FIU Department of Architecture proudly celebrates Professor Alfredo Andia, recipient of the 2025 Arturo Montagú Award from SIGraDi,the Ibero-American Society of Digital Graphics. The Arturo Montagú Award is a distinction honoring individuals whose long-standing leadership and contributions have shaped the evolution of the international design computation community. This prestigious recognition, awarded annually to those who have made significant and sustained contributions to digital architecture and graphics, reflects Professor Andia’s decadeslong impact in research, teaching, and international dissemination.
As an active contributor since SIGraDi’s early years, Professor Andia has played a central role in strengthening the organization across the Ibero-American region. This year’s conference— SIGraDi Córdoba, Argentina 2025, held at the Faculty of Architecture and Design, FAUD-UNC— was particularly meaningful, as it also featured him as a Keynote Speaker.
His keynote, “Architecture and Biology: The Future of Human Space,” explored how emerging biotechnologies may reshape the way humans construct and inhabit their environments over the next thirty years. Reflecting on the future of bio design and synthetic biology, he shared:
“Over the next thirty years, emerging biotechnologies will reshape the way we construct and inhabit our world. From lab-grown materials to programmable living matter, these innovations challenge conventional architectural thinking. The lecture explores speculative projects featuring self-growing structures, carbon-storing islands, and entirely new biomaterials, opening possibilities for reimagining design at a global scale.” — Professor Alfredo
Andia Dr. Andia highlighted speculative projects developed by students he guided in Design 7/8 and Master Project Studios from 2018 to 2022, demonstrating FIU’s forward-looking engagement in biotechnology-driven design.
In addition to presenting the conference keynote, Professor Andia was instrumental in coordinating the participation of FIU Architecture faculty Daniela Atencio, Claudio Rossi, Thomas Spiegelhalter and Shahin Vassigh as well as DDes faculty collaborators, alumni and students across peer-reviewed presentations and exhibitions. His leadership helped elevate FIU Architecture’s presence at SIGraDi, reinforcing the School’s growing visibility in computational research and design innovation.
A major highlight of SIGraDi 2025 was the Bio Architectures exhibition, aligned with the conference theme Meta-Responsive Approaches in Architecture, Art, Design, and Sciences. Curated among 15 international works, the exhibit explored the intersection of architecture and biotechnology—featuring living systems, biomaterials, synthetic biology, and regenerative design strategies shaping the methodologies of the future. The FIU School of Architecture was strongly represented, including work from the Robotics and Digital Fabrication (RDF) Lab, Professor Eric Goldemberg’s FIUStudios, Professors Claudio Rossi and Daniela Atencio, and Alfredo Andia’s FIU Studios. Exhibited projects included:
ECOBLOX
Authors: Shahin Vassigh (PI, FIU), Sara Pezeshk (CoPI, FIU), Biayna Bogosian (CoPI, ASU), Ebru Ozer (CoPI, FIU) Sponsor: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SARGASSUM
Author: Teri Watson (DDes candidate) Consultants: Shahin Vassigh (FIU–SoA), Sara Pezeshk (FIU–IoE), Neil Ramsey (FIU–Ratcliffe), Tosin Oshinowo (Oshinowo Studio)
HYBRID INFRASTRUCTURE
Author: Dean McMurry (DDes candidate) Consultants: Shahin Vassigh (FIU–SoA), Ebru Ozer (FIU–SoA), Michael Ross (FIU–Earth & Environment)
DESERT Z: Biotechnological Archaeology
Authors: Daniela Atencio, Claudio Rossi PARASYMBIOTIC Authors: Eric Goldemberg – FIU Studio, Renzo Lopez (FIU Master Project Thesis) LIVING STRUCTURES Authors: Daniela Perez, Richard Salinas (FIU Master Project Thesis 2022)
SYNBIO-STUDIOS
Authors: Alfredo Andia Design Studios, FIU (D8 and Master Project Studios, 2018–2022) Students: Daniela Romero, Solange Salinas, Rosanna Rodriguez, Brian de la Cruz, Juan Moreno, Renzo Lopez, Carmen Alvarez, Steven Rivera, Jessica Milton, Karen Quezada, Martha Morales, Van Thanh Le, Vanessa Osorio, Lina Sarikhani, Allison Tapia, Naomy Peralta, Maria Costantini
Additional recognition goes to the RDF Lab’s doctoral students—Teri Watson, Dean McMurry, Shen Gao, Sujay Kumarji, Luis Pacheco, and DDes alumna Sara Pezeshk—whose work contributed significantly to the exhibit’s depth and visibility. The RDF Lab also presented a peer-reviewed paper co-authored by Luis Pacheco, Research Associate Madeline Gannon, and Professor Shahin Vassigh, further demonstrating FIU’s leadership at the intersection of design, computation, and emerging technologies.
Together, these achievements underscore FIU Architecture’s expanding global impact and the vibrant research culture that continues to define our School of Architecture.
Congratulations to Professor Alfredo Andia and all FIU contributors for representing the university with distinction.
