plans to origami
Test 3
Assembly model with tridylose operation
Test 2
Assembly model with segmented plans
Test 4 Main structure assembly model, catenary vectors
A Main connections for the vectors that will support the structure
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Image
Image
Image 1
Final photographs of the model. The connections were 3d printed with PLA.
Image 2
The model ended up measuring 50 x 50 cm due to the structure material, acrylic.
Cistercian Monastery
Collaborators Renata Pérez, Natalie Capuano, Valentina Rosental and Mariana Huerta
Location Pisco, Perú
Year 2023
Modeling Software Rhinoceros and Grasshopper
The design of a monastery is a journey into the heart of spirituality and history. To create a space that honors monastic life, it is essential to understand the practices and rhythms of the monks. Cistercian monks, guided by the rules of St. Benedict, live in community but in seclusion, dedicated to constant contemplation. Their daily life, marked by the phrase “ora et labora,” combines the transcription of texts and cultivation for their self-sustainability.
Located in a desert 80 km from Pisco, Peru, the Cistercian Monastery is strategically situated near a river to ensure a supply of drinking water. This project is based on a meticulous study of Cistercian abbeys and their autonomous elements. Through a careful iteration of these components, a final design was developed that respects the essence of monastic life and provides an environment conducive to reflection and self-sustainability.
Cistercian Monastery
Image Interior view of the monks’ bedrooms.
Image 1
Image 2 Experimentation with autonomous element
Image 4
Experimentation with autonomous element
Image 3
Removal of walls, Senanque Abbey
Removal of arches, Fontenay Abbey
Cistercian Monastery
Imagen 7
Removal of ribs, Church of Santo Tómas
Image 5
Extracción de bóvedas, Abadía de Claraval
Imagen 8
Experimentation with autonomous element
Image 6
Experimentation with autonomous element
Architectural plan of the complex Section Cross section showing library, cloister and bedrooms inside
Image A
Photo of the model seen from the south to the north-west
Image B
Photo showing the interaction between the library and the cloister
Cistercian Monastery
Versalles 106 5
Conceptual Development Equipo MRD, Alberto Natividad, Antonio Morodo and Mariana Huerta
Location Ciudad de México, colonia Juárez
Year 2024 Modeling Software Revit
Versalles 106 is a project under both conceptual and architectural development within the MRD Arquitectos firm, in collaboration with the real estate developer Materia. The project focuses on creating a residential building with a commercial area on the ground floor. During the development process, a detailed analysis of the site was conducted, both at a macro and micro level, to find tools that would give identity to the building and its users.
The design premises included integrating the building with its surroundings, especially concerning the “red castle” located in front. Additionally, an introverted approach was sought to provide privacy to the apartments facing the street. Finally, an internal oval-shaped core was proposed to foster interaction among neighbors, visitors, and the garden, promoting a sense of community.
Image Front facade to Versalles Street
The analysis revealed that Versalles Street is one of the few streets in Juárez Oriente that connects Reforma with Chapultepec, implying the need to use elements that reduce external noise on the building’s facade. Moreover, the location is well-connected to various means of transport, representing a significant opportunity in the public area to attract a broader audience. On the other hand, the old buildings characteristic of the neighborhood allowed us to
select materials that dialogue with the traditional aesthetics of the area. Following the design premises, different ways to access the volume were explored, considering both direct connections to the core and options that would cut the flow. This analysis led us to conclude that the best layout for the building should include an oval-shaped core, which, in addition to providing natural light and ventilation, becomes a space of reflective and contemplative character.
Images
Ventilation
Castillo Colorado Balance
Continuos flow
Ilumination
Community
The site, with an area of 2,055 m², has a free area of 20%, four permitted construction levels, 62 authorized housing units, and a maximum construction area of 6,577 m². In collaboration with the developer Materia, the regulations, market study, and architectural program were reviewed to ensure that the building’s design adhered to these parameters.
