Benjamin Ibarra-Sevilla

Assistant Professor

Email: ibarr002@umn.edu

Telephone: 612-626-1086

Office: 151R Rapson Hall

Benjamin Ibarra-Sevilla is currently an Assistant Professor of Architecture and a Research Fellow at the Center for World Heritage Studies (CWHS) at the University of Minnesota.  He holds a Degree in Conservation and Restoration of the Built Heritage from the Excellence Program of the Carolina Foundation and the University of Alcala de Henares, Spain.  Benjamin is a registered architect in Mexico; he graduated from Autonomous National University of Mexico with a Merit Award.

Benjamin has been recognized for his research and restoration work on sixteenth and seventeenth century colonial and indigenous buildings in Oaxaca, Mexico.  His work in masonry, geometry and stereotomy has been published numerous times and he has lectured in academic institutions in Mexico, Spain and the U.S. Working with CWHS-UNESCO has been an excellent opportunity to fully develop his expertise in built heritage.  He was involved in the advisory team for the dossier nomination of Batanes Islands in the Philippines. In the missions to Baku, Azerbaijan and Zanzibar, Tanzania, he designed an inventory system based on cultural values and built environment. This system has been adopted by local authorities. The comprehensive nature and systematic approach to the collection of information developed in this system helped authorities to remove Baku from the list of sites in danger.  

As a reflection of his interest in building technology, Benjamin currently teaches the graduate course on structural systems. He has also teaches design studios and other design classes with an emphasis on the dichotomy between drawing and building as an inherent part of the discipline of architecture. Benjamin has a strong passion for ancient masonry building techniques, studies of stereotomy and studies of architectural form through descriptive geometry methods.

Education

• Universidad de Alcala de Henares and Carolina Foundation Excellence Program, Madrid, Spain. 2005

Master Degree in Conservation and Restoration of Built Heritage.

• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico. 1994

Licensed Architect with distinction (professional degree to practice architecture).  

Expertise

• Building technology
• Descriptive geometry
• Stereotomy and ancient stone tracery and cutting
• World Heritage Studies

Courses

• ARCH 5550 Topics in Technology – Building Design
• ARCH 5517 Structural Systems
• ARCH 5513 Visual Communication Techniques – BIM and Descriptive Geometry
• ARCH 5281 Design Studio
• ARCH 5110 Architecture as Catalyst – Stereotomic Structures
• ARCH 5101 Architectural Design Studies – 3+ program
• ARCH 4511 Building Methods
• ARCH 4313 Visual Communication Techniques – Descriptive Geometry
• ARCH 4283 and 4282 Undergraduate Design Studio
• ARCH 3301 Drawing for Design in Architecture
• ARCH 2281 Design Fundamentals II

Publications

• Article: “The role of materials and technology in the identification of type in the 16th century indigenous architecture of Oaxaca Mexico”. Forthcoming
• Work book:  “The Heritage of Icheri Sheher at Baku Azerbaijan”.  With Arthur Chen. World Heritage Center UNESCO.  2008
• Essay:  “The City of Oaxaca as a World Heritage Site”.  Book in commemoration of the 475th anniversary of Oaxaca City.  Casa de la Ciudad, Harp Foundation.  2007
• Essay:  “Can BIM inspire a new direction in Architectural Education?” with Renee Cheng. ACSA National Conference Proceedings.  2007
• Article:  “The Stereotomy of the Open Chapel at Teposcolula, Mexico”.  “Loggia” Magazine Number 20, College of Architects, Valencia, Spain.  2007
• Essay:  “Sixteenth Century Indigenous Architecture, and the Monastic House of San Juan Teposcolula, Oaxaca”.  ARPA Conference Proceedings, Valladolid, Spain.  2006
• Article:  "Open Chapel of Teposcolula, a Parenthesis in the History";  article for “Bitacora” magazine, UNAM. 2001 
• Editorial:  "The Restoration of Santo Domingo de Guzman at Oaxaca".  Editorial Assistance and Restoration Process Drawings only.  2001
• Presentation:  Drawings displayed at the National Palace of Beauty Arts within the International ICOMOS conference at Mexico City.  2000
• Article:  "Open Chapel of Teposcolula, an Intervention that Prepares Professionals".   “Gaceta” Magazine, School of Architecture, UNAM. 1998