Fellows in Architecture & Design

Henry Bravo (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1986-87)

Luis Calzadilla (b. 1957, Cienfuegos- d. 1997, Miami): A partner in the architecture firm Thomas & Calzadilla PA Metropolitan Architects in Miami, Calzadilla worked on projects throughout Florida, including the St. Louis condominium on Brickell Key, the Cypress Park recreation building in Coral Springs, the St. Petersburg Pier renovation, and an addition to the Miami Country Day School in Miami Shores. An art collector and patron, Calzadilla was a member of the board of the Miami Art Museum. Calzadilla received his architecture degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design,1989-90)

Marta Canavés (b. 1949, Havana): Canavés received a Master’s of Landscape Architecture from Florida International University and has served as director and chair of the Landscape Architecture Department and as interim director of Interior Design at the FIU College of Architecture + The Arts. She has been a curriculum consultant with the Dade County Public School Board, developing curriculum and program guidelines for the interdisciplinary tracks at the Design Architecture Senior High School (DASH). Her work in museum exhibition design, graphics and photography has received awards from AIA Miami, IDG, and the International Interior Design Association. Her recent projects, in collaboration with architect Marylis Nepomechie, focus on sustainable infrastructure and affordable housing. For their work, they have received an AIA National Institute Honor Award in Regional and Urban Design and an invitation to design and curate an exhibition at the Second International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam. They have earned grants from the Graham Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Institute of Architects. They also received a Design and Collaborative Practice Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and an American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 2012-13)

Carlos E. Concepción (b. Havana) A graduate of Florida A&M University, Concepción has a Master’s in Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he was also an instructor. He worked with Richard Meier and Partners and with Michael Feldman and Partners on nationally and internationally recognized projects such as the Bridgeport Center in Connecticut and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art. He is the recipient of a grant by the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and was a lecturer and participant in the VII Bienal de Arquitectura in Quito. He has lectured in universities in New York and Ecuador, and has held teaching positions at the Parsons School of Design and the University of Illinois at Chicago. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1991-92)

Roberto de Alba (b. 1957, Havana): A designer and web developer, de Alba practiced architecture with I.M. Pei and Partners and taught architectural design at Yale University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He was executive editor for Architecture & Design at Thomson Reuters and at Watson-Guptill Publications before moving to the field of interactive digital media. He is a founding partner of Spliteye Multimedia, a New York City web development firm that has clients in the fields of art and architecture. He is the author of Paul Rudolph: The Late Work (2003, Princeton Architectural Press, New York) and editor of Perspecta, the Yale Architectural Journal (Rizzoli, New York). De Alba has a Bachelor's in Design from the University of Florida and a Master's in Architecture from Yale University. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1989-90)

Andrés Martín Duany (b. 1949, New York City): A founding partner of the post-modern architectural firm Arquitectonica, Duany and his wife, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, now head Miami’s DPZ design firm, an architecture and town planning enterprise that promulgates a school of traditional neighborhood design known as New Urbanism. An early key work of DPZ is the groundbreaking project Seaside, a village on Florida’s Gulf Coast that won praise as the first traditionally organized new town designed in decades. Duany is a founding member of the Congress for the New Urbanism. DPZ has completed the design of more than 225 new towns, regional plans and community revitalization projects throughout the United States and abroad. Duany grew up in Santiago de Cuba and Barcelona. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Princeton and a Master’s in architecture from Yale University. He is the co-author of Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream and of The New Civic Art, among other books. With Plater-Zyberk, he is the winner of multiple awards, including the Vincent Scully Prize from the National Building Museum, the Brandeis Award for Architecture and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Medal of Architecture. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1992-93)

Jorge L. Estévanez (b. Havana): The vice-president and co-founder of Urban Architects, Estévanez has been involved throughout his career in a variety of housing, commercial and institutional projects. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Florida and a Master’s from the Pratt Institute in New York. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1972-73)

Gabriel Fernández (b. 1960, Havana): After studying architecture at the City College of New York and at Harvard University, Fernandez collaborated on the design and production of several commercial and institutional buildings in the United States. He eventually obtained an M.B.A. in finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University and, since 1998, has played an active role in raising, investing and managing real estate private equity, deploying the capital in ground-up development, redevelopment, and acquisition transactions in various property types in Latin America. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1990-91)