The building’s program includes a fully commercial ground floor, designed to be permeable and with access that traverses the entire site, culminating in a semi-oval core. The three upper levels are dedicated exclusively to housing, offering three types of apartments: small at 70 m², medium at 108 m², and large at 130 m².
The Greenhouse
Collaborators Mariana Huerta e Iker Ortega
Location Finlandia, Vikki
Year 2024 Modeling Software Revit
The Greenhouse stands as a harmonious refuge where urban life and nature intertwine. This project acts as a bridge between the built environment and the agricultural world, employing bioclimatic strategies to create an oasis of comfort in Viikki. In its four zones, there is a dance between the old and the new: the Gardenia remains untouched, a silent witness to nature;
the new student housing, bathed in sunlight, opens to the community with its vibrant shops; the renovated curved building, home to a library and study spaces, welcomes knowledge and reflection; and in the contemplative zone, a transformed museum and a lookout offer a space for introspection and a window to the flight of birds over the protected RAMSAR area. The Greenhouse is, in essence, a built poem that celebrates life in all its forms.
Image Exterior view access through zone B
The project arises from a deep analysis of Viikki’s urban, cultural, and historical context, recognizing the importance of greenhouses in the region for specialized cultivation. Inspired by the relationship with preexisting structures and the principles of Alvar Aalto, the design integrates breaks and guiding axes that respond to the local topography and enhance soil fertility.
The layout of the buildings responds to pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicular flows, creating a versatile and adaptable internal route. This approach facilitates connectivity with different areas of Viikki and encourages interaction among users, offering gathering, resting, and contemplation spaces that enrich the experience of living and working in this integrated and sustainable environment.
The Greenhouse is organized into four main areas. The Gardenia and Japanese garden remain intact, except for the incorporation of parking. Zone B houses a new residential complex for students of the University of Helsinki, designed to maximize solar gain and adapt to the surrounding terrain. In Zone A, the curved building has been renovated to offer residences for scholars and a library on the ground floor.
The project’s public area integrates study spaces, shops, restaurants, and work areas, promoting interaction and comfort. Additionally, the urban design promotes energy efficiency and sustainability through strategies such as rainwater collection, its treatment through wetlands incorporated into the landscape design, and its use for irrigation.
Bodies of
filtered by wetlands
Paths adapted to the topography
In The Greenhouse, the residences are organized into 12 distinct typologies that meet volumetric and structural needs, distributed across two towers of varying heights to optimize solar thermal gain. Each module has an independent structure, facilitating efficient phased construction with low environmental impact, using standardized materials like CLT and Glulam wood for simplified assembly and production. The building’s orientation and solar angles are carefully adjusted to maximize heat gain year-round, with exterior walls providing high thermal mass and roofs equipped with photovoltaic panels.
The design also includes a system for conserving warm air inside, using a heat exchanger and a Canadian well to precondition fresh air. In summer, openings in the building allow efficient cross ventilation, favoring air exchange and natural cooling. The roof collects rainwater, which is used for irrigation of green areas, drains, and the fire protection system.
Additionally, each module is designed with low thermal transmittance materials from SAINTGOBAIN, including Isover walls with Premium 33 insulation, triple-glazed windows with silver layers to reduce heat loss, and floors with Plaka Acoustic to minimize noise between neighbors. This comprehensive approach ensures optimal energy consumption and ergonomic adaptation to users’ needs.
Axonometrics showing the building design process
Image 2
ZB cross section with sun angles
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ZB cross section with air flows in the greenhouse and in the house
Greenhouse
Structure of the Greenhouse
Modular structure of the homes
Enveloping structure
Preserved structure from pre-existence
Adaptable lattice
New interior walls for housing
Greenhouse intervened
The Greenhouse stands out for its low energy demand and its ability to generate more energy than it consumes, reaching a consumption of -28.43 kWh/m²/year. The project’s life cycle analysis shows a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to the baseline,
although the replacement of photovoltaic panels every 20 years increases its carbon footprint in materials. In the long term, the implemented strategies ensure a carbon footprint 8.6 times lower, underscoring the project’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy generation.