Carlos Alberto Fleitas (b. ?? Matanzas): An architect and urban designer, Fleitas’ experience includes  architectural  design,  urban  design,  master  planning,  interior  design,  project  management  and  coordination  for  projects  that  include  entertainment,  hospitality,  retail,  office,  mixed­-use,  institutional,  multi­family and single-family ­residential. He has lectured at several higher education institutions and has served  as instructor and guest critic at The Cooper Union – The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, Florida  International University’s School of Architecture, The School of Architecture at the University of Miami and  Miami  Dade  College.  Fleitas  is  committed  to  the  preservation  of  the  urban,  architectural  and  cultural  heritage  of  his  native  Cuba.  His  recently  published  book, Canto  a  MATANZAS,  is  dedicated  to  the  historical  urban  fabric  and  architecture  of  his  native  city  of  Matanzas,  Cuba. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 2015­-16)

Javier Galindo (b. Havana): An architect and designer based in New York, Galindo’s practice investigates the role of impermanence and fragmentation in architectural discourse and expression. Galindo received the 2015 Rome Prize in Architecture, the KPF Traveling Fellowship, and several competition awards and recognitions. His professional experience includes time as Senior Associate Principal and Lead Designer at Kohn Pedersen Fox in New York. He has also practiced professionally in design firms in Miami and San Francisco. As an assistant instructor at Cornell University, Galindo has taught Visual Studies and Representation courses. He received a Masters of Architecture from Cornell University and a Bachelors of Architecture from FIU in Miami. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design 2018-2019)

Anthony García (b. 1980, Miami): A Principal of Street Plans Collaborative, García leads the firm’s Miami office. Prior to which he was Project Director at the Dover Kohl & Partners affiliated architecture firm Chael Cooper & Associates, and from 2008 to 2012 he was the Publisher and Managing editor of the transportation blog TransitMiami.com. He is a nationally recognized architect, writer, speaker and advocate in the field of transit, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. He is a coauthor of the globally acclaimed series Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change Vol. 2, and together with Mike Lydon is the recipient of the 2017 Seaside Prize and co-author of Tactical Urbanism. A part-time adjunct faculty member at the University of Miami School of Architecture, Tony  is currently Chairman of the Green Mobility Network, the largest bicycle pedestrian advocacy organization in South Florida. He co-founded the Ludlam Trail project, which will result in the addition of over 50 acres of new park space in Miami-Dade County. Among the many professional organizations he is active with are the Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals and the Congress for the New Urbanism. He lectures and leads workshops on the topics of architecture, urban design, smart growth, tactical urbanism, and complete streets/active transportation. Tony holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Urban Design from New York University and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Miami. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 2017-2018)

José Gelabert-Navia (b. 1954, Havana) An architect and educator, Gelabert-Navia’s recent work includes the Village of Merrick Park Office and Residential Sectors in Coral Gables, the Delray Beach Public Library, the Caribbean Technology Center in San Juan, the University of Miami School of Communication, the St. Agatha Catholic Church in Miami and, with Charles Gwathmey, the Center for Contemporary Art in North Miami. He studied architecture at Cornell University, where he also received a Master of Fine Arts degree; and at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, and at Isola Degli Studi, in Italy. Gelabert-Navia is co-author of Ocean Drive: Miami Beach. U.S.A, and is a frequent contributor to design and architecture journals. He is a trustee of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and a professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture. He is also regional director, Latin America, for the architecture firm Perkins + Will. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1987-88)

Miriam Gusevich (b. 1953, Havana): An architect and urban designer as well as an educator, Gusevich worked in major public projects in the Chicago Park District, where she was chief urban designer from 1988 to 1996. Among those projects was the master plan for the reconstruction of Chicago's shoreline. Her built projects include the Jane Addams Memorial Garden and sections of Grant Park. Gusevich is the author of a number theoretical essays, including “Architecture and its Discontexts,” “The Text of Exile,” and “The Architecture of Criticism.” She is the winner of a Loeb Fellowship in Advanced Environmental Studies at Harvard. Gusevich is an associate professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at Catholic University. She has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Cornell University. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 2001-2002)

Jorge Hernández (b. 1956, Havana):  An award winning architect specializing in homes, Hernández’s work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Interiors, Florida Architecture and Southern Accents. Hernández has also done major civic works, including Miami's Brickell Bridge and the courthouse for the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, commissions he received after winning national competitions. He has lectured in Europe and the United States, and participated in numerous international symposia and conferences. He is co-author, with Vincent Scully, of the book Between Two Towers: The Drawings of the School of Miami. Hernández is a professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture. He has a bachelor’s from the University of Miami and a master’s in architecture from the University of Virginia. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1983-84)

Rolando Llanes (b. 1961, Havana): Llanes is the president of CIVICA, LLC, in Miami. His many projects include Villa Magna, a 50-story apartment building, and Opera Tower Phase II, a 56- story apartment building, both located in Downtown Miami, as well as MDCC ETCOTA, a 39,000 square-foot, high-tech classroom facility for Miami Dade College, and the Killian Academy Charter School. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Architecture and received a Master’s degree in architecture from Princeton University. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1984-85)

Adrián López González (b. 1979, Matanzas) López González studied at the University of Matanzas Camilo Cienfuegos. In 2014, under the request of the Archbishop of Matanzas he assumed responsibility for the restoration and recovery of the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo, which had been in considerable deterioration. He has also undertaken restoration projects for el Teatro Sauto, el Archivo Histórico de la Ciudad, and CITMA, la Academia de Ciencias in his native city of Matanzas. (CINTAS Fellowship in Architecture & Design 2021-2022)

Tomás Luis López-Gottardi An architect and educator, López-Gottardi leads his own architecture firm in Coral Gables and has designed buildings and complexes such as the Venetian Harbor Condominiums in Miami and the Moscow River Center in Russia, as well as several residences in Miami-Dade County. He has directed several design competitions and is active in design research related to the South Florida community. López-Gottardi is a professor at the University of Miami, where he directs the undergraduate architecture program. He received his architecture degree from the University of Havana and has a Master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University and a second one in urban design and city planning from the University of Pennsylvania. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1971-72)

José Mejer (b. 1933, New York City): An architect and educator, Mejer has made hotel design the focus of his practice and is the owner of the José Mejer Jr. Design Studio. Since 1994, he has also been an instructor of computer graphics at the New School University in New York City. Mejer received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Cornell University in 1958. He used his Cintas fellowship to study the origins of Cuban colonial architecture in the south of Spain. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1963-64)

Mario Miquelli (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1980-81)

Marylis Nepomechie (b. 1956, Havana): After receiving a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nepomechie moved to Miami, where she joined the faculty of Florida International University. Her recent projects in collaboration with landscape designer Marta Canavés, focus on sustainable infrastructure and affordable housing. For their work, they have received an AIA National Institute Honor Award in Regional and Urban Design and an invitation to design and curate an exhibition at the Second International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam. They have earned grants from the Graham Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Institute of Architects. They also received a Design and Collaborative Practice Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and an American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 2012-13)

Manuel Quijano (b. 1954, Havana): Received a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York. Before graduating he worked as an intern under the direction of William Ellis at The Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York City. He began his professional career at George Nelson Associates where he was on the team that developed Chemical Bank’s 24-hour ATM banking center prototypes. At Walter Dorwin Teague Associates he was involved with interior design development for the Bank of Bermuda and Short 360 commuter plane. Before moving to the owner representation side, he worked for architects Kohn Pederson Fox Associates developing feasibility studies to maximize potential real estate development for commercial owners. As an Owner’s Representative, he specializes in construction management and architectural building systems. He has managed construction projects both internationally and domestically for Fortune 500 companies; most recently, a new addition for St. Mary’s Hospital for Children in Bayside, Queens. He served as a board member and Construction Chairman for Bergen County’s Habitat for Humanity. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1983-84)

Hervin A. Romney (b. 1941, Havana): A former student and teaching assistant of Charles Moore and Vincent Scully, Romney went on to become a principal and founding architect of Arquitectonica – the noted firm responsible for buildings such as The Atlantis, The Palace and The Imperial on Miami’s Brickell Avenue. His Coral Gables firm, Hervin Romney Architect, Inc., is responsible for many notable projects in the United States and abroad. Romney lectures widely on architecture and design. He has received awards from the Miami Design Preservation League, the Florida AIA and the Public Schools Centennial Competition, among others. Romney began his architecture studies at Villanueva, in Havana, received a bachelor degree in architecture from Catholic University and has a master of environmental design degree from Yale. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1974-75)

Alfredo Sánchez (b. 1949, Havana):  An urban designer, planner and architect specializing in large scale design, Sanchez has designed and directed numerous major planning studies and urban design plans throughout the world. Among these projects is the new community of Costa del Este in Ciudad Panama, Panama; the City of New Orleans Neighborhoods Rebuilding Plan; Ensenada Mexico Cruise Port and Marina among others. His project experience encompasses city wide master plans, corridor plans, major reconstruction efforts,  redevelopment and design of new communities, seaport master plans and marinas.  Sanchez is a Partner in the Miami firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Florida, Master’s in Architecture and Master’s in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1981-82)

Mario J. Torroella (b. 1935, Havana): The design director of the Cambridge architecture firm HMFH, Torroella oversees the design of the firm’s projects, specializing in schools. His work has earned him and HMFM several awards, including the William Caudill Citation from American School & University Magazine, and four Walter Taylor Awards from the AASA and the AIA. Torroella is also an artist, and his paintings and tapestries have been exhibited throughout the United States and abroad, including the Biennale Internationale d’Art in France and the Barcelona International Art Forum of 1989. Torroella has a Master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University. (CINTAS for Architecture & Design, 1986-87)